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    Home » Recipes

    Colombian Empanada Recipe made with cornmeal

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    If there is one Colombian food that everyone I know likes, it would be empanadas without a doubt.

    Colombian empanadas on a plate
    Colombian Empanadas

    Empanadas are typical Colombian street food, deep fried corn dough filled with meat and potatoes.

    They are versatile. They can be finger food or full blown meals. It all depends on the size and filling you use.

    Colombian Empanadas with meat and potato filling
    Colombian Empanadas

    In this post I will show how to make the typical meat and potato Colombian empanada using a cornmeal crust. The original recipe calls for homemade dough.

    You can get creative with your filling. If you are vegetarian you can make them with just potatoes as a filling and they are still delicious.

    Skirt steak, cilantro and pepper in food processor
    Empanada Filling

    You can substitute beef for pork, chicken or any blend that you like.

    Ingredients

    There are many corn flours/meals in the market, but the one that works best for me is the Albers Yellow Corn Meal because it is not super finely ground which gives the dough a bit of texture and crunch.

    • Corn Meal: Albers is my favorite because it gives the dough texture, it almost feels like a made-from-scratch dough.
    • Beef: You can use ground beef but I prefer to use a flank steak or any other cut of meat and grill/pan sear first and then grind it. I like this texture better than ground beef. You can also use shredded beef.
    • Potatoes: Any kind of potatoes work. I usually work with red potatoes.

    The Empanada Dough

    Getting your dough right is the key to making delicious Colombian empanadas.

    dough ball in a bowl
    Empanada corn dough

    If the dough is too wet, it will be too sticky to work with and it will be hard to shape the empanada.

    If the dough is too dry, your empanadas will crack open when frying them. It will make the filling super greasy and if the filling comes out your oil will start splattering.

    Filling

    Making empanadas can take a long time. I highly recommend making your filling in advance. That way it will be cooled down when you are ready to deep fry the empanadas and it will be easier.

    ground meat and potatoes on a skillet
    Meat and potatoes for Colombian Empanadas

    You can make the filling up to a day in advance. All the ingredients are cooked once you form your empanadas so all the deep frying does is just heat it up and make the outside crunchy.

    How to Shape them

    Ideally you will use an empanada dough press that way you get clean edges but if you don't have one don't worry, you can use a plate to create the moon shape and seal them tightly by hand.

    Colombian Empanadas
    Empanada

    Colombian Aji Sauce

    Empanadas are typically dressed with a vinegar based sauce with minced onions, cilantro and pepper. It is mild but you can up the heat using chillies.

    ahi sauce in a bowl
    Aji sauce for empanadas
    Colombian Empanadas with aji sauce
    Colombian Empanadas with Aji sauce

    If you are visiting Colombia, be sure to checkout my post on the top foods you must try when you go there!

    Colombian Empanadas

    Colombian Empanadas

    Isabel
    4.83 from 69 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine Colombian
    Servings 12 Empanadas

    Ingredients
      

    Dough

    • 2 cups yellow corn meal
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    Filling

    • 1 lb Skirt Steak
    • 3 medium potatoes
    • ⅓ cup cilantro
    • ¼ roasted bell pepper optional
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    Dough

    • Boil the water, add salt, oil and paprika
    • Add the corn meal and stir until well incorporated. About 3-5 minutes
    • Let the dough cool down and knead it untill the dough is uniform.

    Filling

    • Season meat with salt and pepper. I like to add paprika and onion salt too.
    • Grill it or pan sear it until it reaches a medium well temperature.
    • peel and cut the potatoes in cubes and boil them with salt until tender.
    • In a food processor, add the meat cut in strips, cilantro and red pepper if using. Grind them until the meat resembles ground beef.
      Ground beef and potatoes
    • Mash the potatoes and mix with the ground beef. Let the filling cool down.

    Build the Empanadas

    • Divide the dough in golf sized balls. Flatten them with a tortilla press or a round plate. Use a clean plastic bag or parchment paper to prevent the dough to sticking to your working surface
    • If using an empanada mold, fill the dough with the meat and potatoes in the center and press to create a half moon shape.
    • If you don't have an empanada mold, put the filling in one side of your dough and fold it in half. Press with a round bowl or cap to seal the filling in place.

    Frying

    • Heat up 3 cups of vegetable oil in a frying pan until they reach about 350 Fahrenheit or 165 celsius.
    • Add the empanadas and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown
    • Remove from the heat and place on a paper towel
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Ebony

      January 21, 2023 at 10:28 pm

      Omg these were so good!!!!! And the recipe was so easy to follow. Do they freeze well? I wonder if I could make a bunch then fry them later because as you mentioned it is a little time consuming. Thank you!!!

      Reply
    2. Jason Pelican

      March 16, 2023 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      One thing your recipe doesn't mention that is crucial is that the cornmeal needs to be precooked cornmeal. If someone can't find Albers cornmeal, they need to know that they can substitute as long as it's precooked. For example, I use PAN, but there is also Goya's Masarepa Yellow corn meal

      Reply
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