Description
These **Mexican Chorizo Empanadas** are golden, flaky hand pies filled with spicy, smoky Mexican chorizo, tender potatoes, onions, and garlic. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or entertaining, they’re freezer-friendly and customizable with cheese, sweet potato, or other fillings. Serve with salsa, guacamole, or chipotle aioli for the ultimate bold, satisfying bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Mexican chorizo sausage (pork or beef)
- 1 cup diced potatoes
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 12 empanada dough discs (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Optional: shredded cheese or diced sweet potato
Instructions
- Cook filling: In a skillet over medium heat, cook chorizo until partially browned. Add potatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook until potatoes are tender and chorizo fully cooked. Stir in cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Let filling cool slightly.
- Prepare dough: Thaw empanada discs if using store-bought, or roll homemade dough into 5-inch circles.
- Assemble: Place 2 tbsp of filling in center of each disc. Fold into half-moon shape, press edges, and crimp with a fork.
- Bake: Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Alternatively, fry until crisp.
- Serve: Cool slightly and serve with salsa, guacamole, or dipping sauce.
Notes
- Cool filling before sealing empanadas to prevent soggy dough.
- Don’t overfill — too much filling can cause bursting.
- Freeze unbaked empanadas for future meals; bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
- For healthier empanadas, bake instead of fry and use turkey or chicken chorizo.
- Serve with Spanish rice, avocado salad, or mango salsa for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Mexican
- Method: Baked or Fried
- Cuisine: Mexican, Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 empanada
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: Mexican Chorizo Empanadas, Chorizo Recipes, Mexican Empanadas, Homemade Empanadas, Easy Dinner Recipes