These homemade Vegetarian Empanadas are made with a super easy dough and are filled with black beans, corn, potatoes, veggies, and flavorful spices. Perfect snack or side dish for serving a crowd. Baked, not fried!
1small russet potato,peeled, finely diced, and boiled*
1teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonpaprika
1/2teaspoonred pepper flakes
1/2teaspoonground black pepper
1/2teaspoonground cumin
2stalks of celery, diced
½red bell pepper,cored, seeded, and diced
½green bell pepper,cored, seeded, and diced
1/2cupshredded monterey jack cheese (or “Mexican blend” cheese),optional
For the egg wash:
1egg
3tablespoonswater
Instructions
For the dough:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the water and butter, heating until butter has fully melted. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and paprika and make a well in the center. Pour a little of the warm butter mixture in and mix with your fingertips to make a wet paste. Pour in remaining liquid, and work the dough with your hands until you get a wet, oily dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
For the filling:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté jalapeño. Once fragrant, add corn, black beans, potato and seasonings. After the mixture has come together, add the diced celery and bell peppers. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or until tender.
To assemble:
Tear off golf-ball sized pieces of the chilled dough and roll into balls. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the balls into 1/4-inch thick, 5-inch diameter circles. Once your dough has been rolled out, place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Sprinkle lightly with cheese, if using. Fold over the dough to create a half-moon shape and press edges firmly to seal. Crimp edges with the back of a fork.
Place empanadas onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat together the egg and water. Brush the empanadas gently with the egg wash.
Bake empanadas until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Refrigerate leftovers either plastic wrapped or stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze cooked empanadas plastic wrapped in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, unwrap as many empanadas as you want and warm through in a 300°F oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes.
Notes
*May use cooked potato leftovers as well. If using fresh uncooked potato, in a small saucepan, fill ⅔ with water and bring to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the potato. When water is boiling, reduce heat to medium and add potato, cooking until the potato can easily be pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain in colander.