Empanada Dough Recipe (Masa Para Empanadas)

Total: 20 mins
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Yield: 10-12 empanadas (10-12 servings)

236 ratings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
190	Calories
17g	Fat
8g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10-12 empanadas (10-12 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories	190
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g	21%
Saturated Fat 6g	30%
Cholesterol 43mg	14%
Sodium 422mg	18%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Protein 2g
Calcium 24mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you've wanted to learn how to make empanada dough, then you've come to the right place. This recipe produces a slightly sweet pastry that contrasts perfectly with savory fillings. Empanada dough is less flaky than pie crust (although you can substitute frozen pie crust dough in a pinch). It has a more tender texture that soaks up the filling without becoming soggy.

This dough can be used for baked or fried empanadas, which are both great handheld dishes. The term empanada roughly translates to "wrap in bread," a fitting name as they are made by wrapping the dough around a filling. If you are going to fry the empanadas, omit the egg yolk and roll the dough out slightly thinner (less than 1/4 inch in thickness).

Empanadas are originally from the northwest of Spain, but many countries in Latin America have their own recipes. Empanadas can have many different types of fillings including beef, chicken, beans, cheese, and yes, even pizza toppings. Some restaurants make sweet empanadas by filling them with fruit pie filling or chocolate. Once you've made this dough, you can choose to go as traditional or creative with the filling as you please. Just make sure your empanadas don't leak in the oven.

1:11

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4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided, or to taste)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (chilled)
3/4 cup lard (or vegetable shortening, chilled)
2 egg yolks
3/4 to 1 cup water

Gather the ingredients.

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Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt and the sugar.

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Blend the chilled butter and lard or shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with 2 knives until fairly well blended.

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Whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cups water. Stir in the 1/2 cup of the water-egg mixture, a little bit at a time, until the dough starts to come together smoothly.

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Keep kneading the dough, adding more of the water-egg mixture as needed (you may need a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth. The dough will seem a bit shaggy until it has thoroughly chilled. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. When ready to use, the dough should be soft and smooth, not elastic. If you poke a hole in the dough with your finger, the indentation should remain.

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Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into desired thickness before cutting.

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Use in your desired recipe and enjoy.