Savory pumpkin empanadas from scratch
Savory pumpkin empanadas filled with chorizo and queso fresco are a delicious fall treat. These hand held pastries are perfect for gatherings, parties or just a tasty afternoon snack. Learn how to make these savory turnovers filled with real pumpkin and chorizo completely from scratch with step by step instructions.
You can find a recipe for easy pumpkin empanadas with store-bought dough for those days when your energy does not match your craving for a quick and easy sweet treat.
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Savory empanada recipe with pumpkin and chorizo
Most of the recipes you’ll find for pumpkin empanadas are desserts. They are sweet, not savory. I wanted to celebrate pumpkin season with a savory empanada, so I added spicy Mexican chorizo and creamy queso fresco to the mix.
One of the best things about making empanadas is that you can do it in stages, if needed. This is especially helpful if you are making a lot, or if you have limited time.
For example, I made the filling the day before and stashed it in the fridge. You can also make the dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to roll out and make your savory pumpkin empanadas.
Making these “empanaditas”, or little empanadas, is even easier if you do a little prep work ahead of time.
How to make empanada dough for baking
This rich dough is slightly different than the dough for my sweet pumpkin empanada recipe. It’s a firmer dough and is very easy to work with.
The first step is to pulse the flour with the salt. Then add the eggs, butter, vinegar and ice water to the bowl of the food processor and let the machine run until the dough comes together.
After you’ve chilled the dough, it’s time to roll it out. I like to use my rolling dowel for this. It isn’t tapered, so I know the dough will be the same thickness everywhere. Rolling the dough out between sheets of parchment paper is especially helpful.
Use a 3 1/2 – 4 inch biscuit cutter to cut circles out of the dough, then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place pieces of parchment between the layers so they don’t stick together.
Savory pumpkin filling for empanadas
The first step in making this savory filling is roasting the calabaza. It is generally sold in cut pieces, because it is a large squash. You can use a pie pumpkin, if you can’t find calabaza. You could also substitute with kabocha squash or even butternut if you can’t find any other options.
Roast the calabaza, or pumpkin, in the oven until it is soft. Then use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh.
This is everything you’ll need for the savory filling. I took the photo with the chorizo and cheese in their packaging, just in case. I find it helpful when I have a picture of something if it is unfamiliar.
Chorizo, calabaza (pumpkin), cheese, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Pretty simple and straightforward. You do want to look for the chorizo that it sold in the plastic casing that you remove before eating. The other kind of chorizo has more fat, so it is greasier and the texture isn’t quite the same.
While the calabaza is roasting, put the chorizo in a skillet. Then add the onions and garlic. Once those have softened, remove from heat and fold in the cheese and the cooked pumpkin. Then fill the dough to make our empanaditas.
Empanadas from scratch
Time to assemble our tasty treats. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling on the dough disk, then fold it in half like a taco. Pinch along the edges to seal it shut.
Press the tines of a fork along the edges to make sure it is sealed really well, then egg wash the tops before sliding them into the oven.
If you have the convection feature (a fan) in your oven, this is a great time to use it. That fan circulates the air in your oven, helping the empanadas to turn golden brown.
Making savory pumpkin empanadas from scratch isn’t difficult, but it does require a little time. The dough comes together quickly with the help of the food processor and the filling cooks up in only a few minutes, with a bit of prep work.
These pumpkin and chorizo empanadas are the perfect hand-held fall treat.
Sign up for the empanada class online and cook along with me. You can watch anytime! Permanent access to the class. Rewind, pause or fast-forward – learn at your own pace. Make this savory recipe, plus a sweet, bakery-style empanada!
More fall treats
- Día de los muertos / Day of the Dead cupcakes
- Pumpkin cookies with cinnamon frosting
- Hubbard squash muffins with maple glaze
- Cuban beef empanadas
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Savory pumpkin empanadas
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced in 1/2″ pieces (4 ounces)
- 1 egg + 1 yolk
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
Pumpkin and chorizo filling
- 4 ounces Mexican chorizo removed from casing
- 1 small onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup roasted calabaza squash
- 2 ounces queso fresco crumbled
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
Egg wash
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp. water whisked together
Instructions
- Make the empanada dough
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour with salt a few times to mix.
- Add butter to flour mixture, pulsing 15 – 20 times until dough begins to look like coarse crumbs and butter is broken up into pea-sized pieces. *see note
- Whisk egg, egg yolk, ice water and vinegar together in a small bowl, then add to flour and butter mixture.
- Pulse to start incorporating liquids, then run machine for 15 – 30 seconds until a shaggy dough forms.
- On a floured surface, dump dough out of bowl and gather together. Use the heel of your hand to lightly knead dough a few times. (If it is too dry and crumbly, add 1 tbsp. ice water and work into dough.)
- Knead dough a few times on the counter until it comes together and looks smooth.
- Divide dough in half, press each half into a rectangle and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Roll each half out to roughly 1/8” thickness (between sheets of parchment is helpful!).
- Cut circles out with 3 1/2 – 4" round cutter to make disks. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator until ready to fill.
- Make pumpkin and chorizo filling
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks. (If you have a lot of fat, drain the chorizo before proceeding to the next step)
- Add onion and garlic to chorizo and cook until softened, about 6 – 8 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Fold in roasted calabaza (pumpkin/squash) and crumbled cheese.
- Set aside to cool before filling empanadas.
- Assemble and bake empanadas
- Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas mark 5
- Remove dough discs from refrigerator and allow them to sit on the counter, covered, as you get ready to assemble empanadas.
- Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the empanada.
- Fold in half, pressing filling down, then pinch closed with your fingers. Use a fork to crimp the edges together.
- Brush with egg wash (if desired), then place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 18 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
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