Colombian Empanadas
Colombian empanadas are the perfect appetizer to fill an empty stomach. This empanada is packed with shredded beef and a blend of fresh veggies and herbs guaranteed to make your guests salivate upon first sight. They are traditionally served with aji (Colombian salsa) to add a boost of flavor, but regular salsa compliments this meal flawlessly. With how delicious and flavor packed these Colombian empanadas are, this is undoubtedly the BEST empanada recipe you will ever try!
Being half Colombian myself, I am very passionate about empanadas. I have tried empanadas from SO MANY different countries yet I always come back to the Colombian empanada. I don’t know if it’s the wide range of flavor and textures in the filling, or the crispy, seasoned exterior; but it’s freaking amazing.
What Are Colombian Empanadas?
Colombian empanadas are a bit different than what you may be used to seeing in the freezer section at the grocery store. They don’t typically have little ridges around the edges like a typical empanada does, and they certainly have a different texture and filling. These empanadas are also bright orange and color – and I find it so appealing to the eye!
The empanada dough, referred to as the masarepa, is made from pre-cooked cornmeal, water, oil, and seasonings resulting in a flavorful and deeply colored exterior. The filling consists of your preferred meat, a blend of diced vegetables, fresh herbs, and seasonings. The end result is an empanada that outperforms the rest due to it’s blend of textures and vibrant, deep flavors.
What Types of Meat Can be Used to Make Colombian Empanadas?
I am a HUGE fan of using shredded beef. It adds so much richness and texture to the empanada. That being said, it takes a while to make shredded beef since it involves slow cooking a chuck roast. Pork is my second favorite option but again, this involves slow cooking a pork shoulder. I always prep my beef or pork and filling the night prior that way I can save time the next day.
Other options if you are short on top involve using shredded chicken, ground pork, or ground beef. These can be cooked within minutes and still result in a tasty Colombian empanada.
Ingredients
Masarepa (empanada dough):
Precooked Yellow Cornmeal – I use P.A.N which I can always find at Walmart, but don’t always see it at other grocery markets.
Warm water – to moisten the cornmeal.
Sazon con Azafran – normally found in the ethnic foods section. This adds lots of flavor to the empanada dough. If you can’t find it, Amazon has it.
Vegetable Oil – to allow for easier penetration of the dough when cooking in oil.
Salt – to bring out the flavor.
Empanada Filling:
Shredded Beef – chuck roast, preferably.
Potato – I use basic russet potatoes
Tomato – any type will work. Use canned, diced tomatoes to save time but make sure they are fully drained of excess water.
Garlic – peeled and chopped.
White Onion – has a more mild and sweet flavor than most onions.
Bell Pepper – any color works but I tend to go with green for appearance.
Green Onion – adds a slight “fresh onion” taste.
Fresh Cilantro – can be substituted for 1 tsp dried cilantro.
Olive Oil – for searing the vegetables.
Lime Juice – fresh lime is best, but regular lime juice in a bottle works fine too.
Beef Bouillon – always go with Knorr brand!
Cumin – adds the typical spanish flavor.
How to Make Colombian Empanadas
Since beef is the best tasting in my opinion, that is what we are going to use in this recipe! Slow cook a 3-4 pound chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper in a crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add about 1 cup of beef broth to the slow cooker to make sure the beef stays juicy and tender.
Once fully cooked, remove for the crock pot and allow to cool tented in foil for 20 minutes. Shred the beef and set aside.
Prepare the masarepa (empanada dough). Mix 2 cups of precooked yellow cornmeal with 2 ¼ cup of warm water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 1.4 oz packet of Sazon con Azafran. Cover with a towel or lid for at least 20 minutes.
Peel 2 large potatoes and boil in salted water for 20 minutes. While boiling, prepare your vegetables. Chop 1 medium sized tomato, 4 cloves garlic, ½ white onion, 1 bell pepper, ¼ cup green onion, and 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro.
Pro Tip: There is no flavor difference between the different colors of bell peppers.
Heat a medium sized pot to medium high heat and add ½ tbsp of olive oil. Cook the onions and bell peppers on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes and add in the remaining ingredients. Add in a squirt of lime juice to deglaze the pot.
Add the shredded beef to the pot and mix to incorporate all of the ingredients. Season the mixture with 2 tsp beef bouillon and 1 tsp cumin and set aside to cool.
Cut the sides of a gallon sized Ziploc bag so that you have a long, rectangular sheet. Roll small portions into 1 1/2 “ balls and place in the center of the bag where the crease should be. Press flat so that it looks like a flat pancake.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and place slightly to one side of the dough. Lift one side of the Ziploc bag and fold over with the dough to enclose the meat mixture. Press the edges down flat to seal the filling inside. Set your empanada aside and repeat for the rest of the empanadas.
Fill a large pot with oil and heat to about 350°F-375°F. Gently place each empanada into the oil making sure to not overcrowd the pot. We do not want to empanadas to touch each other otherwise they will get stuck together.
Cook for 2-3 minutes until each empanada turns a deep orange/brown color. Remove from oil and place onto a paper towel lined dish to cool once cooked.
Serve warm with Colombian aji or salsa. Enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers and Reheat
Colombian empanadas can be frozen for 3-4 months in a sealed bag. They also last about 3 days in the refrigerator. Spoiler alert: reheating these can be tricky. Always go with a toaster oven at 350F for 15 minutes and NEVER use a microwave! Using a microwave will result in a soft, mushy exterior that falls apart easily. The dough does not hold up well to this. My recommendation is to make as much as you plan to be eaten because like French fries, they just don’t taste the same the next day.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links for products I love and have personally tried myself. I may earn a small commission off the sale of these items. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Colombian Empanadas
Ingredients
Masarepa (Empanada Dough)
- 2 cups Pre-cooked Yellow Cornmeal P.A.N brand
- 2 ¼ cup Warm Water
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Empanada Filling
- 1 cup Shredded Beef from slow cooked chuck roast
- 1 whole Russet Potato boiled, peeled, and chopped
- 1 Tomato medium size, diced. Roughly 1/4 cup.
- 4 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
- 1/2 White Onion
- 1 whole Bell Pepper any color, minced.
- ¼ cup Green Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
- 2 tsp Beef Bouillon Knorr brand
Instructions
- Slow cook a 3 pound chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper in a crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add about 1 cup of beef broth to the slow cooker to make sure the beef stays juicy and tender.
- Once fully cooked, remove for the crock pot and allow to cool tented in foil for 20 minutes. Shred the beef and set aside.
- Prepare the masarepa (empanada dough). Mix 2 cups of precooked yellow cornmeal with 2 ¼ cup of warm water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1tsp salt, and 1 1.4 oz packet of Sazon con Azafran. Cover with a towel or lid for at least 20 minutes.
- Peel 2 large potatoes and boil in salted water for 20 minutes. While boiling, prepare your vegetables. Chop 1 medium sized tomato, 4 cloves garlic, ½ white onion, 1 bell pepper, ¼ cup green onion, and 3 tbsp of chopped cilantro.
- Heat a medium sized pot to medium high heat and add ½ tbsp of olive oil. Cook the onions and bell peppers on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes and add in the remaining ingredients. Add in a squirt of lime juice to deglaze the pot.
- Add the shredded beef to the pot and mix to incorporate all of the ingredients. Season the mixture with 2 tsp beef bouillon and 1 tsp cumin and set aside to cool.
- Cut the sides of a gallon sized Ziploc bag so that you have along, rectangular sheet. Roll small portions into 1 ½“ balls and place in the center of the bag where the crease should be. Press flat so that it looks like a flat pancake.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and place slightly to one side of the dough. Lift one side of the Ziploc bag and fold over with the dough to enclose the meat mixture. Press the edges down flat to seal the filling inside. Set your empanada aside and repeat for the rest of the empanadas.
- Fill a large pot with oil and heat to about 350℉-375℉.Gently place each empanada into the oil making sure to not overcrowd the pot. We do not want to empanadas to touch each other otherwise they will get stuck together.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until each empanada turns a deep orange/brown color. Remove from oil and place onto a paper towel lined dish to cool once cooked.
- Serve warm with Colombian aji or salsa. Enjoy!