Argentinian empanada dough is a simple, tender pastry made with flour, fat, salt and water, then rolled around savoury fillings and baked or fried. Regional and family versions vary, but this lard-based dough is supple enough to fold and crimp, and the ingredients are easy to find in UK shops.
Ingredients
- 3 cups plain flour (375 g), plus a little extra for rolling. UK plain flour is the right choice; avoid self-raising flour, which can make the pastry puff and change its texture.
- 7 tablespoons chilled lard (100 g), cut into small pieces. Lard gives the dough a traditional savoury flavour and a crisp, tender finish.
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), to season the pastry evenly.
- ⅔ cup lukewarm water (150 ml). You may need slightly less or more depending on the flour, so add it gradually.
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients. Put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir briefly to distribute the salt. Keep the lard chilled until you are ready to use it. Measure the water and make sure it is lukewarm rather than hot; very hot water can soften the fat before it is worked into the flour.
- Rub in the lard. Add the lard pieces and rub them into the flour with your fingertips. Stop when the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, with a few small, pea-sized pieces of fat still visible. Those pieces help make the baked pastry tender. You can use a pastry cutter if you prefer not to warm the fat with your hands.
- Add the water slowly. Pour in about half the water and mix with a fork or your fingers. Add more a tablespoon at a time until the flour comes together in a soft, slightly firm dough. It should not be sticky or leave wet paste on your hands. Depending on the flour and the weather, you may not need every drop.
- Knead until smooth. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and knead gently for about 6–8 minutes. Press it away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back, and turn it as you work. The finished dough should feel smooth and pliable, not elastic like bread dough. If it cracks and will not come together, knead in water a teaspoon at a time; if it is tacky, dust the surface lightly with flour.
- Wrap and chill. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This rest lets the flour absorb the water and firms the lard, so the dough is easier to roll without springing back. Avoid leaving it uncovered, as the surface can dry and crack.
- Roll the wrappers. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal portions, keeping the pieces you are not using covered. Roll each one into a circle about 15 cm (6 inches) across and 2–3 mm thick. Use a small plate or cutter as a guide, then gather and reroll the scraps once. If the dough keeps shrinking, cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
- Fill and seal when ready. Place a cooled filling in the centre of each round, leaving a clear border around the edge. Do not overfill: a heaped tablespoon is a useful starting point for a 15 cm wrapper, though the amount depends on the filling. Moisten the edge with a little water, fold the dough over to make a half-moon, press out excess air, and pinch the seam firmly closed. Crimp the edge with your fingers or press it with a fork.
- Cook the filled empanadas using your filling recipe. This is a dough recipe, so the wrappers themselves are not cooked at this stage. Bake or fry the assembled empanadas according to the directions for the filling and cooking method you choose; keep raw dough and uncooked fillings refrigerated if you are not assembling them straight away.
Tips
- Keep the water adjustable. Flour absorbs moisture differently from one bag to another. Add most of the water first, then adjust until the dough holds together without feeling wet. A dry, crumbly dough is prone to splitting when folded, while a sticky dough is difficult to roll and seal.
- Butter works if you cannot find lard. Replace the lard with the same weight of cold unsalted butter. The pastry will taste richer and more buttery, and it may be a little less flaky and less traditionally savoury. Beef dripping is another possible substitute, but it has a stronger flavour; use it only if that suits your filling.
- Keep the rounds covered. Stack rolled wrappers with baking parchment between them and cover the stack with a clean tea towel or wrap. This stops the edges drying while you work. If one round has a small crack, patch it with a scrap of dough and press the join together before filling.
- Use a cool, fairly dry filling. Warm filling can soften the fat and make the pastry hard to handle; a watery filling can leak through the seam. Let cooked fillings cool completely and drain off excess liquid. Seal firmly and leave a little headroom rather than stretching the wrapper around too much filling.
Serving Suggestions
Once filled and cooked, these wrappers make standard hand-sized empanadas for a snack, lunch or part of a shared meal. Serve them warm with chimichurri, a bright parsley-and-garlic sauce, or salsa criolla, a fresh onion, pepper and tomato relish. Put sauces in small bowls on the side so diners can add them without making the pastry soggy.
For a fuller meal, add a crisp green salad, sliced tomatoes or roasted vegetables. A selection of different fillings works well for a gathering; mark each kind with a different crimp so guests can tell them apart. Since the dough is neutral and savoury, it also pairs with simple sides rather than needing a heavy accompaniment.
Variations
Butter pastry: Use 100 g (7 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter in place of the lard. It is a convenient UK supermarket option and gives a rounded dairy flavour. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly and taste the dough only after it has been mixed; raw dough should not be tasted if it contains uncooked flour.
Beef-dripping dough: Replace the lard with 100 g (7 tablespoons) chilled beef dripping for a deeper, meatier flavour. This suits beef fillings, though the aroma will be more pronounced than with lard. Traditional fats and dough proportions vary between regions and households, so treat these as workable alternatives rather than the single correct version.
Part wholemeal: Replace up to ½ cup (about 60 g) of the plain flour with wholemeal flour, keeping the total flour at 375 g. The wrappers will have a nuttier taste and a slightly less delicate bite. Wholemeal flour absorbs more water, so add an extra teaspoon or two only if the dough feels dry and cracks as you knead.
For frying rather than baking: This dough can be used for either method, but the final result depends on the filling and the instructions for the empanada style you are making. Roll the rounds evenly and make sure the seams are secure before cooking. Choose a cooking method and temperature suited to your filling; do not assume that a browned outside means a meat filling has reached a safe temperature.
Storage and Reheating
Wrap unused raw dough tightly and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes if it is too firm to roll, but do not leave it out for an extended period. For longer storage, freeze the wrapped dough for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Rolled, unfilled rounds can also be stacked with parchment between them, wrapped airtight and frozen; thaw them in the refrigerator before filling.
Keep cooked empanadas separate from raw dough and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat cooked leftovers in an oven or air fryer until hot throughout; leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C). The microwave works in a pinch, but it tends to soften the pastry. Freeze cooked empanadas for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make empanada dough without lard?
Yes. Use an equal weight of cold unsalted butter. The dough remains workable, though the flavour is more buttery and the texture may be less flaky than a lard version. Beef dripping can also replace lard if you want a stronger savoury flavour. Whichever fat you use, keep it cold when rubbing it into the flour.
Why is my dough cracking when I fold it?
It may be too dry, too cold, or rolled too thin. Knead in water a teaspoon at a time if it is crumbly before chilling. If a chilled round cracks while folding, cover the dough and let it warm for a few minutes, then patch small splits with a scrap. Roll to about 2–3 mm and avoid stretching the pastry around an overfilled centre.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Wrap the dough airtight and refrigerate it for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator rather than on a warm counter. If it is firm after chilling, give it 10–15 minutes at room temperature so it becomes easier to roll.
Do I need a special empanada cutter?
No. A 15 cm (6-inch) round cutter is handy, but a small plate, bowl or saucepan lid makes a good guide. Cut around it with a knife, then reroll the scraps once. Repeated rerolling can make the pastry tougher, so keep the scraps together and handle them gently.
Can I freeze the wrappers before filling them?
Yes. Separate each round with baking parchment, wrap the stack airtight and freeze it flat. Thaw the stack in the refrigerator, then peel the rounds apart carefully. If they feel stiff, allow a few minutes at room temperature before filling so they bend without splitting.
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