Easy Cheese Empanadas (2024)

Cheese empanadas are a delicious dinner option – especially when you’re seeking a no-meat meal! These are easy to make with ingredients you already have in your pantry.

If you love cheese, then you should make some easy black bean and cheese quesadillas next. Easy spinach lasagna is also a really cheesy dish that you’ll like just as much.

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There are a lot of different ways to make empanadas. The differences can be found in the way the crust is made, the way it is folded, and even the fillings.

Since they are such a popular dish, I wanted to make an easy recipe that anyone can make. I only filled them with cheese, which gives you lots of room for creativity

Keep reading and learn how easy these empanadas are to make so you can make some for lunch, dinner, or your next party.

How To Make Cheese Empenadas

This is a very simple recipe that you can change and make your own without any effort.

Kitchen Tools Needed:

Dough Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Cheese Empenada Tips

All the exact steps are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are some additional tips and photos of the process.

Sift the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. If you don’t have a sifter, you can always place all the dry ingredients in the same bowl and use a whisk to get them well-combined.

Cut-in the Shortening

Using a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the bowl of dry ingredients. You’ll want to continue cutting until the mixture looks crumbly and well-combined.

Chill the Dough

Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for a half-hour. This is a very important step because it makes the empanada dough easier to manipulate and work with.

Roll Out The Dough

Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and spread the flour evenly on a working surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough so that it’s about ¼ of an inch thick.

Step 8: Cut the Circles

Use a circular cookie cutter, about 3-4 inches in diameter, and cut 12-15 circles out of your dough.

Assemble the Empenadas

Place the dough cut-outs on a lined baking sheet. Fill each one with cheese mixture, right in the center. Fold over and seal using a fork.

Bake the Empenadas

Bake in a preheated oven, 350 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Extra Tips

Be sure to roll out your dough as much as you can. Thick empanadas tend to taste try and are too flaky.
Have fun with your cheese combos! I used cheddar and parmesan because that’s what I had in my fridge. However, any type of hard cheese could work for this recipe.
If you don’t have a cookie cutter that size, you can always use a bowl or glass to form your dough cut-outs.

5 from 6 votes

Cheese Empanadas

Print Recipe

These cheese empanadas are so easy to make: you won’t even break a sweat! Plus, they’re super tasty, too!

Prep Time:30 minutes mins

Cook Time:25 minutes mins

Cooling Time in Fridge:30 minutes mins

Total Time:1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

SERVINGS

Equipment

Large bowl
Rolling Pin
Circular Cookie Cutter
Oven

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese finely grated

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Using a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the bowl of dry ingredients. You’ll want to continue cutting until the mixture looks crumbly and well-combined.
Add egg and chicken stock and mix thoroughly.
Pour the dough mixture onto a clean working surface, lightly floured, and knead until a doughball forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for a half hour.
Mix cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside.
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and spread flour evenly on a working surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough so that it’s about ¼ of an inch thick.
Use a circular cookie cutter, about 3-4 inches in diameter and cut 12-15 circles out of your dough.
Place the dough cut-outs on a lined baking sheet. Fill each one with cheese mixture, right in the center. Fold over and seal using a fork.
Bake for 20-25 minutes

Nutrition

PIN IT

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Ecuadorian, Latin

Keyword: baked empanadas, cheese empanadas, empanadas

Have you ever had cheese empanadas? Would you be willing to make these for your family?

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