Colombian Cheese and Spinach Empanadas

Colombian Cheese and Spinach Empanadas. Esta receta también está disponible en español.

Empanadas are one of the most popular snacks in Colombia, and in Latin America for that matter. The Colombian empanada is traditionally made with a cornmeal dough. The filling consists of beef, pork or chicken and potato or rice. Finally, the half-moon shaped empanada is deepfried, and served with ají picante (Colombian Hot Sauce).

Colombian Vegan Empanadas

Although you can find empanadas filled with only cheese, vegan/vegetarian empanadas are unfortunately not widely available. This doughy treat is however perfect to make vegetarian or vegan. You can use for instance potatoes, rice, vegetables, legumes, different kinds or cheese or a mix of these to fill the empanadas. Recently I posted a recipe for Colombian Vegan Empanadas, including pictures explaning how to shape them. The filling of those vegan empanadas consists of potato, chickpeas, peas, cilantro and hogao (Tomato Onion Sauce). Because of the use of cornmeal they are naturally gluten-free as well.

Colombian Cheese and Spinach Empanadas

And even though vegan empanadas are delicious, sometimes cheese is what you want. Therefore I created this recipe. These vegetarian pastries do not only contain cheese, like the traditional empanada de queso. They contain two cheeses, spinach, cilantro and hogao (tomato onion sauce). The cheeses I use are queso costeño, which is a fresh and salty cheese, and grated mozarella. The reason for using two cheeses is that the queso costeño gives a salty and hearty flavor to the mixture. The mozarella cheese, when melted, makes the filling gooey and gives a cheesy texture. Lastly, the hogao is necessary to bind the filling.

For step-by-step instructions regarding folding and shaping empanadas click here.

Other recipes

Colombian Vegan Empanadas

Hogao (Tomato Onion Sauce)

Ají Picante (Colombian Hot Sauce)

Do you love Colombian food? Here you find more vegetarian recipes!

Colombian Cheese and Spinach Empanadas

Colombian Cheese and Spinach Empanadas are a vegetarian and gluten-free deepfried treat that you can eat at any moment of the day.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Colombian

Servings 12 empanadas

Equipment

• patacon press or rolling pin
• non-stick paper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• vegetable oil for frying

Dough

• 2 cups precooked yellow cornmeal for example from the brand P.A.N.
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt

Filling

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 300 grams spinach
• 150 grams queso costeño, grated if not available, replace with feta cheese
• 150 grams grated mozarella cheese
• 4 tbsp hogao see link for recipe in blog post
• 1 small handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Start by preparing the dough. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using a fork. Leave the mixture for 20-30 minutes
• In the meantime, prepare the filling. Sautée the garlic and onion until soft. Add spinach in batches and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper
• Let the spinach cool off and squeeze out any excess liquid. Place spinach in a mixing bowl and add the grated queso costeño, grated mozarella cheese, hogao and cilantro. Mix and season well
• Return to your dough and mix again, now with your hands. If the dough is too wet, add a little bit of cornmeal. If it's too dry and falls apart, add some water. Divide the dough in 12 balls, about the size of a golf ball
• When using a patacon press: place one ball of dough between non-stick paper in the patacon press. Flatten it evenly into a disc

  When using a rolling pin: place one ball of dough between non-stick paper and use a rolling pin to flatten it evenly into a disc
• Leave the dough on one sheet of the non-stick paper and place filling on half of the dough, leaving the edges clear
• Fold the other half over the filling, using the non-stick paper. Use your hands to carefully close the edges. You could also use a fork. It is important that the empanada has no little holes in it, as to prevent oil getting in
• Repeat this process with the other balls of dough until you have 12 empanadas
• Heat up the vegetable oil in a frying pan. You will need a layer of about 2 cm of oil in the pan
• Fry the empanadas in batches for about 2 minutes per side, until golden. Drain excess oil by putting them on paper towels
• Serve with ají picante

Notes

Make sure to drain the spinach well. If not, the mixture will become too wet. 

Empanadas taste best the same day. 

Keyword cheese, empanadas, gluten-free, snack, vegetables, vegetarian

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