Peruvian Empanadas with Three Dips
Crisp Peruvian empanadas with three classic dips—huancaína, ají verde, and salsa criolla—perfect for a street‑food style feast at home.
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
80 min
Servings
6
Cuisine spotlight: Peruvian empanadas are often gently sweet on the outside, savoury within, and served with a squeeze of lime. The trio of dips—creamy huancaína, herby ají verde, and zippy salsa criolla—showcases the country’s love of bright peppers and fresh acidity.
Technique notes: Resting the dough keeps it tender and easy to crimp; cooling the filling prevents soggy bottoms. For the most authentic flavour, use ají amarillo paste—its sunny heat is Peru’s signature. Dusting with icing sugar right after baking is not a typo; it’s tradition, and the contrast sings.
Ingredients
- For the dough
- 450 g plain flour
- 12 g caster sugar
- 6 g fine salt
- 120 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- 120 ml cold milk
- 15 ml white vinegar
- For the beef filling
- 30 ml neutral oil
- 150 g white onion, finely diced
- 8 g garlic, minced
- 2 g ground cumin
- 3 g sweet paprika
- 1 g dried oregano
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- 300 g beef mince (10–12% fat)
- 30 g ají amarillo paste
- 60 g raisins
- 60 g pitted black olives, chopped
- 30 ml beef stock or water
- 4 g fine salt (or to taste)
- 100 g hard‑boiled eggs, chopped (about 2), optional but traditional
- 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
- For assembly
- 1 large egg (egg wash)
- 15 ml milk (egg wash)
- 10 g icing sugar, for dusting
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Ají verde (green sauce)
- 30 g fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 1 jalapeño (about 20 g), seeded, or 15 g extra ají amarillo paste for more heat
- 1 small garlic clove (3 g)
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 50 g Greek yoghurt
- 30 g queso fresco or feta
- 30 ml lime juice
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g fine salt
- 5 g sugar (optional, to balance)
- Salsa criolla
- 200 g red onion, very thinly sliced
- 120 g tomato, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1 small chilli (15 g), thinly sliced (ají amarillo if available)
- 20 g fresh coriander, chopped
- 30–45 ml lime juice (to taste)
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 ml olive oil
- 3 g fine salt, black pepper to taste
- Huancaína sauce
- 30 g ají amarillo paste
- 150 g queso fresco (or mild feta)
- 120 ml evaporated milk
- 30 g plain crackers, crushed
- 1 small garlic clove (3 g)
- 15 ml neutral oil
- 2 g fine salt
Nutrients
- ironsource
From beef
- fibersource
From onions, tomato, and herbs
- calciumhigh
From queso fresco/feta and yoghurt
- proteingood
From beef and cheese
- vitamin Asource
From ají amarillo and chilli
- vitamin Cgood
From lime, peppers, and tomato
Instructions
- 1
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Rub in the cold butter with fingertips until the mix resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk the egg with milk and vinegar, then stir into the flour just until a shaggy dough forms. Knead briefly (30–45 seconds) to bring it together. Flatten to a 2 cm‑thick disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- 2
Cook the filling: Warm oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5–6 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, and pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add beef and brown, breaking it up, 4–5 minutes. Stir in ají amarillo paste, raisins, olives, and stock; simmer 2–3 minutes until juicy but not wet. Season with salt. Off the heat, fold in chopped eggs and parsley. Cool completely.
- 3
Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 3 mm thick. Cut 12 cm rounds (about 12 pieces), re‑rolling scraps as needed.
- 4
Fill and crimp: Place 2 heaped tablespoons of cooled filling in the centre of each round. Moisten the edge with water, fold into a half‑moon, and press to seal. Crimp with a fork or pleat. Arrange on a lined baking tray and chill 15 minutes for cleaner edges.
- 5
Bake (or fry): Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 190°C). Beat egg with milk and brush over empanadas. Bake 22–25 minutes until deep golden. For a fried option, cook at 175°C oil for 3–4 minutes until crisp, then drain.
- 6
Finish: While hot, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with lime wedges—the sweet‑savory contrast is classic in Peru.
- 7
Ají verde: Blend coriander, jalapeño (or extra ají amarillo), garlic, mayonnaise, yoghurt, queso fresco, lime juice, olive oil, and salt (plus sugar if needed) until smooth and vibrant. Chill.
- 8
Salsa criolla: Rinse sliced onion in cold water for 1 minute and drain well (mellows the bite). Toss with tomato, chilli, coriander, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes.
- 9
Huancaína: Blend ají amarillo paste, queso fresco, evaporated milk, crackers, garlic, oil, and salt until creamy and dippable; adjust thickness with a splash more milk if needed.
Chef's Tip
For extra‑flaky pastry, keep everything cold and chill the filled empanadas before baking. Cooling the filling fully is the secret to crisp bottoms.
Fun Fact
In Lima, empanadas are commonly dusted with icing sugar and served with a squeeze of lime—an old bakery tradition that highlights sweet‑savory balance.
Did you like this recipe?
Show some love and help others discover this amazing dish!
Remix This Recipe
Want to make this recipe your own? Try one of these suggestions or create your own twist!
Reviews
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Ready to create your own magical recipe?
Generate unique recipes tailored to your taste preferences, dietary needs, and what's already in your kitchen.
Create Your Recipefandango
I'm a web developer with a passion for cooking, especially when it comes to pasta. Spaghetti to ravioli, I love it all. I'm also fascinated by the rich tastes of Peruvian cuisine. Follow along as I combine tech and cooking, creating easy-to-follow digital recipes that highlight the pleasure of delicious food.