Empanada Dough Recipe (Masa Para Empanadas)

Name: Masa Para Empanadas: Empanada Dough
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 10-12 empanadas (10-12 servings)
Cuisine: Latin
Ingredients: 4 cups flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste); 3 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons butter (chilled); 3/4 cup chilled lard or vegetable shortening; 3/4 to 1 cup water; 2 egg yolks

Total: 15 mins
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill Time: 60 mins
Yield: 10-12 empanadas (10-12 servings)

editor badge

214 ratings

Add a comment

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).

1:11

Click Play to See This Recipe Come Together

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 filling including beef, chicken, beans, cheese, and yes, even pizza. Some restaurants have even begun making 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. Make sure your empanadas don't leak in the oven!

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

Gather the ingredients.

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

The Spruce
Blend the butter and shortening (or lard) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, or with two knives, until fairly well blended.

The Spruce
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.

The Spruce
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 saggy until it has thoroughly chilled. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

The Spruce
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one 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.

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

The Spruce
Use in your desired recipe and enjoy!