- View
Brief Overview
The Filipino empanada is a hand sized pastry that feels like a small meal wrapped in golden dough. With its flaky crust and savoury filling, it has become a favourite in local bakeries, street markets, and family kitchens across the Philippines.
What makes the empanada stand out is the way it combines texture and flavour in one bite. It is crisp on the outside and soft inside, while the filling can range from meaty and spiced to slightly sweet. Every region has a version that carries its own story.
This pastry is more than a snack. It is something you might find in a school lunch, on a road trip, or at a fiesta table. The empanada holds a sense of comfort and familiarity, while always leaving space for a bit of local character.
What Is Empanada?
The Filipino empanada is a stuffed pastry that can be baked or fried. It starts with a simple dough rolled thin, then filled with a mixture of minced meat, vegetables, and sometimes egg or cheese, before being sealed and cooked until golden.
Some areas of the country prefer frying, giving the pastry a crunchy shell. Others choose to bake it for a softer crust. Either way, the process is straightforward and allows the filling to shine once you take the first bite.
In places like Vigan, a famous city in northern Luzon, the empanada has a signature bright orange crust and is filled with longganisa sausage, egg, and shredded vegetables. Other provinces have their own distinct approach, making it a dish that adapts easily.
Ingredients and Taste
The dough is made from flour, fat, and water, sometimes coloured with annatto seeds for a warm golden hue. This simple shell becomes the vessel for fillings that are often both savoury and slightly sweet.
Typical fillings include minced pork or chicken cooked with onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes. A few recipes add hardboiled egg slices, raisins, or green peas. Once enclosed and cooked, the pastry holds all these flavours together.
The taste is a gentle mix of spiced meat and buttery crust. There is no harsh seasoning, but the flavours build gradually with every bite. A fried empanada delivers a light crunch followed by a rich, warm centre, while the baked style feels softer and more delicate.
A Taste of History
Empanadas arrived in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. They were inspired by Spanish and Latin American versions but slowly adapted to local tastes, ingredients, and cooking methods. Over time, they became distinctly Filipino.
Local cooks began using rice flour, native sausages, and local vegetables. They changed the way they were cooked, often frying them in oil rather than always baking them. This evolution created something both familiar and unique.
Today, empanadas are a part of everyday life in the Philippines. They are sold from glass cases in bakeries, at street food stalls, and during festivals. Each bite carries a reminder of history, but also the creativity of a cuisine that always makes something its own.
How to Make Filipino Empanada (Stuffed Pastry)
Filipino empanadas are golden, half-moon pastries with a savoury filling of minced meat, vegetables and sometimes egg. The dough is crisp yet tender, while the filling is aromatic and full of comforting flavours. The key is a well-balanced filling and proper chilling of the dough. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g plain flour
- 50 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 egg
- 60 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 250 g minced pork or beef
- 1 medium potato, diced into small cubes
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For finishing
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
To begin, sift the plain flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub gently between your fingertips until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the egg and cold water a little at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Move to preparing the filling.
Step 2: Prepare the filling base
Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Stir in the minced pork or beef and cook until browned. Proceed to add vegetables.
Step 3: Cook vegetables and season
Add the diced potato, carrot and peas. Season with soy sauce, fish sauce and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature before filling. Prepare the work surface for shaping.
Step 4: Roll out the dough
Divide the chilled dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a circle about 12 cm in diameter. Keep the circles covered with a clean towel to prevent drying while you fill them.
Step 5: Fill and shape the empanadas
Place a generous spoonful of cooled filling in the centre of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with a fork or pleat them with your fingers for a traditional look. Prepare for baking.
Step 6: Prepare for baking
Arrange the empanadas on a lined baking tray, leaving space between each one. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg yolk to give them a golden finish. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Step 7: Bake the empanadas
Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown. Avoid overbaking as it can make the crust hard. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Move to the final step.
Final step: Serve
Serve the empanadas warm with a side of spicy vinegar dipping sauce or banana ketchup. They are excellent as a snack, part of a merienda spread or a packed picnic item. Presentation tip: Arrange on a wooden board for a rustic appeal.
Variations and substitutions
- Protein: Substitute minced pork with minced chicken or tinned tuna for a lighter version.
- Vegetables: Sweetcorn or finely shredded cabbage can be added for extra texture.
- Seasoning: Replace fish sauce with soy sauce if preferred.
- Hardboiled egg: Some regional versions include slices of boiled egg inside the filling.
- If butter is unavailable, use good quality lard for a more traditional taste.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Filipino Empanada
- Chill the dough before rolling to prevent sticking and to keep it tender.
- Make sure the filling is completely cool before filling to avoid soggy pastry.
- Do not overfill the pastry; leave room to seal edges properly.
- Use a fork dipped in flour to press the edges for a clean seal.
- For extra flavour, fry the empanadas instead of baking for a crispier finish.
Filipino Empanada (Stuffed Pastry)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g plain flour
- 50 g unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- 1 egg
- 60 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 250 g minced pork or beef
- 1 medium potato diced into small cubes
- 1 medium carrot diced
- ½ cup green peas
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce patis
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For finishing
- 1 egg yolk for egg wash
Instructions
- To begin, sift the plain flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub gently between your fingertips until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the egg and cold water a little at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Move to preparing the filling.
- Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Stir in the minced pork or beef and cook until browned. Proceed to add vegetables.
- Add the diced potato, carrot and peas. Season with soy sauce, fish sauce and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature before filling. Prepare the work surface for shaping.
- Divide the chilled dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a circle about 12 cm in diameter. Keep the circles covered with a clean towel to prevent drying while you fill them.
- Place a generous spoonful of cooled filling in the centre of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with a fork or pleat them with your fingers for a traditional look. Prepare for baking.
- Arrange the empanadas on a lined baking tray, leaving space between each one. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg yolk to give them a golden finish. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown. Avoid overbaking as it can make the crust hard. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Move to the final step.
- Serve the empanadas warm with a side of spicy vinegar dipping sauce or banana ketchup. They are excellent as a snack, part of a merienda spread or a packed picnic item. Presentation tip: Arrange on a wooden board for a rustic appeal.
Leave a Review