Colombian Cornmeal Empanadas

Colombia • Regional Dish • Pastry

Colombian Cornmeal Empanadas

Colombian empanadas are one of those snacks that do not pretend to be subtle. They are crisp, savory, handheld and highly effective at disappearing the second they hit the table.

Servings12
Prep Time35 min
Cook Time35 min
DifficultyModerate
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Instructions

  1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and mash lightly. Set aside.
  2. Heat the 15 ml oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, scallions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.
  3. Add the ground beef, cumin, pepper and 6 g salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until browned and fully cooked.
  4. Stir in the mashed potatoes and cilantro. Cook for 2 minutes more, just until the filling holds together. Let it cool until it’s easy to handle.
  5. To make the dough, combine the warm water, annatto if using, 5 g salt and 15 ml oil in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the masarepa until no dry patches remain.
  6. Rest the dough for 5 minutes, then knead gently until smooth. It should feel soft and pliable, not sticky. If it cracks badly, add 1 tablespoon warm water at a time.
  7. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll into balls. Place one ball between two sheets of plastic or baking paper and flatten it into a round about 10 to 11 cm wide.
  8. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center. Fold the dough into a half-moon and press the edges firmly to seal. Trim the edge with a bowl or small plate for a cleaner shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  9. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan over medium heat to about 175°C. Fry the empanadas in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until crisp and deep golden. Do not crowd the pan.
  10. Drain on paper towel and serve hot with ají on the side.

Cultural Context

Empanadas are one of Colombia’s most popular snacks and street foods. The classic style uses a corn-based dough made from pre-cooked corn flour and a filling of meat, potatoes and spices, with ají commonly served alongside. Across Colombia, there are regional differences in size, filling and shape, but the crisp fried corn shell is part of what makes them instantly recognizable.

Fun Fact

In Colombia, potato in the filling is not filler in the lazy sense. It is part of the point. It adds body, helps bind the meat mixture, and gives the empanadas their familiar soft interior, contrasted against the crisp shell. This is snack engineering, not corner-cutting.

Cook’s Tip

Traditional Colombian empanadas are made with pre-cooked corn flour and are often filled with meat, potatoes and spices, then served with ají. Ground beef is a practical home-cook filling, though some regional versions use shredded beef or pork instead. Masarepa is the key flour here. Regular cornmeal will not give you the same dough, texture or crisp shell, so this is one of those moments when improvisation becomes sabotage. Masarepa is the pre-cooked corn flour commonly used in Colombian empanadas, arepas and tamales.

Trivia

One popular regional variation, empanadas vallunas from Valle del Cauca, is especially associated with potatoes and shredded beef rather than ground meat.

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