Air-Fried Empanadas: The Perfect Timing For A Quick Bite

Empanadas are a Latin American staple that can be filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. They are typically baked or fried, but can also be made in an air fryer—a popular alternative that yields a crispy, golden-brown exterior without the excess oil or mess of traditional frying methods. Air-frying empanadas is also a quicker process, as it takes half the time of baking them in an oven.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures that your empanadas cook evenly and helps to achieve that desirable crispy texture. Here's a step-by-step guide to preheating your air fryer for the perfect empanadas:

Step 1: Understand Your Air Fryer

Different air fryer models have varying preheating requirements. Some air fryers have a built-in preheat functionality, while others require a manual preheat. Check your air fryer's instruction manual to understand its specific preheating needs. Knowing this will help you determine whether you need to preheat and for how long.

Step 2: Preheat at the Right Temperature

Set your air fryer to the appropriate preheating temperature. The ideal temperature for preheating your air fryer for empanadas is around 350°F to 360°F. This temperature range will help ensure that your empanadas cook through evenly and achieve a golden brown exterior.

Step 3: Timing is Key

The preheating time for your air fryer will depend on its model and specifications. As a general rule, preheat your air fryer for about 4 to 5 minutes. However, it's always a good idea to refer to your air fryer's instructions for precise timing. Additionally, if you're using an air fryer that doesn't have a built-in preheat function, you may need to manually account for preheating time in your cooking process.

Step 4: Monitor the Process

When preheating your air fryer, keep an eye on it, especially if it's your first time using a particular model. Different air fryers can vary in terms of heating intensity and speed. By monitoring the preheating process, you can ensure that your air fryer reaches the desired temperature without overheating. This will also help you become more familiar with your air fryer's performance, which is valuable knowledge for future cooking endeavours.

Step 5: Prepare the Empanadas

While your air fryer is preheating, you can use this time efficiently by preparing your empanadas. Gather your ingredients, assemble and fill your empanadas, and have them ready to go into the air fryer as soon as it's preheated. This will help streamline the cooking process and ensure that your empanadas are cooked promptly after preheating, maintaining consistency and quality.

Remember, preheating your air fryer is a crucial step that lays the foundation for delicious, evenly cooked empanadas. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to enjoying perfectly crispy and golden empanadas straight out of your air fryer!

Prepare the filling

Empanadas are fried, baked, or air-fried hand pies that are usually filled with meat, cheese, fish, or vegetables. They are very popular in South America and are also known as empanadillas or pastelillos. Here are some ideas and instructions for preparing the filling:

Beef Filling

For a beef filling, you can use ground beef, yellow onions, red bell peppers, and beef broth. Season the beef with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. You can also add some heat with your favourite hot sauce. Cook the beef with the seasonings and vegetables until browned. Let the mixture cool before filling the empanadas.

Chicken Filling

For a chicken filling, you can use shredded chicken with salsa, or chicken with onions, garlic, mushrooms, and cheese.

Vegetarian Fillings

For a vegetarian option, you can use sautéed cabbage, your favourite melty cheese, or a spinach and green pea mixture. You can also make sweet empanadas with a caramel apple, strawberry, or pumpkin filling.

Other Meat Fillings

If you want to try a different type of meat, you can make a filling with ground lamb, ground turkey, or pulled pork.

Preparing the Filling

To prepare the filling, cook any meat and vegetables thoroughly and let the mixture cool before filling the empanadas. If you are using cheese, you can add it to the mixture after it has cooled. You can also add fresh herbs or spices to taste. Be careful not to overfill the empanadas, as this can cause them to burst.

Assemble the empanadas

To assemble the empanadas, start by placing one empanada disc in front of you, then spoon on your filling of choice. For large empanadas, you'll need about 2 tablespoons of filling, while a few teaspoons will be enough for smaller ones. Be careful not to overfill, as this will make it difficult to seal your pastry. Keeping the filling towards one side of the dough makes shaping the empanada easier.

Next, fold the dough over to form a half-circle, encasing the filling inside. Press the edges together with your fingers to seal them, then crimp with a fork to ensure they're sealed well and look pretty.

Now, brush the empanadas with an egg wash. This will help seal them shut and give them a gorgeous golden colour. If you can't eat eggs, brush them with olive oil instead.

Finally, place your empanadas in the air fryer in a single layer, cooking them in batches if necessary.

Crimp the edges

Crimping the edges of your empanadas is an important step to ensure they are properly sealed and to give them a pretty finish. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:

Firstly, lay out a disc of empanada dough on a flat surface in front of you. You want to fill the empanadas with around 2 tablespoons of filling, spooned slightly off-center, leaving enough space to be able to fold the dough over.

Next, fold the dough over the filling to form a half-circle, encasing the filling inside. You can use your fingers to press the edges of the dough together to start to seal them. Then, take a fork and crimp the edges together. Press the tines of the fork into the edge of the dough, working your way around the semi-circle to create a tight seal. This will ensure that the filling doesn't leak out during cooking and will also give your empanadas a decorative finish.

Repeat this process for all of your empanadas. You can then brush the empanadas with an egg wash (a mixture of beaten egg and water) to help them turn golden during cooking.

Finally, place the empanadas into your air fryer in a single layer, making sure they are not overcrowded. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Reheat and store

Empanadas can be reheated and stored in a variety of ways, depending on your preference. Here are some detailed instructions for reheating and storing empanadas:

Reheating Empanadas:

• Air fryer: Place the leftover empanadas back into the air fryer and heat them at 350°F for 2-4 minutes until they are crispy and heated through.
• Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the empanadas for 15-20 minutes. This method may not yield the same crispy texture as the air fryer, but they will still be tasty.

Storing Empanadas:

• Refrigerator: Cooked empanadas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Empanadas can be frozen and stored for later consumption. Let the empanadas cool to room temperature, then place them in a sealed container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3-6 months.

Reheating Frozen Empanadas:

• Air fryer: Place the frozen empanadas directly into the air fryer and heat them at 350°F for about 12 minutes, or until they are heated through and crispy.
• Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the frozen empanadas for 15-20 minutes.

It is important to note that the cooking time and temperature may vary slightly depending on the brand of empanadas and the model of the air fryer or oven. Always monitor the empanadas while reheating or cooking to ensure they are heated through and to prevent overcooking.

Frequently asked questions