Empanadas are a beloved dish in many cultures, known for their delicious, flaky pastry filled with various savory or sweet ingredients.
These hand-held delights are versatile and can suit any taste preference, from hearty meat fillings to fresh vegetables and indulgent desserts.
Whether you’re exploring traditional flavors or creative combinations, every palate has an empanada.
This blog will explore 25 different types of empanadas, highlighting their unique fillings and what makes them so irresistible.
List of Different Types of Empanadas
1. Beef Empanadas
Beef empanadas are a classic. They feature a savory filling of ground beef, onions, and spices like cumin and paprika.
Often combined with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins, this filling offers a rich and flavorful experience, perfect for any occasion.
- Main Ingredients: Ground beef, onions, spices
- Best For: Traditional flavor
- Features: Rich, savory, often includes eggs and olives
2. Chicken Empanadas
Chicken empanadas are popular, filled with shredded or diced chicken, onions, and a blend of spices.
They’re often enhanced with ingredients like bell peppers or green olives, offering a mild and comforting taste.
- Main Ingredients: Chicken, onions, spices
- Best For: Mild, comforting flavor
- Features: Versatile, can include peppers or olives
3. Cheese Empanadas
Cheese empanadas are simple yet satisfying. They’re typically filled with a mix of melted cheeses, such as mozzarella, cheddar, or queso fresco.
They’re perfect for cheese lovers and can be enjoyed as a snack or appetizer.
- Main Ingredients: Mixed cheeses
- Best For: Cheese lovers
- Features: Gooey, satisfying, easy to make
4. Ham and Cheese Empanadas
Ham and cheese empanadas combine savory ham with melted cheese, creating a classic and comforting flavor.
This combination is a favorite for breakfast or a quick snack, offering a balance of salty and creamy textures.
- Main Ingredients: Ham, cheese
- Best For: Breakfast, snacks
- Features: Classic, comforting, balanced flavor
5. Spinach Empanadas
Spinach empanadas are a delicious vegetarian option, filled with sautéed spinach, onions, and sometimes cheese or ricotta.
These empanadas offer a fresh, earthy, healthy, and satisfying flavor.
- Main Ingredients: Spinach, onions, cheese (optional)
- Best For: Vegetarian option
- Features: Fresh, earthy, healthy
6. Corn Empanadas
Corn empanadas are sweet and savory, featuring a filling made from corn, onions, and sometimes cheese.
They’re popular in Latin American cuisine, offering a unique and comforting flavor profile.
- Main Ingredients: Corn, onions, cheese
- Best For: Sweet and savory combination
- Features: Unique, comforting, popular in Latin cuisine
7. Seafood Empanadas
Seafood empanadas are filled with a mix of seafood, such as shrimp, crab, or fish, combined with spices, onions, and peppers.
They offer a rich, coastal flavor that’s perfect for seafood lovers.
- Main Ingredients: Mixed seafood, spices, onions
- Best For: Seafood lovers
- Features: Rich, coastal flavor, versatile
8. Tuna Empanadas
Tuna empanadas feature a filling of canned or fresh tuna, often mixed with onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
This filling is flavorful and light, making it a popular choice for a healthy, protein-packed snack.
- Main Ingredients: Tuna, onions, peppers
- Best For: Light, healthy option
- Features: Protein-packed, flavorful
9. Pork Empanadas
Pork empanadas are filled with shredded or ground pork seasoned with cumin, paprika, and garlic.
The pork is often slow-cooked for a tender, flavorful, hearty, satisfying filling.
- Main Ingredients: Pork, spices
- Best For: Hearty, satisfying meal
- Features: Tender, flavorful, slow-cooked
10. Chorizo Empanadas
Chorizo empanadas feature spicy, seasoned chorizo sausage as the main filling, often mixed with onions and peppers.
They’re perfect for those who enjoy bold, spicy flavors with a rich, savory taste.
- Main Ingredients: Chorizo, onions, peppers
- Best For: Spicy, bold flavors
- Features: Rich, savory, bold
11. Mushroom Empanadas
Mushroom empanadas are a delicious vegetarian option with sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and herbs.
The earthy, umami flavor of the mushrooms makes these empanadas a satisfying and healthy choice.
- Main Ingredients: Mushrooms, garlic, herbs
- Best For: Vegetarian, umami flavor
- Features: Earthy, satisfying, healthy
12. Sweet Potato Empanadas
Sweet potato empanadas offer a sweet and savory combination.
They feature a filling of mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.
They’re perfect for a unique and comforting treat.
- Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg
- Best For: Sweet and savory treat
- Features: Unique, comforting, flavorful
13. Black Bean Empanadas
Black bean empanadas are filled with seasoned black beans, often combined with onions, garlic, and spices.
They’re a hearty, vegetarian option that’s filling and flavorful, perfect for a protein-packed meal.
- Main Ingredients: Black beans, onions, spices
- Best For: Vegetarian, hearty meal
- Features: Filling, flavorful, protein-packed
14. Vegetable Empanadas
Vegetable empanadas are packed with a variety of sautéed vegetables like peppers, onions, zucchini, and carrots.
They’re a healthy, vegetarian option that offers a burst of fresh flavors in every bite.
- Main Ingredients: Mixed vegetables, spices
- Best For: Healthy, vegetarian option
- Features: Fresh, flavorful, versatile
15. Caprese Empanadas
Caprese empanadas are inspired by the classic Italian salad.
They feature a filling of tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
This combination offers a light, refreshing taste with a Mediterranean flair.
- Main Ingredients: Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil
- Best For: Light, refreshing flavor
- Features: Mediterranean-inspired, fresh
16. Shrimp Empanadas
Shrimp empanadas are filled with succulent shrimp, often combined with garlic, onions, and spices.
They offer a rich, coastal flavor for seafood lovers looking for a delicious snack or appetizer.
- Main Ingredients: Shrimp, garlic, onions
- Best For: Seafood lovers
- Features: Succulent, rich, coastal flavor
17. Beef and Olive Empanadas
Beef and olive empanadas combine seasoned ground beef with green or black olives, creating a savory and slightly tangy flavor.
The olives add a unique twist to the traditional beef empanada, offering a burst of flavor in every bite.
- Main Ingredients: Beef, olives
- Best For: Unique, savory flavor
- Features: Tangy, flavorful, traditional with a twist
18. Pumpkin Empanadas
Pumpkin empanadas are a sweet treat filled with spiced pumpkin puree, often sweetened with sugar or honey.
They are perfect for dessert or as a seasonal treat during the fall.
- Main Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, spices
- Best For: Dessert, seasonal treat
- Features: Sweet, spiced, perfect for fall
19. Lamb Empanadas
They offer a rich, savory flavor that’s perfect for those who enjoy lamb’s unique taste.
- Main Ingredients: Lamb, onions, herbs
- Best For: Rich, savory meal
- Features: Unique, flavorful, hearty
20. Apple Empanadas
Apple empanadas are a sweet dessert option, filled with spiced apple filling, similar to an apple pie.
They’re perfect for those who enjoy a warm, comforting dessert with a touch of cinnamon and sugar.
- Main Ingredients: Apples, cinnamon, sugar
- Best For: Dessert, sweet treat
- Features: Warm, comforting, pie-like
21. Pineapple Empanadas
Pineapple empanadas offer a tropical twist.
They’re filled with sweet, tangy pineapple, often mixed with sugar and a touch of cinnamon.
These empanadas are a refreshing dessert option, perfect for a summer treat.
- Main Ingredients: Pineapple, sugar, cinnamon
- Best For: Tropical dessert
- Features: Sweet, tangy, refreshing
22. Dulce de Leche Empanadas
Dulce de leche empanadas are a decadent dessert option filled with creamy, caramel-like dulce de leche.
They are rich and sweet, making them a perfect indulgence for those with a sweet tooth.
- Main Ingredients: Dulce de leche
- Best For: Dessert, sweet indulgence
- Features: Creamy, caramel-like, rich
23. Chocolate Empanadas
Chocolate empanadas are a decadent dessert filled with melted chocolate.
They offer a rich, gooey treat that’s perfect for chocolate lovers.
They’re often warm, with the chocolate filling oozing out with every bite.
- Main Ingredients: Chocolate
- Best For: Dessert, chocolate lovers
- Features: Rich, gooey, indulgent
24. Guava and Cheese Empanadas
Guava and cheese empanadas combine sweet guava paste with creamy cheese, offering a unique blend of sweet and savory flavors.
This combination is popular in Latin American cuisine and makes for a delicious dessert or snack.
- Main Ingredients: Guava paste, cheese
- Best For: Sweet and savory treat
- Features: Unique, flavorful, Latin American favorite
25. Empanadas de Pino
Empanadas de Pino is traditional Chilean empanadas filled with ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs.
This savory filling is wrapped in flaky dough, offering a rich and hearty meal with a blend of sweet and savory flavors.
- Main Ingredients: Ground beef, onions, olives, raisins, eggs
- Best For: Traditional Chilean dish
- Features: Rich, hearty, sweet, and savory blend
Conclusion
Empanadas are a versatile and delicious dish that can be customized to suit any taste.
Whether you prefer savory fillings like beef and olives or sweet options like dulce de leche, there’s an empanada for every craving.
Exploring different types of empanadas can introduce you to new flavors and culinary traditions, making these hand-held delights a favorite for any meal or occasion.
