One thing that we adore about empanadas is that you can fill them with whatever you feel like and make them as delicious as you want to be. They’re the ideal vegan dish because you can stuff them up with all your favorite veggies, and this recipe will provide you with all the inspiration you need.
Bianca Zapatka, whose delicious vegan recipes attracted over half a million followers on Instagram, was the one who gave us this amazing idea on her blog. Her original idea included spinach and garlic, but what makes this recipe so amazing is that you can add pretty much anything you like.
Zapatka herself experimented with everything from russet and sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell peppers, and peas – and so should you!
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 g of flour
- 100 g vegan butter margarine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 ml of plant-based milk (or water) lukewarm
Filling
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 300 g of frozen spinach
- 150 g of grated vegan cheese (or vegan cream cheese/feta)
- salt and pepper
- chili (optional)
- nutmeg (optional)
To Brush
- 3 tbsp soy milk
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch of turmeric (optional)
Instructions
Dough
- Combine flour with baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Form a pile and press a hollow into the heaped flour.
- Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan. Allow to cool slightly and add into the flour hollow. Pour in plant-based milk (or water) and knead everything to a nice smooth dough.
- Then form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1/2 hour.
Filling
- Defrost and press the spinach.
- Peel onion and garlic and finely chop.
- Heat oil in a pan. Sauté chopped onion and garlic briefly. Add spinach and season with salt, pepper, a bit of nutmeg and chili to taste. Then set aside and let cool slightly.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and knead again on a lightly floured surface. Then roll it out and cut out 10 cm diameter circles.
- Knead again the remaining dough, roll out and then cut out. Continue this process until the dough is used up.
- Place 1-2 tsp filling in the center of each dough circle and fold the empanadas into a crescent. Then press the edges firmly with a fork.
- Brush a baking tray with oil (or line with baking paper) and place the dumplings on top.
- Mix the olive oil, soy milk, and turmeric and brush the filled empanadas with the mixture.
- Bake them in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. (Optionally you can also fry them).