Our Vegan Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas are a fun way to use up those holiday leftovers. Plant-based poultry, stuffing, and cranberry jelly are encased in a crispy empanada wrapper, resulting in a seasonal explosion of flavors. Now that’s something to be thankful for! And did we mention our empanadas are dipped in leftover gravy?
Nothing says Thanksgiving like gorging yourself into a coma on the couch. Seriously, is there a more American holiday? And why do we love this American holiday so much? Sure, the message of gratitude is heartwarming and much needed. But let’s be real, we all love it for the food. Particularly the leftovers. We love coming up with ways to repurpose our holiday leftovers, and this year we thought, why not stuff empanada wrappers chock full with them? The golden crispy crust is a great way to introduce some texture into each bite. Plus, these baked delights come together in just 30 minutes!
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🇦🇷 WHAT ARE EMPANADAS?
An empanada is a stuffed turnover pastry originating from Spain, and common in Latin America, the Philippines and Indonesia. The name comes from the Spanish empanar (to bread). Empanadas can be baked or fried. They are typically filled with meats, cheeses, and/or veggies. Most empanada wrappers are made from flour, though Salvadorian empanadas are made from plantains. They’re pre-portioned, portable, and pleasantly delicious.
Our empanadas are filled with holiday cheer. The acid and sweetness of the cranberries balance out the savory vegan poultry and stuffing in the filling. With every bite, the crispy empanada crust shatters in your mouth. And of course, we dip our empanadas in luscious vegan gravy.
📝 INGREDIENTS
- Plant-Based “Chicken”: adds a nice meatiness to each bite. Plus, they’re high in protein!
- Empanada Wrappers (5″ in diameter): once baked or fried, they add a delightful crunch and wonderful texture to the empanadas.
- Stuffing: tricked out in seasonal flavors and herbs, the stuffing adds a burst of holiday cheer to each bite.
- Cranberry Jelly: adds tart zing and a touch of sweetness. (Seriously, acid is such an underappreciated element in cooking. Read Salt Fat Acid Heat if you haven’t already!)
- Gravy: adds that creamy richness that’ll have you coming back for another bite.
🔪 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the vegan with the stuffing. Then with a spoon, add dollops of cranberry jelly to the mixture and gently stir to combine. Do not over mix, so you get pockets of cranberry jelly dispersed throughout the filling.
Assemble the empanadas: Fill a small bowl full of water. Place 3 tablespoons of filling on the center of an empanada wrapper.
Dip your fingers in the bowl of water and moisten the outer rim of the empanada wrapper.
Then fold the empanada wrapper in half like a taco and press around the outer rim to close.
Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the empanada.
Using a pairing knife, cut a small “X” in the middle of the empanada as a vent allowing for the release of steam. Repeat with the remaining filling and empanada wrappers.
Air fryer option: Arrange the empanadas in one layer in the basket of an air fryer. (Baking option: Arrange the empanadas on a lined baking tray).
Cook the empanadas: Spray or brush the empanadas with oil. Then air fry for 12 to 15 minutes at 400°F, turning midway through the cook time. (Or bake at 450°F for 17 to 20 minutes, turning midway through the cook time, then broiling on high for 1-2 minutes).
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- A crispy crust
- Savory, seasonal fillings
- The magic of the holidays with every bite
- Are pre-portioned
- Portable
💡RECIPE TIPS
- Don’t forget to defrost your empanada wrappers in the fridge the night before you make this recipe!
- Avoid the temptation to overstuff your empanadas. The key is to hit that sweet spot (about 3 tablespoons per 5” empanada disc) between an emaciated empanada and an overstuffed gordo.
- We tried cooking our empanadas in both a conventional oven and air fryer, and we have to say, the air fryer won out! The air fried empanadas came out crispier and more evenly cooked. However, the conventional oven method yields tasty empanadas as well, so if you don’t have an air fryer, you’ll still be good.
DID YOU MAKE OUR VEGAN LEFTOVER THANKSGIVING EMPANADAS?
Did you make this recipe? We’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. Share your dish with us on Instagram and tag us @plantbased.passport. We would love to seeing your delicious creations! Still hungry? Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest for more global vegan recipes and travel tips!🍴✈️
💕 MORE PLANT-BASED HOLIDAY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
👩🏽🍳 RECIPE
VEGAN THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER EMPANADAS
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup leftover vegan chicken ~8 oz, (or other leftover vegan protein of choice)
- 1 cup prepared stuffing
- ¼ cup cranberry jelly
- 8 empanada wrappers 5 inches in diameter
- Spray oil or olive oil
To serve:
- 1 cup vegan gravy for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the vegan with the stuffing. Then with a spoon, add dollops of cranberry jelly to the mixture and gently stir to combine. Do not over mix at the point, so you get pockets of cranberry jelly dispersed throughout the filling.
- Assemble the empanadas: Fill a small bowl full of water. Place 3 tablespoons of filling on the center of an empanada wrapper. Dip your fingers in the bowl of water and moisten the outer rim of the empanada wrapper. Then fold the empanada wrapper in half like a taco and press around the outer rim to close. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the empanada. Using a paring knife, cut a small “X” in the middle of the empanada. Repeat with the remaining filling and empanada wrappers. Arrange the empanadas on a lined baking tray.
- Cook the empanadas: Spray or brush the empanadas with oil. Then air fry for 12 to 15 minutes at 400°F, turning midway through the cook time. (Or bake at 450°F for 17 to 20 minutes, turning midway through the cook time, then broiling on high for 1-2 minutes).
Notes
- Don’t forget to defrost your empanada wrappers in the fridge the night before you make this recipe!
- Avoid the temptation to overstuff your empanadas. The key is to hit that sweet spot (about 3 tablespoons per 5” empanada disc) between an emaciated empanada and an overstuffed gordo.
- We tried cooking our empanadas in both a conventional oven and air fryer, and we have to say, the air fryer won out! The air fried empanadas came out crispier and more evenly cooked. However, the conventional oven method yields tasty empanadas as well, so if you don’t have an air fryer, you’ll still be good.
These were the holidays in empanada form, fam. LIT