Air Fryer Empanadas Recipe

Servings: 12 Total Time: 40 mins Difficulty: Intermediate
empanadas on a wooden board pinit

A few years ago, I visited Puerto Rico with my best friend. Food was the highlight of our trip, and we still reminisce about the amazing mofongo, tostones, and pina coladas we had while in San Juan. For me, though, empanadas were the star of the trip, and something I tried to replicate as soon as we got back to Texas. Since then, I’ve experimented with different fillings and cooking methods, but air frying empanadas is definitely my preferred way of making them, as it’s quicker than frying or baking them in an oven.

Continue reading below to learn how to make empanadas in the air fryer. If you’re looking to make them in the oven, see my baked beef empanada recipe instead!

Why You’ll Love These Air Fried Empanadas

  • Versatile – While the instructions below use ground beef picadillo as the filling for the empanadas, they can be filled with whatever you’d like! Shredded chicken, pulled pork, and vegetables are some common substitutions.
  • Resourceful – Have leftover picadillo or Thanksgiving turkey? Consider using your leftover protein as a filling for these empanadas.

Recommended Tools for This Recipe

  • Rolling Pin – A rolling pin will help you spread the dough out, so you can add more filling.
  • Air Fryer – I use the “Bake” setting on my Instant Vortex 6-quart, 4-in-1 air fryer, which I got for $50 many Black Fridays ago and allows me to cook large batches. If you’re using a smaller air fryer, you may have to cook the empanadas in batches to ensure they have enough space while air frying.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Goya Empanada Dough – You can find frozen empanada discs in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets. I used the 5-inch Criolla Discs for Baking & Frying.
  • Empanada Filling – While this recipe calls for ground beef, you can easily swap the filling for ground turkey, shredded chicken, or ground pork.
  • Egg – Brush your empanadas with an egg wash before air frying, so they have a shiny, golden finish. Don’t have an egg? Use cooking spray to achieve a similar finish and keep the dough from sticking to your air fryer basket.

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Empanadas Recipe

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins
Servings: 12
Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Empanada Ingredients

How to Make Empanadas in the Air Fryer

  1. Cook ground beef
    Add ground beef and seasoning to a large pan. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
  1. Drain beef
    Drain ground beef and return to heat.
  1. Mix in vegetables
    Mix in tomatoes and olives. Cook beef for another 5 minutes or until browned.
  1. Prepare egg wash
    While the empanada filling cools, crack an egg and whisk in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Pre-heat air fryer to 375F.
  1. Roll empanada dough
    Roll out empanada dough using a rolling pin.
  1. FIll empanadas
    Place 2 tbsp of filling in the center of the dough. Turn over to form a semi-circle.
  1. Fold edges
    Fold the edges of the empanada dough with your fingers until fully sealed.
  1. Brush empanadas with egg wash
    Brush empanadas with egg wash and place in the air fryer.
  1. Air fry

    Air fry empanadas for 10 minutes, flipping half way.

  1. Serve

    Serve with your preferred dipping sauce, and enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:
What is an empanada?

Empanadas are Latin American turnovers that are shaped like a crescent and filled with sweet or savory ingredients.

Can you air fry empanadas?

Yes, you can air fry empanadas for about 10 minutes at 375F. For additional details, see the recipe above.

How long do you air fry empanadas?

Empanadas should be air fried for 10 minutes at 375F. Make sure to turn the empanadas at the 5-minute mark, so that both sides turn golden.

What are empanadas made of?

Savory empanadas are often filled with ground beef, chicken, pork, or seasoned veggies. Sweet empanadas, meanwhile, can be filled with caramel or fruit marmalade.

What do you eat with empanadas?

Enjoy empanadas as an appetizer by serving them with mayo-ketchup or your preferred dipping sauce. Or make them a full meal by serving them with tostones, red beans, or Mexican rice.

How do you freeze empanadas?

You can freeze uncooked empanadas to make later. Freeze your empanadas on a sheet pan. Once they are frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to three months. When you're ready to make your empanadas, simply place the frozen empanadas into the air fryer for 12 minutes at 350F.

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