Potato and Chorizo Empanadas

Stuffed with a spicy chorizo and potato filling, and wrapped in a buttery, golden, flaky pastry, these Potato and Chorizo Empanadas make awesome Mexican appetizers or a main dish.

These hearty, savory Mexican Chorizo empanadas make great hand-held appetizers for Cinco De Mayo, or game day, or for a party.

If you loved my Chicken Empanadas Recipe, then you will love these Potato and Chorizo Empanadas! As you know we love our Tex-Mex and Mexican food, so if you do too, then you’ll love this recipe too! Be sure to check out more of our Mexican Recipes as well!

Pair with a Spicy Peach Margarita and Mexican Shrimp Cocktail and you can get the party started!

Whether you are making them for Cinco De Mayo, for a party, or just because, your whole family will love these handheld savory pies.

Jump to:

• What Are Empanadas?
• Where Are Empanadas From?
• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Why This Recipe Works
• What Type Of Chorizo Should I Use?
• Where Can I Buy Empanada Dough?
• How To Make Empanada Dough
• How to Make Potato and Chorizo Empanadas
• How To Fold Empanadas
• How Long To Bake Empanadas
• Recipe Tips
• What To Serve With Empanadas
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• More Recipes You’ll Love
• Recipe
• ⭐ Reviews

What Are Empanadas?

Empanadas are half moon-shaped, handheld pastry pies that can have either a savory or sweet filling, and can be either fried or baked.

Where Are Empanadas From?

Argentina is usually credited as originating empanadas. Immigrants from Spain created empanadas in Argentina. It is believed to be a variation of a Spanish recipe, which has a larger, double-crusted pie, but is served cut in slices as a traditional pie. For more information about the history of empanadas visit CultureTrip.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

What is not to love about Potato and Chorizo Empanadas!

• Flavorful Filling. They are handheld little meat pies with a delicious, flavorful, savory, spicy filling!
• Golden Crust. The golden, buttery crust tastes amazing and adds that extra layer of texture and flavor.
• Handheld. They are portable! Walk around holding one of these, which makes them perfect for parties.
• Empanada Dough Options. Make the Empanada Dough from scratch using the recipe below, or you can use a store-bought pie crust.

Why This Recipe Works

• This Empanada recipe includes step-by-step instructions with photos for making both the empanada dough from scratch, as well as the potato chorizo filling.
• It uses mostly everyday ingredients, many of which are already in your pantry. If you can’t find chorizo, you can substitute it with another type of spicy sausage.
• This recipe also includes many tips and shortcuts to help ensure your success when making these empanadas.

What Type Of Chorizo Should I Use?

There are numerous types of chorizo. Two of the most popular types of chorizo are

• Spanish Chorizo, which is cured and can be eaten without cooking.
• Mexican Chorizo, typically made with ground pork, has to be cooked before eating. It is usually made with Chile peppers and is typically spicier than Spanish Chorizo.
• For this recipe, you’ll need to use Mexican Chorizo, and cook it with potatoes.

Where Can I Buy Empanada Dough?

• If you do not want to make empanada dough, then you can usually find pre-made empanada dough at large grocery stores in the frozen foods section, or at your local Mexican market.

How To Make Empanada Dough

Empanada Dough Equipment

• Food Processor
• Rolling Pin
• Cutting Board
• Empanada Press
• Bowls

Empanada Dough Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient on hand. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Salt
• Sugar, optional
• Cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
• Large eggs
• Ice water
• Distilled white vinegar

Empanada Dough Directions

1. Place 2 3/4 cups flour, salt and sugar in a food processor.
2. Pulse for 2 seconds to combine.
3. Add the butter and pulse for a 20 seconds. 
4. Check to see if the butter is in small pea size pieces covered in flour.
5. If there are still large pieces, pulse an additional 10 seconds.
6. Add one egg, ice water and vinegar and pulse till there is a ball of dough.  This should be fast, about 20 to 30 seconds.
7. Remove the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Make a nice smooth ball and wrap in saran wrap, or roll out on a piece of parchment paper, then roll up and wrap in saran wrap.  Place in the refrigerator for 20 to 60 minutes.
8. Get your filling ready while the dough is chilling. See Potato and Chorizo Empanada recipe below.
9. Unroll the dough and press any broken spots back together.  Use a large circle cutter or bowl to cut out empanada circles.  Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle and fold over. Place on the baking sheet, making sure not to let them touch each other.
10. Press the edges tightly together, then crimp the edges.  (There are many crimping designs that can be found on Youtube).

How to Make Potato and Chorizo Empanadas

Equipment

The affiliate links below will allow you to see the product on Amazon.com. If you purchase one of the items, I will receive a very small commission on the product, which does not increase the price.

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Baking sheet

Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Empanada dough – You can make this recipe above, buy premade empanada dough discs at the store, or you can use a refrigerated pie crust dough
• Chorizo – Mexican chorizo is available at most large grocery stores or Mexican markets. Be sure to buy Mexican chorizo and not Spanish chorizo.
• Potatoes – No worries about which type of potatoes. You can use russet, Yukon gold, red potatoes, or fingerling potatoes.
• Garlic – you can use the pre-minced
• Onion – I use white, but any will work
• Oil – you can just use a little of the grease from the chorizo if you want, or any oil will work
• Mexican oregano – you can find this near the Mexican spices or in a Mexican store.  It is slightly milder than regular, but you can use regular oregano instead
• Salt

Directions

• Cook the chorizo in a large skillet. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the drippings to cook with the potatoes, or drain completely and use canola oil.

• While the chorizo is cooking, place the diced potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes, stir and cook an additional 2 minutes.
• Spoon the cooked chorizo into a bowl and place the potatoes and onions in the pan to cook with the drippings or 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Cook until the potatoes have browned.

• Add the garlic, oregano, and salt and mix to combine. Cook for another minute, then add the chorizo back into the pan and mix.

• Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
• Roll out the empanada dough or pie crust.

• Cut out 2-3 inch circles from the dough. Put a large tablespoon of chorizo mixture in the middle.

How To Fold Empanadas

• Fold one side of the pastry dough over the filling and pinch both sides of the dough together to close.
• Crimp the edges with a fork, or
• Use an Empanada Press to fold, close, and crimp the empanadas.
• Or use your fingers to twist the dough over and over around the empanada.

• Place the empanadas on the pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°.  Brush the empanadas with egg.

How Long To Bake Empanadas

• Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 17 minutes.  Check to see if they are a golden brown on both the tops and bottoms of the empanadas.

• Remove and serve with salsa or guacamole if desired.

Recipe Tips

Empanada Dough Recipe Tips

• Pulse Part of Flour with Butter.
  • Pie crust and empanada dough both have a common enemy – the overdevelopment of wheat gluten.  To prevent this from happening, I like to pulse part of the flour with the butter.  This helps encapsulate the flour and keep the gluten from forming.  The vinegar also helps prevent the development of wheat gluten.
• Best Tool To Use.
  • I prefer to use a food processor, you can pulse everything a little bit and it will be done before the butter has a chance to warm.  If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter.  Don’t overwork the dough and do not let the butter begin to melt.
• Cold Butter and Water.
  • It is super important that the butter and water are ice cold.  This will help keep the dough flakier.  If the butter or water is not cold, this can cause the dough to become tough or cracker-like.
• Refrigerate Dough.
  • Refrigerate the dough after it is made for 20 minutes to an hour before rolling it out.
• Roll In Parchment Paper.
  • Your dough will need to be chilled, but it can be difficult to roll it once it is chilled.  If you would rather, you can roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper, then roll it up in the parchment paper.  Wrap the dough tightly in saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to an hour.  When you unroll the dough it might break, just gently press it back together.

Potato and Chorizo Empanada Recipe Tips

• Refrigerate Empanadas Before Baking. The cold crust bakes better, so after you fill and seal the edges, return them to the refrigerator for 10 minutes before removing and brushing with egg.
• Freeze Filling For Future Use. You can make extra of the chorizo and potato mixture and store part of it in the freezer for future use.  
• Use Filling For Multiple Recipes. You can also use some of the chorizo and potato mixture in a torta or taco.
• Empanada Dough Shortcut. If you don’t want to make your own empanada dough, you can use refrigerated pie crust dough or crescent roll dough.  It will be a bit different, but it will still taste good.
• Tip For Closing The Empanada. If you have problems closing and crimping the empanadas, try brushing some of the egg wash on the inside of the edges to act as glue to hold the two sides of the dough together.
• To Get That Golden Crust. Make sure to brush the outside of the empanadas with egg to get a nice brown, shiny crust.

What To Serve With Empanadas

• Red or Green Salsa
• Sliced Avocados or Guacamole
• Creamy Tomatillo Verde Avocado Salsa
• Creamy Tomatillo Jalapeno Ranch Dip
• Pico De Gallo
• Easy Homemade Mexican Rice

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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