These Mushroom Empanadas are a delightful treat that everybody will love. Empanada (from the word “Empanar”) is a Spanish word generally meaning wrapped in bread. These pastries filled with seafood, meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit are wildly popular throughout Latin and South America. Empanadas can be baked or fried, in either way they are delicious. As I always like to choose the healthier way, I prefer to bake them.
I had seen empanadas so many times in food magazines and on cooking shows, and for a long time I wanted to try making them myself. When I finally decided to give them a go, I created my own version with a lighter filling. Instead of using meat, I chose a combination of mushrooms, vegetables, and cheese, which turned out to be both flavorful and satisfying.
These mushroom empanadas have quickly become one of my favorite savory recipes. I’ve made them three times already, and each batch has been a big hit with family and friends. The filling is rich and delicious without feeling heavy, while the golden, flaky crust makes them hard to resist.
How to serve mushroom empanadas
They can be served as an appetizer, snack, light lunch, or even packed for a picnic. Simple ingredients, great flavor, and plenty of positive feedback have made this recipe one I keep coming back to again and again.
These mushroom empanadas are delicious served either warm or cold and are a wonderful way to sneak more vegetables into a meal. My younger daughter can be quite picky, and getting her to eat vegetables on their own is often a challenge. Wrapped inside a flaky empanada, though, they were an instant hit. They were such a success that even my husband loved them and jokingly suggested that I should make empanadas every week! 😊
I’ve also included a video recipe for these mushroom empanadas so you can see exactly how they come together. I wanted to show that, despite how impressive they look, they’re actually quite simple to make. With a few basic ingredients and easy steps, anyone can make them successfully at home.
This is also the kind of recipe that’s perfect for getting kids involved in the kitchen. They can help mix the filling, cut out the dough, and seal the empanadas, making the whole process both fun and interactive. Cooking together is a wonderful way to spend time as a family, and these empanadas are a great recipe to start with.
Mushroom Empanadas
Ingredients
Empanada Dough
- 1 ¼ cup (160g) flour
- 1/2 cup (110g) cold unsalted butter , cut into small (1/2-inch) cubes
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 4 to 6 tbsp ice water
Filling
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- 1 medium carrot , grated
- 4 garlic cloves , chopped
- 4 or 5 medium mushrooms , chopped
- 1/2 red pepper
- Basil fresh leaves , chopped
- Fresh parsley , chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup cheese , grated
Garnish
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Prepare the dough. Sift the flour and mix flour with salt. Incorporate butter to the flour, using a pastry blender, a fork or a pastry processor, until crumbs are formed. Slowly add the water and stir until the water is incorporated. Wrap it with plastic, knead slowly to form a disc and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- In a large frying pan heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add carrot, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms and soy sauce and cook until any water evaporates. Turn down heat and add basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch circle cutter cut out circles of dough. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining dough until using all the dough and results about 16-17 circles.
- Place a spoonful of empanada filling on one side of the circle and top with cheese (In the video I forgot to add cheese on some but it's a delicious addition). Moisten the edges of the circle with water and fold the dough over the filling to create a semi-circle. Use a fork to press the edges together to seal.
- Place the empanadas on the prepared baking tray. Beat the egg and brush the top of each empanada. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
Love how this recipe does not include meat! I’ve never tried vegetarian empanadas, yours look delicious 🙂 My favorite empanada filling is probably chicken though 🙂
I made these today & they were delicious. I omitted the carrot, bell pepper, soy & basil & used just the garlic, onion, mushrooms, parsley, cheese & added chives, 2 tbsp of butter & 1 tbsp of olive oil (just working with what I had at hand). The pastry was flaky & crisp even after I thought I had worked it too much & subsequent multiple re-rolling. So yum ! Thanks for the recipe; I’ll definitely be making these again ????
We loved the pastry, but the filling was overwhelmed by soya sauce and came out much darker than in the video. Will try light soya sauce and only 1 tsp next time, 2 tbsp was too much for us.
Hey! How much flour will that be in grams?