With an irresistible filling and a flaky, golden crust, empanadas are the handheld meal that we dream of. We love our classic
beef empanadas, but on days when we just don’t feel like turning on the oven, we turn to this air fryer recipe. We use the same filling and easy, homemade dough, but bake them in the air fryer for a weeknight dinner (or appetizer) that is every bit as satisfying with less time and effort. Here’s everything you need to know.
The dough:
We use an easy yet flaky homemade dough in this recipe. It comes together in no time, and results in the perfect crust for our filling. That being said, if you’re not feeling like making your own dough, we have another option for you: potsticker wrappers. If you’d like to go the potsticker route, fill each wrapper with about 1 teaspoon of meat (if you add too much filling, the wrapper will break). Dip a finger in water and run alongside the edges of the wrapper, then fold and seal with tines of a fork. Follow our air fryer potsticker recipe for even more tips and tricks.
The filling:
We love this cheesy ground beef filling, but you can really customize it as you please. Leave out the pickled jalapeños if you’re not a fan, or if you really want to amp up the filling, add in a splash of red wine vinegar, finely chopped capers and green olives, and a good squeeze of yellow mustard.
Not feeling ground beef? Take filling inspiration from our pumpkin empanadas, chicken empanadas, and empanadas sin carne, then bake in the air fryer as directed.
Storage:
While they’re best fresh, you can keep these cooked empanadas in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want them to last longer, we recommend freezing them.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!