vegan empanadas
Vegan empanadas made with puff pastry sheets and vegan, soy-free burger meat.
vegan empanadas
Many cultures have a version of these yummy meat-filled mini pies. Whether they are Indian samosas, Haitian or Jamaican patties, or Greek kreatopita, these baked pastries are sure to be gobbled up quickly at your next feast. I’ve ventured to make these empanadas with puff pastry dough by scratch (and that’s really the best tasting but the most time-consuming), but for the sake of time, here’s a version with store-bought puff pastry (which is also a delicious replacement).
recipe
empanada filling ingredients
4 Impossible or Beyond Burger patties (thawed)
1 green or red bell pepper (chopped)
1 yellow or white onion (chopped)
1 garlic clove (chopped)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
seasoned to your liking (I use black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and any Italian seasoning I may have in my cupboard). Taste it now! This is pretty much what it will taste like after baking. The seasoning needs to pop because the flavor will get lost in the puff pastry if underseasoned.
puff pastry ingredients
Save yourself the headache and get Sweet Loren’s vegan puff pastry from Whole Foods or any other vegan puff pastry sheets. Keep the puff pastries frozen or refrigerated (depending on instructions on the package) until ready to use. I usually use 1 1/2 boxes to make 20 empanadas.
directions
Set the frozen puff pastry out to thaw (for about 30 minutes) while you prepare the filling.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the stovetop, sautee yellow or white onions and garlic.
Add peppers and green onions and sautee.
Add vegan burger meat (break apart and cook with lid on, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and burning.) Add seasoning gradually as you cook. The meat should be dark brown when finished.
On a lightly floured surface, unfold one of the puff pastries and gently roll it out just a little bit. Cut into 3 long rectangles with a pizza cutter. Do the same with the other puff pastry so you have 6 long rectangles.
Divide the vegan meat mixture into 6 portions. Place the vegan meat in the center of each pastry piece, going all the way down and leave an inch or so on each side and at the ends.
Bring the sides together and pinch to seal, using a little water to help it stick together. Do the same with the rest of the pastry/sausage.
With a large knife, cut into 2 inch long pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. Cut a few slits on the top of each one for venting.
Brush the tops of the empanadas with melted vegan butter and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until the pastry is puffed up and the tops are golden. Serve immediately and enjoy!
