There is something wonderfully honest about a hand pie. No fork required. No fancy plating needed. Just warm pastry, a generous filling, and the kind of satisfaction that only comfort food delivers. The Filipino empanada is exactly that — and then some.
If you have ever bitten into a crispy, golden empanada filled with seasoned meat, soft vegetables, and a hint of sweetness, you already understand the appeal. If you have not — this guide will fix that. We cover the full story behind this beloved pastry: its history, the authentic Filipino empanada recipe step by step, regional variations you need to know, expert tips, and the most common mistakes that lead to soggy disappointment.
- Filipino empanada is a Spanish-influenced pastry adapted over 300+ years of colonial history
- It typically features a flaky wheat dough filled with ground meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas
- Two main styles: baked (softer crust) and fried (crispy shell)
- Regional versions vary significantly — Ilocos empanada uses rice flour and is bright orange
- A perfectly sealed edge is the difference between success and a filling explosion
Where Did Filipino Empanada Come From?
The short answer: Spain. The longer, more interesting answer involves 350 years of colonial rule, Moorish invasions of medieval Iberia, and Filipino cooks quietly doing what they do best — taking something foreign and making it taste like home.
Empanada itself traces its roots to 7th-century Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which means "to wrap or coat in bread." Spanish colonists first arrived in the Philippines in 1521 and stayed for nearly 350 years. They brought the empanada concept with them — along with religion, architecture, and a language that shaped Filipino culture for centuries.
But Filipino cooks did not simply replicate the original. Over generations, they wove in local ingredients — jackfruit, annatto seeds, green papaya, local sausages — and adjusted the flavour balance to reflect the Filipino palate, which has a well-documented love for the sweet-savoury combination. What emerged is something that feels both familiar and distinctly Filipino.
As food historian research shows, Filipino empanadas are most closely compared to Cuban picadillo-style fillings: slightly sweet, richly seasoned ground meat with raisins, vegetables, and aromatics. That unexpected sweetness is not an accident — it is a cultural fingerprint.
What Makes Filipino Empanada Different?
Walk into any bakery in Manila and you will find empanadas sitting right alongside pan de sal and ensaymada. It is that embedded in daily Filipino food life. But what separates it from, say, a Latin American empanada or a Spanish pasty?
Several things, actually. First, the dough in a typical Filipino empanada is slightly sweet — sugar is added to the pastry itself, not just the filling. Second, the filling almost always contains raisins (yes, divisive, but stay with us). Third, the baked version gets a beautiful egg wash that gives it a glossy, golden finish rather than a dull, dry exterior. And fourth, Filipinos often serve it with spiced vinegar on the side — that sharp dip against the sweet filling is the kind of contrast that keeps you reaching for another one.
There are two main preparations you will encounter: baked and fried. The baked version is softer and more common in urban bakeries. The fried version — especially from the Ilocos region — is crunchier, oilier, and arguably the more exciting of the two. Both are worth making.
Ingredients for the Authentic Filipino Empanada Recipe
Before you start, gather everything. Cold butter and cold water are your friends when making pastry dough — warm anything and the result will be tough rather than flaky. The filling can be made a day ahead, which actually helps since a cooled filling is much easier to work with.
🥟 Classic Filipino Empanada Recipe
For the Dough
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- ½ cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 egg yolks
- 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water
For the Filling
- 500g (1 lb) ground pork or beef (or a mix of both)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup (75g) green peas (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup raisins (optional — but recommended)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
For the Egg Wash
- 1 whole egg + 1 tbsp milk, beaten together
Step 1 — Make the Dough
- Sift flour, salt, and sugar into a large bowl.
- Add the cold cubed butter. Using your fingertips (or a pastry blender), work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You want visible pea-sized bits of butter — that is what creates flakiness.
- Add the egg yolks and mix briefly.
- Add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough just holds together when pinched. Do not overwork it.
- Form into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
Step 2 — Make the Filling
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened (about 2 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground meat. Break it up with a spoon and cook until it changes colour and is mostly cooked through.
- Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine, then add a splash of water (around 3–4 tbsp), cover, and cook on medium-low until the vegetables are just tender — about 8 minutes.
- Add peas and raisins. Cook uncovered for 2–3 more minutes to allow any excess liquid to evaporate. The filling should be moist but not wet.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely before assembling. This step is non-negotiable.
Step 3 — Assemble and Bake
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 12–15 equal portions. Roll each into a circle roughly 12cm (5 inches) in diameter and about 3mm thick.
- Place 2–3 tablespoons of cooled filling in the centre of each circle. Do not overfill.
- Brush the edges with egg wash, fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape, and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp with a fork or pleat by hand.
- Place on the prepared trays. Brush the tops generously with egg wash.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the trays at the halfway point, until the empanadas are deep golden brown.
- Rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. (Trust us — fresh-from-oven filling is like molten lava. Burn risk is real.)
For Fried Empanadas
- Assemble as above but skip the egg wash.
- Heat vegetable or canola oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Use a thermometer if you have one.
- Fry in batches — do not crowd the pan — for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Regional Filipino Empanada Variations You Should Know
One of the most exciting things about Filipino empanada is how dramatically it changes from one region to the next. The Philippines has over 7,600 islands, and nearly every major region has put its own stamp on this pastry. Here are the main ones worth knowing.
🟠 Ilocos / Batac Empanada
Made with rice flour, giving it an unmistakable orange colour from annatto seeds. Filled with grated green papaya, Ilocos longganisa, and a raw egg cracked inside before sealing. Deep-fried until shatteringly crisp. Served with catsup or spiced vinegar.
🟡 Vigan Empanada
From the heritage city of Vigan, this uses the same rice flour dough as Batac but the dipping sauce differs — traditional Ilocos black vinegar (Sukang Iloko) rather than catsup. Fillings are similar: green papaya, longanisa, bean sprouts, and egg.
🟤 Malolos / Empanada de Kaliskis
From Malolos, Bulacan, and over 130 years old. The name means "fish scales" — its layered, flaky crust is folded to look exactly like them. Most commonly filled with chicken. A true artisan pastry that takes patience but rewards generously.
🟢 Cagayan Valley Empanada
This northern region version leans heavily on longganisa and egg filling, differing from the papaya-forward Ilocos style. Each family tends to have its own secret seasoning blend — which is very on-brand for Filipino food culture.
🍽 Manila / Urban Bakery Style
This is the everyday baked version you find in Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, and local panaderias. Wheat flour dough, sweet crust, ground beef or pork filling with potatoes and raisins. Accessible, reliable, and deeply nostalgic for most Filipinos.
The Ilocos and Vigan empanadas are arguably the most famous internationally — they appear regularly on food travel programmes and best-street-food lists. If you ever visit the Philippines, heading to Calle Crisologo in Vigan to watch empanadas being fried fresh on a giant wok is an experience worth planning around.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Filipino Empanada
Getting the Dough Right
Cold everything. Cold butter. Cold water. Cold hands if possible (run them under cold tap water before starting). The moment fat warms up in pastry dough, gluten develops more aggressively and you lose the flaky layers you are after.
Do not overwork the dough. Mix until it just comes together and then stop. Overworked dough becomes tough and dense — fine for bread, wrong for empanadas.
Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is a game changer. It prevents sticking without adding excess flour, which can dry out the pastry.
Getting the Filling Right
Drain excess moisture before filling. A wet filling is the enemy of a crispy crust. After cooking, let the filling reduce until it is just moist — think "not soupy." If you accidentally overcook it and it goes dry, a splash of water or stock fixes it.
Cool completely before assembly. This is worth repeating. Hot filling steams the dough from the inside and leads to a soggy bottom. Cool filling firms up and is much easier to portion neatly.
Sealing Correctly
Brush the edges with egg wash or water before folding — this acts as glue. Press firmly along the seam with your fingers first, then crimp with a fork or fold and pleat by hand. A loose seal means the filling escapes during baking. Nobody wants to clean that off the oven floor.
Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
How to Serve Filipino Empanada
Freshly baked or fried, straight off the tray — that is the ideal scenario. But Filipino empanadas are also excellent at room temperature, which is exactly why they have been a popular school lunch, road trip snack, and picnic staple for decades.
The classic accompaniment is spiced vinegar — cane vinegar with sliced garlic, red chilli, and a pinch of salt. It cuts right through the richness of the pastry and filling. For the Ilocos versions, Sukang Iloko (Ilocos black vinegar) is traditional and worth seeking out in Filipino grocery stores if you can find it.
For a full Filipino spread, serve alongside arroz caldo (rice porridge), or as a side to chicken adobo. They also pair well with fresh fruit juice — calamansi juice if you can get it, or a good orange juice as a substitute.
Storage and Reheating
Baked empanadas keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Fried empanadas are best eaten the day of, but can be stored the same way — they just lose some crispiness.
For freezing: assemble and freeze the uncooked empanadas on a tray until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. They keep for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 8–10 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: the oven is far superior to the microwave. Ten minutes at 180°C in a regular oven (or 5 minutes in an air fryer at 160°C) will restore most of the crispiness. Microwaving works in a pinch but the pastry goes soft and chewy — edible, but not the same experience.
A Note on Nutrition
Filipino empanadas are a comfort food, so expecting them to be diet-friendly would be like expecting a soufflé to survive a slammed door. That said, you can make sensible adjustments. Using lean ground turkey or chicken reduces the fat content noticeably. Baking rather than frying cuts down on oil significantly. Reducing the dough thickness and loading the filling with extra vegetables balances the ratio nicely.
For most people, empanadas are an occasional treat — and occasional treats are fine. Eat one (or three) and enjoy every bite without guilt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake Filipino empanada instead of frying?
Yes, and it is actually the more common method in Philippine home kitchens and urban bakeries. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 25–30 minutes until golden. The crust will be softer than the fried version but still delicious.
What is the best oil for frying empanadas?
Vegetable or canola oil both work well because of their high smoke points and neutral flavour. Avoid olive oil — it has too low a smoke point and will flavour the pastry in a way that does not complement the filling.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours, wrapped tightly in cling film. You can also make it up to a month in advance and freeze it. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Why do Filipino empanadas have raisins?
The raisins are a Spanish colonial influence — similar fillings appear in Cuban picadillo and Latin American empanadas. They add a subtle sweetness that balances the savoury meat and salty soy sauce. They are optional, but if you skip them, add a pinch of sugar to the filling to maintain that signature balance.
What makes Ilocos empanada different from the standard version?
Ilocos empanada uses rice flour rather than wheat flour, giving it a crunchier, more brittle shell. Annatto seeds colour the dough orange. The filling typically includes grated green papaya, Ilocos longganisa (a garlicky local sausage), and a whole raw egg cracked inside before sealing. It is deep-fried rather than baked.
How do I stop the empanada from bursting open during baking?
Three things: do not overfill, ensure the edges are properly sealed with egg wash, and do not skip crimping. If you notice cracks appearing during baking, it usually means either too much filling or steam build-up — you can pierce a tiny vent hole in the top of each empanada before baking to release steam.
Final Thoughts
The Filipino empanada recipe is more than a set of instructions. It carries 350 years of history, the creative resilience of a culture that took a foreign concept and made it something entirely its own, and the kind of cooking knowledge that travels from grandmothers to grandchildren without ever needing to be written down.
Making empanadas at home for the first time takes a little patience. The dough needs resting. The filling needs cooling. The sealing needs care. But none of this is complicated — it is just attentive cooking. And the payoff is a warm, flaky, sweet-savoury pastry that you made yourself, which tastes dramatically better than anything sitting in a display case.
Start with the classic baked version. Once you have that down, try the Ilocos-style fried version with rice flour. Then experiment with fillings. Once you understand the structure — flaky dough, well-seasoned moist filling, sealed edge — the variations are practically infinite.
Welcome to the empanada rabbit hole. It is a good one to fall into.
Sources & References
Wikipedia — Empanada: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada
The Bailiwick Academy — Empanada Types in the Philippines: blog.thebailiwickacademy.com
Food Faith Fitness — Filipino Empanada: foodfaithfitness.com
Hungry Huy — Filipino Beef Empanada Recipe: hungryhuy.com
Culinary Bite — Authentic Ilocos Empanada Recipe: culinarybite.com
Uncultured Palate — This Food in History: Empanadas: unculturedpalate.com
Finding Dutchland — Filipino Empanadas of the Philippines: findingdutchland.com
There is something wonderfully honest about a hand pie. No fork required. No fancy plating needed. Just warm pastry, a generous filling, and the kind of satisfaction that only comfort food delivers. The Filipino empanada is exactly that — and then some.
If you have ever bitten into a crispy, golden empanada filled with seasoned meat, soft vegetables, and a hint of sweetness, you already understand the appeal. If you have not — this guide will fix that. We cover the full story behind this beloved pastry: its history, the authentic Filipino empanada recipe step by step, regional variations you need to know, expert tips, and the most common mistakes that lead to soggy disappointment.
- Filipino empanada is a Spanish-influenced pastry adapted over 300+ years of colonial history
- It typically features a flaky wheat dough filled with ground meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas
- Two main styles: baked (softer crust) and fried (crispy shell)
- Regional versions vary significantly — Ilocos empanada uses rice flour and is bright orange
- A perfectly sealed edge is the difference between success and a filling explosion
Where Did Filipino Empanada Come From?
The short answer: Spain. The longer, more interesting answer involves 350 years of colonial rule, Moorish invasions of medieval Iberia, and Filipino cooks quietly doing what they do best — taking something foreign and making it taste like home.
Empanada itself traces its roots to 7th-century Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which means "to wrap or coat in bread." Spanish colonists first arrived in the Philippines in 1521 and stayed for nearly 350 years. They brought the empanada concept with them — along with religion, architecture, and a language that shaped Filipino culture for centuries.
But Filipino cooks did not simply replicate the original. Over generations, they wove in local ingredients — jackfruit, annatto seeds, green papaya, local sausages — and adjusted the flavour balance to reflect the Filipino palate, which has a well-documented love for the sweet-savoury combination. What emerged is something that feels both familiar and distinctly Filipino.
As food historian research shows, Filipino empanadas are most closely compared to Cuban picadillo-style fillings: slightly sweet, richly seasoned ground meat with raisins, vegetables, and aromatics. That unexpected sweetness is not an accident — it is a cultural fingerprint.
What Makes Filipino Empanada Different?
Walk into any bakery in Manila and you will find empanadas sitting right alongside pan de sal and ensaymada. It is that embedded in daily Filipino food life. But what separates it from, say, a Latin American empanada or a Spanish pasty?
Several things, actually. First, the dough in a typical Filipino empanada is slightly sweet — sugar is added to the pastry itself, not just the filling. Second, the filling almost always contains raisins (yes, divisive, but stay with us). Third, the baked version gets a beautiful egg wash that gives it a glossy, golden finish rather than a dull, dry exterior. And fourth, Filipinos often serve it with spiced vinegar on the side — that sharp dip against the sweet filling is the kind of contrast that keeps you reaching for another one.
There are two main preparations you will encounter: baked and fried. The baked version is softer and more common in urban bakeries. The fried version — especially from the Ilocos region — is crunchier, oilier, and arguably the more exciting of the two. Both are worth making.
Ingredients for the Authentic Filipino Empanada Recipe
Before you start, gather everything. Cold butter and cold water are your friends when making pastry dough — warm anything and the result will be tough rather than flaky. The filling can be made a day ahead, which actually helps since a cooled filling is much easier to work with.
🥟 Classic Filipino Empanada Recipe
For the Dough
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- ½ cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 egg yolks
- 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water
For the Filling
- 500g (1 lb) ground pork or beef (or a mix of both)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup (75g) green peas (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup raisins (optional — but recommended)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
For the Egg Wash
- 1 whole egg + 1 tbsp milk, beaten together
Step 1 — Make the Dough
- Sift flour, salt, and sugar into a large bowl.
- Add the cold cubed butter. Using your fingertips (or a pastry blender), work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You want visible pea-sized bits of butter — that is what creates flakiness.
- Add the egg yolks and mix briefly.
- Add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough just holds together when pinched. Do not overwork it.
- Form into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
Step 2 — Make the Filling
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until softened (about 2 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the ground meat. Break it up with a spoon and cook until it changes colour and is mostly cooked through.
- Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine, then add a splash of water (around 3–4 tbsp), cover, and cook on medium-low until the vegetables are just tender — about 8 minutes.
- Add peas and raisins. Cook uncovered for 2–3 more minutes to allow any excess liquid to evaporate. The filling should be moist but not wet.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely before assembling. This step is non-negotiable.
Step 3 — Assemble and Bake
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 12–15 equal portions. Roll each into a circle roughly 12cm (5 inches) in diameter and about 3mm thick.
- Place 2–3 tablespoons of cooled filling in the centre of each circle. Do not overfill.
- Brush the edges with egg wash, fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape, and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp with a fork or pleat by hand.
- Place on the prepared trays. Brush the tops generously with egg wash.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, rotating the trays at the halfway point, until the empanadas are deep golden brown.
- Rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. (Trust us — fresh-from-oven filling is like molten lava. Burn risk is real.)
For Fried Empanadas
- Assemble as above but skip the egg wash.
- Heat vegetable or canola oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Use a thermometer if you have one.
- Fry in batches — do not crowd the pan — for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Regional Filipino Empanada Variations You Should Know
One of the most exciting things about Filipino empanada is how dramatically it changes from one region to the next. The Philippines has over 7,600 islands, and nearly every major region has put its own stamp on this pastry. Here are the main ones worth knowing.
🟠 Ilocos / Batac Empanada
Made with rice flour, giving it an unmistakable orange colour from annatto seeds. Filled with grated green papaya, Ilocos longganisa, and a raw egg cracked inside before sealing. Deep-fried until shatteringly crisp. Served with catsup or spiced vinegar.
🟡 Vigan Empanada
From the heritage city of Vigan, this uses the same rice flour dough as Batac but the dipping sauce differs — traditional Ilocos black vinegar (Sukang Iloko) rather than catsup. Fillings are similar: green papaya, longanisa, bean sprouts, and egg.
🟤 Malolos / Empanada de Kaliskis
From Malolos, Bulacan, and over 130 years old. The name means "fish scales" — its layered, flaky crust is folded to look exactly like them. Most commonly filled with chicken. A true artisan pastry that takes patience but rewards generously.
🟢 Cagayan Valley Empanada
This northern region version leans heavily on longganisa and egg filling, differing from the papaya-forward Ilocos style. Each family tends to have its own secret seasoning blend — which is very on-brand for Filipino food culture.
🍽 Manila / Urban Bakery Style
This is the everyday baked version you find in Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, and local panaderias. Wheat flour dough, sweet crust, ground beef or pork filling with potatoes and raisins. Accessible, reliable, and deeply nostalgic for most Filipinos.
The Ilocos and Vigan empanadas are arguably the most famous internationally — they appear regularly on food travel programmes and best-street-food lists. If you ever visit the Philippines, heading to Calle Crisologo in Vigan to watch empanadas being fried fresh on a giant wok is an experience worth planning around.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Filipino Empanada
Getting the Dough Right
Cold everything. Cold butter. Cold water. Cold hands if possible (run them under cold tap water before starting). The moment fat warms up in pastry dough, gluten develops more aggressively and you lose the flaky layers you are after.
Do not overwork the dough. Mix until it just comes together and then stop. Overworked dough becomes tough and dense — fine for bread, wrong for empanadas.
Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is a game changer. It prevents sticking without adding excess flour, which can dry out the pastry.
Getting the Filling Right
Drain excess moisture before filling. A wet filling is the enemy of a crispy crust. After cooking, let the filling reduce until it is just moist — think "not soupy." If you accidentally overcook it and it goes dry, a splash of water or stock fixes it.
Cool completely before assembly. This is worth repeating. Hot filling steams the dough from the inside and leads to a soggy bottom. Cool filling firms up and is much easier to portion neatly.
Sealing Correctly
Brush the edges with egg wash or water before folding — this acts as glue. Press firmly along the seam with your fingers first, then crimp with a fork or fold and pleat by hand. A loose seal means the filling escapes during baking. Nobody wants to clean that off the oven floor.
Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
How to Serve Filipino Empanada
Freshly baked or fried, straight off the tray — that is the ideal scenario. But Filipino empanadas are also excellent at room temperature, which is exactly why they have been a popular school lunch, road trip snack, and picnic staple for decades.
The classic accompaniment is spiced vinegar — cane vinegar with sliced garlic, red chilli, and a pinch of salt. It cuts right through the richness of the pastry and filling. For the Ilocos versions, Sukang Iloko (Ilocos black vinegar) is traditional and worth seeking out in Filipino grocery stores if you can find it.
For a full Filipino spread, serve alongside arroz caldo (rice porridge), or as a side to chicken adobo. They also pair well with fresh fruit juice — calamansi juice if you can get it, or a good orange juice as a substitute.
Storage and Reheating
Baked empanadas keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Fried empanadas are best eaten the day of, but can be stored the same way — they just lose some crispiness.
For freezing: assemble and freeze the uncooked empanadas on a tray until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. They keep for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 8–10 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: the oven is far superior to the microwave. Ten minutes at 180°C in a regular oven (or 5 minutes in an air fryer at 160°C) will restore most of the crispiness. Microwaving works in a pinch but the pastry goes soft and chewy — edible, but not the same experience.
A Note on Nutrition
Filipino empanadas are a comfort food, so expecting them to be diet-friendly would be like expecting a soufflé to survive a slammed door. That said, you can make sensible adjustments. Using lean ground turkey or chicken reduces the fat content noticeably. Baking rather than frying cuts down on oil significantly. Reducing the dough thickness and loading the filling with extra vegetables balances the ratio nicely.
For most people, empanadas are an occasional treat — and occasional treats are fine. Eat one (or three) and enjoy every bite without guilt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake Filipino empanada instead of frying?
Yes, and it is actually the more common method in Philippine home kitchens and urban bakeries. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 25–30 minutes until golden. The crust will be softer than the fried version but still delicious.
What is the best oil for frying empanadas?
Vegetable or canola oil both work well because of their high smoke points and neutral flavour. Avoid olive oil — it has too low a smoke point and will flavour the pastry in a way that does not complement the filling.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours, wrapped tightly in cling film. You can also make it up to a month in advance and freeze it. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Why do Filipino empanadas have raisins?
The raisins are a Spanish colonial influence — similar fillings appear in Cuban picadillo and Latin American empanadas. They add a subtle sweetness that balances the savoury meat and salty soy sauce. They are optional, but if you skip them, add a pinch of sugar to the filling to maintain that signature balance.
What makes Ilocos empanada different from the standard version?
Ilocos empanada uses rice flour rather than wheat flour, giving it a crunchier, more brittle shell. Annatto seeds colour the dough orange. The filling typically includes grated green papaya, Ilocos longganisa (a garlicky local sausage), and a whole raw egg cracked inside before sealing. It is deep-fried rather than baked.
How do I stop the empanada from bursting open during baking?
Three things: do not overfill, ensure the edges are properly sealed with egg wash, and do not skip crimping. If you notice cracks appearing during baking, it usually means either too much filling or steam build-up — you can pierce a tiny vent hole in the top of each empanada before baking to release steam.
Final Thoughts
The Filipino empanada recipe is more than a set of instructions. It carries 350 years of history, the creative resilience of a culture that took a foreign concept and made it something entirely its own, and the kind of cooking knowledge that travels from grandmothers to grandchildren without ever needing to be written down.
Making empanadas at home for the first time takes a little patience. The dough needs resting. The filling needs cooling. The sealing needs care. But none of this is complicated — it is just attentive cooking. And the payoff is a warm, flaky, sweet-savoury pastry that you made yourself, which tastes dramatically better than anything sitting in a display case.
Start with the classic baked version. Once you have that down, try the Ilocos-style fried version with rice flour. Then experiment with fillings. Once you understand the structure — flaky dough, well-seasoned moist filling, sealed edge — the variations are practically infinite.
Welcome to the empanada rabbit hole. It is a good one to fall into.
Sources & References
Wikipedia — Empanada: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empanada
The Bailiwick Academy — Empanada Types in the Philippines: blog.thebailiwickacademy.com
Food Faith Fitness — Filipino Empanada: foodfaithfitness.com
Hungry Huy — Filipino Beef Empanada Recipe: hungryhuy.com
Culinary Bite — Authentic Ilocos Empanada Recipe: culinarybite.com
Uncultured Palate — This Food in History: Empanadas: unculturedpalate.com
Finding Dutchland — Filipino Empanadas of the Philippines: findingdutchland.com
