Name: Empanadillas de Carne (Puerto Rican Empanadas)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 12 discs
Ingredients: empanadilla dough (masa para empanadillas) (or buy premade disks); carne molida (Puerto Rican picadillo); hot sauce; lemon wedges; oil for frying

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Empanadillas de Carne (Puerto Rican Empanadas) are savory beef turnovers made in a delicious flaky dough. Serve with a side of hot sauce. Perfect for anytime of the day or served as an appetizer.

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If you have never had Empanadillas de Carne then you’re in for a treat!

It is a highly popular and traditional Puerto Rican fried fritter found all over the island and consumed anytime of the day. Whether it be for breakfast, lunch, snack or even for dinner.

Empanadillas de carne are a savory beef turnover made in a delicious crispy flaky dough.

I will tell you this, every time I land in Puerto Rico, my first stop is at one of the local food kiosks that are seen on the sides of roads just to buy two or three of these. Or I will stop at one of the local restaurants that I pass by on my drive down to my hometown.

These street food vendors offer a variety of “Puerto Rican fried fritters” and yep you guessed it, empanadillas and rellenos de papas (stuffed potato balls) are always my first go to food and treat!

By far two of my favorite fried foods to eat on my way home.

Baked or Fried Empanadillas

Empanadillas are actually very similar to empanadas except the dough for empanadillas is much thinner so they make for a perfect fried fritter! Perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly savory on the inside!

And although you can bake an empanadilla, traditionally empanadillas are fried.

As a matter of fact, I will venture out to say that you will have a very hard time finding them baked at one of these local joints.

But surely feel free to bake them at home if you are watching your diet and are trying to eat just slightly healthier. 😊

Ingredients for Empanadillas de Carne (Puerto Rican Empanadas)

Easy Empanadilla Dough (Masa Para Empanadillas) or store bought dough disks
Easy Delicious Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)
Hot sauce
Lemon wedges (optional)
Oil for frying

How to Make Empanadillas de Carne

When it comes to the dough, you have some options.

You can follow my 3 ingredient empanadilla dough (masa para empanadillas) recipe. This recipe is really easy to make and you can even make extra disks to freeze and save for future empanadillas.

Or you can buy premade dough (disks) usually found in the freezer section of a supermarket that offers frozen Latin foods.

Meat

For the meat filling, follow my savory beef recipe for Easy Delicious Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo).

Once the dough and meat filling is prepared take one disk at a time and form the empanadillas.

Add two tablespoons of the carne molida to the center (or it may be easier for you to add filling more to one side of dough) of the empanadilla dough and fold over dough to form a half moon.
Crimp edges of dough with a fork to seal dough.

Note: Some people like to flip empanadilla over and crimp the other side as well but I find that it is not necessary as long as you crimp one side firmly.

Add half an inch of vegetable or canola oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.
Once the oil has heated some, add a few empanadillas at a time and cook until golden brown on one side.
Flip empanadillas over and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.

Done!

Serve with a side of lemon wedges and hot sauce.

Storing Empanadillas de Carne

Freeze empanadillas that have not been fried by wrapping them individually in small cut up squares of parchment or wax paper and then stored in a container or ziploc bag.

For more delicious Puerto Rican dishes, you will love these as well.

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz Con Habichuelas)

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans)

Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

Garlic Tostones (Fried Garlic Plantains)

Sorullitos (Cornmeal Fried Sticks)