Easy Empanadas

I had no idea that I could actually purchase empanada shells – have you heard of or purchased these??  They are like perfect little pie shells, ready to fill with yummy goodness!

So, that’s what I did!  I had been craving something like this since one of my girlfriends brought some mini-empanadas to a potluck during the holidays.

I can’t believe how quickly they came together and how easy they were to make!

Bonus for us:  A big pastry pocket wrapped around warm delicious filling PLUS low calories!

This is just my take; feel free to stuff your empanadas with anything you’d like!  I think another great option would be similar to a pot pie:  turkey or chicken, veggies and sauce…definitely trying that on another day.

Ingredients:

·         6 empanada discs – I found these by Goya and they were in the grocery freezer near the pizza dough.  You’ll want to thaw in refrigerator overnight, or (much easier) cool to room temperature for about 10 minutes.  They thaw quickly at room temp, and you will want them to be a little chilled.

·         2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         10oz 99% lean ground turkey

·         Salt and pepper, to season

·         1/3 packet of taco seasoning

·         ½ cup canned black beans, rinsed

·         ½ cup frozen corn kernels

·         ½ cup salsa – any kind will do

·         ½ cup 2% or reduced fat cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Preparation:  don’t let the amount of steps below deter you; this is a super easy recipe!  You’re basically making your filling, then stuffing the shells!  It’s almost as easy as making tacos!

In a large sauté pan, heat oil and sauté garlic for about 1 minute.

Add ground turkey, breaking up the meat and cooking until browned.

Add the taco seasoning and stir.

Add the black beans and corn and mix.

Add the salsa and stir.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray foil-lined baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Now, we’re going to assemble the empanadas – super easy!

Using a rolling pin, roll out an empanada shell, just a little bit – you’re just going to stretch it a little to make it easier to fold over.  I found it easiest to leave it on the little piece of parchment paper that separate the discs.

Spoon a little bit of the meat mixture onto the center of the shell.

Add a sprinkling of cheese.

Now, fold over one side of the shell onto the filling.  As my friend instructed me, it’s much easier to seal the pastry if you leave a little lip, like so below.

Now, fold that bottom lip over the edge all the way around to seal.  Crimp the edge with a fork.

Place the sealed empanada onto the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the shells.

When all of the shells are filled, spray the tops with non-stick spray.  This will give them a nice brown color when they are done.

Bake the shells for about 15 minutes, or until browned.

Serve!  These guys are great served with a salad, a side of brown rice, or steamed veggies.

As I mentioned above, I have been thinking of other things I can make with these!  So stay tuned for future empanada ideas!

Nutrition:

Serves 6 – Serving size 1 empanada

Calories 229 / Carbs 29g / Fat 7g / Protein 14 / Fiber 3g / Sodium 541mg