Colombian Empanadas
Colombian Empanadas hold a special place in my heart—crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside, and always served with a side of ají. While nothing beats the original deep-fried version, I’ve also figured out how to make them in the air fryer for a quicker, slightly healthier option that still brings the crunch.
Servings: 25 small empanadas, or about 18 big ones
Calories: 144kcal
Ingredients
For the Empanada Dough
- 4 cups pre-cooked yellow cornmeal PAN brand
- 3 ½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 tomato diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup chicken broth or water with a little extra salt
- 1 medium-sized potato peeled and diced into small pieces
- salt & pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro stirred in at end
For Assembly
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
- Colombian ají for serving
Instructions
For the Dough
- Combine the 4 cups yellow corn flour, 3 cups water, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix until combined and knead in the bowl for a few minutes to ensure all of the water is absorbed.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside.
For the Filling
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the ground beef into the skillet to brown. Break up the meat as it cooks with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Once the beef is mostly browned, add in the diced onion, tomato, minced garlic, and green bell pepper. Stir to combine and allow to cook for a few minutes while the vegetables soften.
- Add the spices: 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon of paprika. Add a bit of salt here too, about ½ tsp. Stir to combine.
- Next, add in the chicken broth and the diced potato. Cover and allow the filling to simmer on low heat until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and set the filling aside.
Assemble the Empanadas
- With wet hands, roll a portion of the empanada dough into a ball. It should be larger than a golf ball, but smaller than a tennis ball.
- Take a large gallon-sized ziplock bag and cut along the sides, leaving one side of the bag in tact.
- Place the empanada dough ball in between the ziplock back, so it is covered in the plastic. Use a tortilla press or flat object like a cutting board to flatten the ball into a disk. You can also use a rolling pin! You want it to be thin, but not so thing that it will break open.
- Pull back the plastic bag and spoon about 2 tablespoon of filling into the middle of the empanada dough disk. Fold over the empanada using the plastic bag, then use a round bowl to seal the empanada and create a perfectly round edge.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. When you are almost done assembling, start to heat up the oil for frying them.
- In a large pot, heat up the oil on medium-high heat. I like to add enough oil so that at least half of the empanada will be covered.
- Fry 2 to 3 empanadas as a time, gently placing them in the pot of oil with a large metal spoon. Fry on one side for about 5 minutes, until golden and firm. Then flip and fry on the other side for another 5 minutes. Repeat with all of the empanadas.
- Serve hot with a side of Colombian hot sauce!
Notes
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I like to reheat them in the air fryer or toaster oven until heated through!
To freeze, place the fried and cooled empanadas in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend allowing them to thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheating them in the air fryer or toaster oven before serving.
To freeze, place the fried and cooled empanadas in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend allowing them to thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheating them in the air fryer or toaster oven before serving.