Filipino empanadas, full of flavour with flaky light pastry using a secret ingredient. These Filipino empanadas are the perfect snack food.
Filipino empanadas, another snack food I fell in love with when visiting The Philippines last year. I shared a recipe for Filipino lumpia a little while back, another favourite from our food tour of Manila’s Chinatown. On this tour is where we also tasted delicious Filipino empanadas.
As with the lumpia, I researched to find an empanada recipe that was close to what was tried. And like the lumpia recipe, I ended up taking bits from one recipe and bits from another. Trial and error until I finally came up with something close to what we tried.
These empanadas have a slight sweetness as Filipinos do love that a little added sweetness in their food, including savoury. The filling of these Filipino empanadas is fantastic, but I am extremely impressed with the pastry.
Most of the recipes I can across used butter or oil in their pastry. Due to the fine little fried air bubbles that were on the surface of the empanada I tried in Manila, I had a very strong feeling they used lard. After playing around with pastry recipes, I am pretty sure I was right.
I say “secret ingredient” in the title above, but “forgotten” would be more accurate. It’s no secret lard is magical in pastry recipes. It makes for a flaky and light pastry. Due to not being a healthy fat, it has lost favour with home cooks. I know I rarely use it.
Don’t be put off by the smell of lard, it’s not that appealing (to me anyway). But it is worth using for the final result. It also loses all trace of smell and taste on cooking.
That’s the beauty of using lard. Unless you have made pastry with it, you are none the wiser as to why the pastry is so good.
I highly recommend you don’t make this recipe with butter. Because if you are going to the trouble of making these Filipino empanadas, use lard for a fantastic result. Plus I want to challenge you a little.
As mentioned in the notes in the recipe, the cooked empanadas can be frozen. Makes sure they have completely cooled before freezing. I simply put some in a ziplock bag and froze them. To reheat them, it was a case of straight from the freezer to a lined tray and the oven (medium heat). Until heated all the way through and crisp.
You can also check out my folding technique on Instagram, for a bit of guidance.
Don’t forget to have a look at my Filipino lumpia recipe, and also our exploration of the tasty treats we experienced in Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown.
If you make and enjoy this recipe, or any of our others, tag us in the photo on social media. Would love to see what you have made!
Sara xxx
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Filipino Empanadas
Ingredients
Filling
- 20 ml 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 500 grams pork mince lean
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 small potato finely diced
- 45 grams ¼ cup sultanas
- 75 grams ½ cup frozen baby peas
- 40 mls 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 40 mls 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 65 mls ¼ cup water
Pastry
- 450 grams 3 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 50 grams ¼ cup lard, cold and chopped into small pieces
- 125 mls ½ cup cold water
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Filling
- In a large non stick pan, over a medium heat, heat oil and sautee onions and garlic until soft.
- Add pork mince and cook for a few minutes until it starts to brown.
- Stir in carrot and potato and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
- Add peas, sultanas, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper and water. Stir well.
- Continue to cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring so the mixture does not burn, until liquid has evaporated.
- Cover and place empanada filling to the side to cool while making the pastry. If it is a hot day, I suggest you put the filling in the fridge once it has cooled slightly.
Pastry
- Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, whisk together.
- Add lard to the flour mixture. With the tips of your fingers rub (see notes) the lard into the flour mixture.
- Whisk water, egg and vinegar together and add to flour mixture.
- Mix until combined and then turn out on to a lightly floured bench.
- Knead until mixture forms a smooth dough. Adding a little more flour if too sticky to handle.
- Shape into a flatish ball and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
Assembly and Cooking
- Divide dough into 18 round balls, and cover with some plastic wrap to avoid them drying out while assembling.
- On a floured bench, roll out a dough ball with a rolling pin, until around ½ centimetre thick.
- Place 2 tablespoons of empanada filling in the centre of the rolled out dough.
- Fold the dough in half over the filling, then seal the empanada but pleating* the edges and crimping as you go.
- You can see how I do it on Instagram here.
- Continue with the remainder of the dough and filling. Keeping the empanadas covered as you go so they don’t dry out.
- Place enough vegetable oil in a wok, which would be high enough to cover the empanadas. Heat oil until it reaches 180°C (350°F). Cook a few empanada at a time (don’t crowd the wok) until they are golden brown.
- Once golden remove from the wok and drain on kitchen paper towel.
- Serve immediately.
Nan Lee
These were awesome! They are like the ones I remember having as a child around Christmas time. The crust is what I have been trying to recreate..It is the lard that makes the difference. I will be making these again soon and packaging them up for my family since we can’t be together because of COVID restrictions. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Sara McCleary
Hi Nan, I am so glad you came upon my recipe and that you liked it. You are right, it is the lard that makes all the difference to the pastry. I hope your loved ones enjoyed their empanada care package.
Sonia
I have never commented on online recipes in my life. This was the easiest crust to make and handle – it turned out so well! Loved that you can stretch the dough thin. Excellent recipe!!! Will absolutely make again!
Sara McCleary
Hi Sonia
You have made my Monday morning reading your comment. I’m really happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe and will be making it again. I really love that dough recipe too! Also that you were inspired to leave such a lovely comment, thank you!
Cheers Sara
Ludette
I am trying this right now. But ill use cheese and spam for filling. Im excited.. im waiting for the lard to get alittle bit cold..lets see what happens????
Sara McCleary
Hi Ludette, that is probably the most unique combination I have heard so far for the empanadas. I hope that they were are delicious success!
Jen
I just tried making this recipe last night. It taste so good. I used chicken instead of pork. And sliced it into small pieces. I also used butter ‘cause I don’t have lard. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Will probably make this again.
Sara McCleary
Hi Jen, The chicken is a perfect substitution for the pork, sounds delicious! Butter would have worked well with the pastry. Glad you enjoyed them.
Kraz
This recipe is perfect. I followed it to the letter. Yes, I even made my own pork lard. The result is exactly what I wanted. Thank you for your generousity in sharing this recipe. I know hours of trial and error and research went into that recipe. God bless your heart!
Sara McCleary
Hi Kraz
Making your own lard, OMG that is pure commitment!! Makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed making and eating these.
Cheers, Sara
Arabella
Thank you. I will definitely try this. I have a feeling this is the crust that I’m looking for. Thanks again.
Sara McCleary
Hi Arabella, hope it is what you are looking for! Enjoy.
Jenn
OMG! I made these last week and they were amazing! I am a Filipina and grew up eating these and they were spot on to what I know! I did substitute butter for lard and ground beef for pork. Also, I baked these instead of frying because I needed to be a little healthier! I will be making these again and again! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!!
Sara McCleary
Hi Jenn, glad they lived up to your memories, that made me smile! Thanks for letting me know that you baked them and that they worked well. I think I may follow your lead and bake them next time I make them.
Ritchel Palanas
Thank you so much…i want to try making this soon.
Geralyn Balbastro
This looks really good. I will try it. Thank you!
Sara McCleary
Geralyn, I really hope you enjoy them 🙂
Buda
Hi. This sounds like a wonderful recipe and I’d love to try it! Can you freeze the uncooked empanada, ie, cooked filling inside raw formed/crimped dough? Thank you!
Sara McCleary
Hi Buda
I haven’t tried freezing them at the uncooked stage. I freeze them once cooked.
If you do have a go at freezing them pre-cooking please let me know how you go.
Cheers, Sara
Teri Hsll
I use to get empanadas every month from patients when they would come in. The dough was not too thick and the filling was to die for They brought three types. Chicken pork and the sweet fruit on. I loved eating them. They would make them right before they came andthey we’re still hot. I never found out we’re their shop was just that it was in West Covina, CA. I am sure by this point they have passed on being as they were elderly then do you have a chicken and fruit recipe?
Sara
Hi Teri, unfortunately I don’t have a recipe for chicken or fruit empanadas. I am really sorry about that. You could substitute the pork for chicken in my recipe. Regarding the fruit recipe, do you remember what fruit was in the empanadas?
Rowena
I would love to try the recipe but may i just ask what is the function of vinegar in the dough?
Sara
Hi Rowena
The most important thing to note is that the vinegar does not add anything to the taste of your dough.
It provides you a little insurance against overworking the dough. Vinegar will also keep your dough from oxidizing and turning gray.
It also helps with keeping shape. You will often see vinegar used in dough for pies. When cutting toppers for pies, eg, a leaf, dough with vinegar will keep the pattern detail more so than non vinegar dough.
If for some reason you don’t want to add the vinegar, that is perfectly okay.
Jojie
Hello!can I use butter o stead of lard? If I can replace with butter what’s the .measurement pls!?
Sara
Hi Jojie
Yes you can replace the lard with butter, but you will end up with a completely differnt dough, both in texture and taste. In regard to the quantities you would use, I am not sure. Try swapping it out for the same amount.
As I said, it will not be the same dough, and will not taste the same. Lard does not add to the taste of the final dough, I use it for a textural purpose. Butter will flavour the the dough.
Using butter will not give you the same result.
If you can’t get your hands lard, then I would try a vegetable shortening instead of butter.
My advice is try it with lard if you can.
Jo
What should the dough be like after mixing the liquid mixture (consistency)? I wasn!’t able to knead mine since it was all crumbly? I just made in into a ball then placed it in the fridge for 1 hour. I wish you had pictures or a video on what the consistency of dough should be like.
Sara
Hi Jo, as per the instructions you should end up with a smooth dough. Unfortunately how wet or dry your dough depends on a few factors, the brand of flour, temperature on the day of making, through to altitude. If the dough is crumbly add a little more liquid. And as mentioned if too sticky add a little more flour.
Jo
Thank you. The second time I made the dough was much better. Since I already tried using all purpose flour for this recipe I was wondering if I could use bread flour instead.
Sara
Hi Jo
Glad to hear that your dough worked out. I personally haven’t tried the recipe with bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour. This means that it will absorb more liquid. You may have the problem you had initially of crumbly dough, but you may not. But not all bread flours are milled the same using the same grain, therefore protein levels will vary. The dough may also be a little more denser when fried.
If you do have a go making this recipe using bread flour I would love you to share you results with me. I am curious to see if it does make any difference.
Cheers Sara
mochi delos santos
I made this empanada for my friend Susie and she just love them! She also kept this copy as she couldn’t resist eating them! Her plan is to do try this for her family when she comes home to Minnesota!
Sara
Hi Mochi
I always get a big smile on my face with readers enjoy my recipes. So glad that both you and your friend enjoyed them. Hope Susie’s family also enjoy them.
Cheers Sara
Maria
Hi. Can I sub the pork to beef? And instead of frying them, can I bake them? In what temp and time? Thank you
Sara
Hi Maria, You could replace the beef with pork, of course, this would change the flavour dynamic completely. I would use veal instead if you can as it isn’t as strong, alternatively if you can’t eat pork you could use chicken thigh mince.
No you can’t bake them, you would need to use completely different pastry. If you want to bake them buy some pre-made frozen puff pastry to use. Follow the directions for baking the pastry on the packet (probably around 200 – 220 degrees C). They won’t be empanadas and taste nothing like my original recipe, but they should still be a pretty tasty puff pastry treat.
Sheila
I love empanadas. It’s one of my favorite snacks and I after reading this post. I am craving for one.
Rosemary
Wow, you did a fantastic job recreating the empanadas. So delicious. Love how golden brown they turned out. I’m going to have to try your recipe!!
Marie | Yay! For Food
I love the sweet and savoury flavours in these empanadas! Definitely full of flavour! The pastry looks so crispy and perfectly golden too!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
My sister in law is from Columbia and always makes a batch of empanadas for the holidays. Next time I visit home I’d love to make these with her. I just love how pillowy the dough looks!
Brian Jones
They look utterly delicious, I love the flavours in Asian food, that who sweet, sour, salty and spicy thing works so well.
Luci's Morsels
This looks so good and I am having some serious dinner envy right now! Thank you for sharing! Yummy!
Debra C.
I’m totally on board with doing it the old fashioned way. Your empanadas looks so delicious and I’d love one with some of that Sriracha sauce, YUM!