Breakfast Empanadas with Eggs and Cheese
Today I’m showing you how to make the best breakfast empanadas from scratch. The homemade dough is super crispy with a rich, buttery flavor. They’re perfect for brunch, meal prep, or even a grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings.
Why I Love These Breakfast Empanadas
Empanadas are one of those cozy Latin American snacks that always hit, with flaky pastry and a warm, flavorful filling. This breakfast version with eggs, spinach, tomato, and cheese takes a little time, but they freeze beautifully for easy mornings, lunches, or dinners. Also, check out our delicious Spinach Puffs.
How to Make Breakfast Empanadas
First, mix the tomatoes, spinach, cheese, and eggs, then season with salt and pepper.
For the dough, sift the flour into a bowl, add salt and butter, then mix. Add the egg and half the milk, and knead into a smooth dough.
Cut out circles, shape them into half-moons by pinching the edges, and spoon the filling through the top hole.
Chill the empanadas in the fridge for about 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Don’t skip this part as this is the secret to an extra-crispy crust.
Brush them with egg yolk, bake for 15–20 minutes until golden, and let them cool slightly.
Serve and enjoy; they’re perfect for breakfast or brunch!
Keesha’s Tips & Tricks
- Seal Them Well: I take a minute to really pinch those edges tight. No one wants filling spilling out.
- Don’t Overcook the Spinach: I lightly wilt the spinach just until soft. It keeps the filling light and colorful.
- Egg Wash for That Golden Glow: A little egg yolk brushed on top gives them a stunning golden color.
How to Store Breakfast Empanadas
Leftovers are easy to handle, which we love. You can freeze the dough for up to 6 months, but sooner is best. Assembled, unbaked empanadas can chill in the fridge for 1 day or freeze for 1–2 months. Once baked, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months for a quick breakfast later.
FAQs about Breakfast Empanadas
More Delicious Recipes
If you love empanadas, check out my Spinach and Feta Empanadas, Cheese Empanadas, Beef and Cheese Empanadas, and Caprese Empanadas.
Breakfast Empanadas – An Easy Versatile Recipe
Ingredients
For the empanada filling
- 1 medium tomato, wedges, deseeded, and thinly chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
- 1 cup cheese, grated
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the dough
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 6 tbsp butter, cubed, cold
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk (or water)
Instructions
Make the filling
- First, prepare the ingredients. You can cut the tomato into wedges and remove the seeds. Then, thinly slice them before dicing them into smaller cubes.
- Chop the baby spinach leaves and grate the cheese. Set these aside.
- Next, beat together the 4 eggs in a large mixing bowl. Then, season them with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add all of the chopped fillings (tomato, spinach, and cheese) and fold them in very well. Set the filling aside.
Make the empanada dough
- To start, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. add the salt and mix the dry ingredients together very well.
- Then, add the cubed butter. Rub it into the flour using your fingers. The texture of the dough will become coarse and sand-like.
- Next, add the beaten egg and half of the milk. Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the flour-butter mixture.
- Add more milk as it's needed to adjust the consistency and ultimately form a dough. DO NOT add too much milk, or the dough will become sticky.
- Once your dough starts forming, use your hands to knead it together. You should end with a smooth, uniform lump of dough.
Shape the breakfast empanadas
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out until it's reached about 0.1 inches (3mm) in thickness.
- Then, use a large circle cutter to cut out as many circles as you can. Remove the dough between the discs.
- Transfer the discs to a lined baking tray, spacing them apart evenly.
- Next, take the two opposing sides of the dough and start pinching their edges together. This will form a half-moon shape. Work from the bottom toward the top. You will need to work from both edges to leave a small hole (gap) at the top for the filling to go into. Repeat with all the discs.
- Once they are all shaped, you can use a teaspoon to add the filling through the hole. Pinch the hole closed and make sure all the edges are sealed.
- Repeat with all the empanadas.
- Before baking put the ready-made empanadas into the fridge for about 20 minutes to chill. Then take them out and brush the empanadas with a bit of
Bake the empanadas
- In the meantime preheat the oven to (350 F/180 F).
- Brush the empanadas with a bit of egg jork.
- Then, leave them to bake for roughly 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and the dough is no longer raw.
- Remove them and leave them to cool slightly at room temperature before serving.
