Empanada Around the World

Empanada is a baked or fried pastry with various fillings.

Empanadas are popular in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines.

The name empanada comes from Spanish empanar meaning to coat.

Empanadas likely originated in the 7th century in Galicia, Spain.

Galician empanadas include seafood, meat, chicken, and sometimes raisins.

Argentina has many empanada types with spicy, juicy, or sweet fillings.

Sicilian 'mpanatigghi mix meat and chocolate in their half-moon pastries.

Indonesian panada has thick fried bread crust with spicy skipjack tuna.

Belizean panades are fried corn dough filled with fish, chicken, or beans.

Colombian empanadas use cornmeal dough with meat, potatoes, and rice.

Chilean empanadas de pino have beef, onions, olives, raisins, and egg.

Philippine empanadas have sweet or savory fillings, often with raisins.

Ilocos empanadas use orange rice flour crusts filled with vegetables.

Salvadoran empanadas use ripe plantains for dough filled with custard.

Empanadas remain a beloved, adaptable food across many cultures today.