ever since our trip to south america in 2008, i have had a soft spot in my tummy for empanadas. i have tried all different varieties including:
leftover thanksgiving turkey empanadas
elk empanadas
creamy chicken empanadas
and
bison empanadas
i pretty much love anything wrapped up in dough but i think these sweet potato and black bean empanadas might just be my favorite - at least for now. after i made a batch, i had some leftover sweet potato and black bean filling so i sauteed up some ground beef the next night and added it. i can't decided which is better. luckily you can use whichever you prefer. are you are a vegetarian? great! just use the sweet potatoes and black beans. are you a meat lover? perfect! add in ground beef, bison, turkey, or chicken! ahh the versatility of the empanada!
one thing to note, when i am feeling particularly lazy, i use pre-made pie dough. i just roll the round crust out a little thinner and cut out rounds (i use a large glass or small bowl and cut around it). however, when i am feeling extra ambitious, i use this recipe and make the dough (bonus, it's gluten-free!). as you may see from the recipe below, this time, i was lazy. what? come on, it's monday!
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas
makes 8 empanadas (with a little leftover filling)
1/2 lb ground meat (optional)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tbs cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp mexican oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, chopped
small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup salsa
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 refrigerated pie crusts, rolled out as thin as possible
preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
stir together all ingredients except egg and crust. cut 6" rounds into rolled out crust. fill with 1-2 tbs filling and fold over into half moons. crimp with fork and brush with egg wash.repeat with remaining dough.
place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. enjoy hot out of the oven!
p.s. happy birthday to my UB! here's to many, many more:)
These look amazing. Is the photo above with the pre-made or home made dough?
ReplyDeleteI love empanadas - this combo sounds great!
ReplyDeleteNational Empanada Day is coming up! Get excited!
ReplyDeletejohn - the photo is using the pie crust. it makes the empanadas perfectly tender and delicious!
ReplyDeleteThose look delicious! I am adding them to my "to make" list. Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteLooks yummy. I saw this on skinny mom pintrest and I'll definitely try this weekend.
ReplyDelete