Puerto Rican Empanadillas Recipes

MINI EMPANADILLAS (PUERTO RICAN BEEF TURNOVERS)

Steps:

• Dough - Mix flour, salt, butter (slice up the stick of butter first) and egg with a food processor or mixer. Start adding water slowly until you get a nice stretchy dough consistency.
• The dough shouldn't be sticky, if it is, add more flour to the mix. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is not absolutely necessary, but it does make the dough easier to work with.
• Beef Filling - Season ground beef with Adobo to desired taste, add chopped garlic cloves and brown the meat in a skillet. You may also use salt and pepper instead of Adobo if you prefer.
• Once meat is cooked add Sofrito, Sazon, tomato sauce, onions, green peppers, red peppers and potatoes. Let it simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Take your dough and roll it out with a rolling pin. Make sure to sprinkle flour on the surface, your rolling pin and hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Once your roll the dough out, use a cup or a round cookie cutter to cut circular shapes.
• Place a spoonful of beef filling on the dough and fold it shut.
• My favorite method for sealing empanadillas is to use a fork. Simply press on the edge with a fork on both sides and you're done.
• Fry each side of the empanadilla in hot oil. Simply remove when the empandilla gets a light golden color.

EMPANADILLAS DE CARNE (PUERTO RICAN EMPANADAS)

Steps:

• Follow instructions to make empanadilla dough and carne molida.
• On a flat surface, fill one empanadilla disk at a time by adding two tablespoons of the carne molida to the center (or it may be easier for you to add filling more to one side of dough) of the dough.
• Fold dough over to form a half moon.Crimp edges of the dough with a fork to seal.Note: Some people like to flip empanadilla over and crimp the other side as well but I find that it is not necessary as long as you crimp one side firmly.
• Add half an inch of vegetable or canola oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.
• Once the oil has heated some, add a few empanadillas at a time and cook until golden brown on one side.Flip empanadillas over and cook on the other side until golden brown.Drain on paper towels.
• Serve with a side of lemon wedges and hot sauce.

EMPANADILLAS (FRIED PUERTO RICAN TURNOVERS)

Steps:

• Make the pie dough (skip to step 3 if using store-bought dough.) Start by pulsing flour and butter in a food processor until pea sized pieces begin to form. Pulse in the water a few tablespoons at a time until a ball of dough forms. Chill for at least 2 hours.
• Make the Picadillo filling. Start with oil, onions, and peppers in a pan over medium heat. Once onions become translucent, add sofrito and sauté another minute before adding ground beef. Break the ground beef into smaller pieces as it cooks. Add sazon, adobo, bay leaves, tomato sauce, olives, and water. Bring it to a boil before simmering with a lid partially on, for 10 minutes or until the beef is fully cooked.
• Prep the dough. Dust a clean surface with flour and roll dough out to about ¼ inch thickness and cut out circular discs using a large cookie cutter or small bowl. Spoon picadillo over half of each disc, fold the empty dough over top and pinch together with a fork.
• Fry. Heat oil to around 350 degrees before frying empanadas on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the edges. Enjoy!

PUERTO RICAN CHICKEN EMPANADAS (EMPANADILLAS DE POLLO)

Steps:

• In a saute pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and sofrito. Saute for 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes (with the juice), sazon, adobo, powdered chicken bouillon, cumin, sugar and chopped olives, if using.
• Stir to combine and lower the heat to a simmer. Allow this mixture to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until most of the liquid from the diced tomatoes has evaporated.
• Add the chicken, and stir thoroughly to combine. You want to make sure the chicken turns golden from the tomato/spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute to warm the chicken through,
• Place the chicken mixture in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for 15-30 minutes in the fridge.
• Divide the chicken mixture between the defrosted empanada discs, making sure not to overfill. Crimp the edges completely with a fork.
• Fry the empanadas for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
• Serve hot!

PUERTO RICAN FRIED MEAT PIES: EMPANADAS

Steps:

• DOUGH: combine all the dry ingredients in electric mixer, add all the wet ingredients. Mix for about 3 minutes until well combined. Dough will form.
• Take it out and knead for about 3 minutes, let sit wrapped in plastic-wrap for another 15 minutes.
• Divide into 12 pieces, then roll into 4 inch circles.
• FILLING: Brown ground beef (drain excess grease), or sauté shredded chicken in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add all the ingredients and cook for an additional 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool.
• COOKING: Preheat the oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the dough and seal the edges with a fork.
• Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, then place on dish lined with paper-towels.

VEGAN PUERTO RICAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Combine water, TVP, and soy sauce in a large pan over high heat. Cook and stir until water is mostly evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, sazon, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin. Continue cooking until TVP starts to firm up, about 5 minutes, increasing heat if necessary. Add cayenne and liquid smoke and cook until the mixture starts sticking to the pan, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and mix vegan meat well.
• Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add water and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Mix with your hands and knead until all flour is incorporated. Cut dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place dough balls in the bowl and cover; let sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Roll a dough ball out into a 6-inch circle and fill with vegan meat and shredded cheese. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edges of the dough before folding over and crimping empanada edges using a fork. Repeat with remaining dough balls and fillings.
• Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 3 empanadas as a time to the hot oil and fry until both sides are a light golden color, about 5 minutes total. Transfer fried empanadas to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.