A few years ago, I visited Puerto Rico with my best friend, and it didn't take long for us to realize that food would be the highlight of our trip. From the perfectly crisp tostones to the creamy mofongo, every meal we had in San Juan was a celebration of flavor. But the dish that completely stole my heart? Empanadas. Golden pockets of flaky dough filled with seasoned meat, served hot and crispy. I remember biting into one and thinking, I need to learn how to make these when I get home.
Fast forward to today, and empandas have become a staple in my kitchen. I've experimented with different fillings and cooking methods over the years, but air frying empanadas has become my go-to method. It's quicker than frying them or baking them in an oven, and results in empanadas that are crisp on the outside and juicy inside, without all the oil from deep frying and extra time spent pre-heating the oven.
Continue reading below to learn how to make empanadas in the air fryer from start to finish. If you prefer baking them, check out my baked beef empanada recipe instead! Either way, don't forget to serve them with mayo-ketchup, a creamy, tangy sauce that's perfect for these Puerto Rican inspired empanadas.
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 just about anything! Shredded chicken, pulled pork, and vegetables are some common substitutions.
- Resourceful - Have leftover taco meat, or even Thanksgiving turkey? Consider using your leftover protein into a flavorful filling for these empanadas.
Recommended Tools for This Flavorful Empanadas 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.
- Empanada Press - Fold and crimp the dough in one motion for neat, tightly sealed empanadas.
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Beef Empanada Ingredients
- 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.
