Healthy Ground Pork Empanadas

Here’s my go-to recipe for ground pork empanadas, featuring a simple homemade dough that’s crispy on the outside and tender inside, filled with seasoned ground pork, onions, garlic, and just the right blend of spices.

These empanadas are my kids’ favorite after-school snack, and I often make a double batch to keep some in the freezer. There’s something special about having warm, freshly baked empanadas ready whenever you need them, don’t you think?

What Kind of Ground Pork Should I Use?

For empanadas, regular ground pork from your local grocery store will work perfectly fine – aim for meat that’s around 80-85% lean for the best flavor and texture. If you see different options at the meat counter, avoid the extra lean varieties as they can make your filling too dry, and skip the high-fat versions that might make your empanadas greasy. You can even ask your butcher to grind a pork shoulder (also called Boston butt) fresh for you, which gives you more control over the meat quality. Just make sure your ground pork is fresh and has a pink, not gray, color when you’re ready to cook.

Options for Substitutions

This empanada recipe is pretty flexible and allows for several ingredient swaps:

• All-purpose flour: You can use pastry flour for a more tender crust, but all-purpose flour is really best for achieving that perfect empanada texture. If needed, you can use gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, but the texture will be slightly different.
• Ground meat: Ground chicken, pork, or turkey all work great in this recipe. You could even use plant-based ground meat alternatives for a vegetarian version, just make sure to add a bit more seasoning.
• Vegetables: The carrots and potatoes can be swapped with other firm vegetables like sweet potatoes, turnips, or parsnips. Green peas can be replaced with corn or chopped green beans.
• Raisins: Not a fan of raisins? You can skip them or replace with chopped dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots for a different sweet note.
• Oyster sauce: You can substitute oyster sauce with hoisin sauce or additional soy sauce mixed with a pinch of sugar. For vegetarian options, use mushroom sauce.
• Chicken bouillon: Any type of bouillon (vegetable or beef) will work, or you can skip it and add more soy sauce and a pinch of salt for flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The success of empanadas largely depends on the dough temperature – working with warm dough will lead to tough, difficult-to-handle pastry, so keep your ingredients cold and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling. When preparing the filling, a common mistake is not cooking out enough moisture from the ground pork and vegetables, which can make your empanadas soggy – make sure to cook the filling until relatively dry and let it cool completely before assembling. Another crucial step is sealing the edges properly – if you don’t press the edges firmly enough or create a good crimp, the filling will leak during frying or baking, so use a fork to press the edges together and ensure they’re completely sealed. For the best texture, avoid overstuffing your empanadas (about 2-3 tablespoons of filling is perfect) and remember to cut small vents in the top if you’re baking them to allow steam to escape.

What to Serve With Empanadas?

These savory hand pies are perfect for serving with a variety of dipping sauces – I love offering both a spicy chipotle mayo and a fresh cilantro-lime sauce on the side. Since empanadas are pretty filling on their own, I usually pair them with lighter sides like a simple green salad dressed with lime vinaigrette or some pickled red onions for a nice tangy contrast. For a more substantial meal, you could serve them alongside Mexican-style rice or black beans, though I find that 2-3 empanadas with a small side is usually plenty for most people!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These tasty empanadas stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. If you’ve got leftovers from dinner, just let them cool completely before putting them away – this helps keep the crust nice and crispy.

Freeze: Empanadas are perfect for freezing! You can freeze them either before or after baking. For uncooked ones, arrange them on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag – they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Already baked? Just wrap them well and freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheat: To warm up refrigerated empanadas, pop them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. For frozen baked ones, add an extra 5-7 minutes. Want to cook frozen unbaked empanadas? No need to thaw – just add a few extra minutes to the original baking time.

Make Ahead: You can prep these ahead of time! Make the filling up to 2 days before and keep it in the fridge. Or assemble the empanadas and freeze them unbaked – this way you can bake them fresh whenever you’re craving some homemade empanadas.

Preparation Time	30-60 minutes
Cooking Time	30-45 minutes
Total Time	60-105 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-160 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• Pinch salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice-cold water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)

For the filling:

• 1 clove garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp green peas
• 500g ground pork
• 1 medium carrot (finely diced)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 medium potato (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 onion (finely minced for even distribution)
• 2 tbsp raisins (optional, adds a touch of sweetness)

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

Mix well until evenly combined.

Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture.

Use a pastry blender or fork to blend the butter into the flour until you achieve a crumbly texture.

Gradually add water in small amounts, mixing with your hands to ensure full absorption.

If needed, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency.

Knead the dough until it becomes smooth.

Once ready, form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, or place it in an airtight container.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 2: Cook the Filling

Heat some oil in a pan and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.

Add the ground chicken and cook until the meat changes color.

Stir in black pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a chicken broth cube.

Cook until the cube has fully dissolved.

Cover and let cook for a few minutes.

Add the diced potatoes and carrots, stir, cover again, and cook until tender.

Finally, add the green peas and raisins.

Simmer for an additional minute, then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

Step 3: Roll and Cut the Dough

After chilling, dust your working surface with flour.

Flatten the dough with a rolling pin until the desired thickness for the empanada is achieved.

Use a pastry cutter or a bowl to cut the dough into circles.

Aim for approximately 12 empanada circles/wrappers.

Step 4: Fill and Shape the Empanadas

Place a portion of the cooled filling in the center of each dough circle.

Fold the dough over the filling to form a semicircle.

Press the edges together with your thumb and then use a fork to seal the edges securely.

Step 5: Cook the Empanadas

For frying, heat oil in a deep pan and fry the empanadas in batches until they are golden brown.

Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain a consistent temperature.

Once golden brown, transfer the empanadas to a wire rack to drain excess oil.