I’ve wanted to share a recipe for vegan empanadas on this site forever! Seriously, for years and years now they’ve been on my to-make list. So, what held me back? Like many delicious recipe ideas, I figured they’d be complicated and a huge pain to make. If you’re unfamiliar with them, empanadas are little pastry pockets that are stuffed with savory fillings and deep fried. They originated in Spain, but now you’ll find different versions all over Latin American. And as for me, I needed a vegan version in my life. But anything involving homemade pastry dough and frying is a bit of a pain as far as I’m concerned. I was just getting ready to tell myself to suck it up and make those fancy empanadas already when an awesome shortcut occurred to me: use puff pastry. It’s ready to go and doesn’t require frying in order to get crispy!
Puff Pastry
I used store-bought vegan puff pastry in place of the from-scratch pastry you’d find in most empanada recipes. Is this an authentic way of making empanadas? Hell no! Is it easy and delicious? You bet! Puff pastry is French, for one thing, while empanadas are Latin American. The texture of puff pastry isn’t exactly the same as that of empanada dough, but for my purposes, it works!
Black Bean Filling
Although I don’t think there’s a specific filling that makes an authentic empanada, most recipes I’ve seen call for beef and cheese. Obviously we can’t have that here. Black beans are my go-to substitute for meat filling in lots of Latin American-inspired recipes. They work great in burritos and tacos. They’re delicious, satisfying, and go great with the spices you’d normally find in this cuisine. So that’s what I used as the primary ingredient in my vegan empanada filling.
How They’re Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
The Filling
Heat up some oil in a large skillet and add some onion and red bell pepper. Cook the veggies until they start to soften up, and then add some garlic and spices. Cook everything for a minute more, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.Add the beans, some water, and tomato paste. Let everything simmer for a few minutes until the beans soften up and most of the water cooks off.Finally, stir in some (thawed) frozen corn, scallions and cilantro. Season your filling with some salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
Tip: Make ahead option! The filling for these can be made up to two days in advance. However, I recommend leaving the scallions and cilantro out and adding them just before stuffing the empanadas.
The Pastry
Note: We’re using frozen puff pastry here, so try to remember to let it thaw out before getting started. If you forget, try microwaving it in 20 second increments until it’s thawed. Not ideal, but it works!
Grab one of your puff pastry sheets and roll it out with a rolling pin. You’re going to want it large enough to cut six circles, about 4 ½ inches each in diameter.Cut those circles. If you have a pastry or cookie cutter of the right size, great — use that! If not, take a look around your kitchen to find something you can trace with a knife. I found a little bowl that worked perfectly.
Assemble the Empanadas
Grab one of your pastry circles and place a couple of spoonfuls of bean filling in the center. Use a finger to smooth some water over the edges of the circle, then fold it over and pinch the dough to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges.Arrange your uncooked empanadas on oiled baking sheets as you assemble them.
Tip: For cheesy vegan empanadas, place a little bit of vegan shredded cheese over the filling before folding and sealing your pastry. I like to brush my vegan empanadas with a bit of almond milk before popping them into the oven, which functions as a vegan egg wash. Then I’ll brush them with a tablespoon or so of olive oil or vegan butter about 5 minutes before they’re done baking. This helps them to develop a beautiful golden brown color while baking!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover vegan empanadas will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months. The pastry will soften during storage, but it can be made crispy again to some degree by placing the empanadas under a broiler briefly during reheating.
More Latin American Vegan Recipes
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