15 Empanada, Hand Pies, Puff Pastries and Pop Tart Recipes to Stuff Yourself With – One Green Planet

Mmm…empanadas. Just saying the word is enough to make your mouth water and on April 8^th, you’re probably gonna want plenty of napkins because it’s National Empanada Day. Empanadas are stuffed bread or pastries that are made by folding dough around yummy ingredients and then either frying or baking them.

The name comes from the Spanish and Portuguese verb “empanar” which means to wrap or coat in “pan” or bread. Though empanadas originated in Europe, there are versions all over the world. In Jamaica, they are called “Jamaican patties.” In Argentina, they have fruit fillings and are served for dessert like turnovers. In the South and Southwest United States, empanadas are called Creoles and in the Southeast, they are called “fried pies.”

No matter what you call them, the idea of delectable sweet or savory ingredients wrapped up in dough and baked or fried makes our stomachs growl. Here are 15 recipes for empanadas, patties, hand pies, and all kinds of goodies-wrapped-deliciousness to celebrate the day.

1. Black Bean and Squash Empanadas

Who wouldn’t want a plate of these Black Bean and Squash Empanadas put down in front of them? Not anyone we know. A wholesome buckwheat crust is stuffed with sweet roasted acorn squash and hearty black beans. These empanadas are the perfect thing to make for a potluck, where they’re likely to be the most unique item on the table and the first to disappear.

More Empanadas

2. Apple and Pecan Spelt Pastry Pies

These Apple and Pecan Spelt Pastry Pies have a nutty spelt crust that is filled with a warm, gooey apple pecan filling. Cinnamon adds a touch of warmth to the filling of these pastry pies and the crunchy crust serves as a satisfying contrast to the gooey apples within. Serve these pastry pies with a tall, cool glass of almond milk for the perfect late night snack.

3. Blueberry Hand Pies With a Flaky Crust

These Blueberry Hand Pies With a Flaky Crust taste like you bought them from a gourmet bakery but they’re easy enough to make in your own kitchen. They’re an amazing breakfast when warmed just a little bit, or you can have them for dessert with a drizzle of creamy cashew frosting. These portable pillows of joy and plump, juicy blueberries are so good, you’ll want to make them every day.

4. Mushroom and Greens Hand Pies

These Mushroom and Greens Hand Pies are savory and scrumptious. The easy homemade dough gets filled with mushrooms and whatever greens you love most, like spinach, chard, or kale. These pies are a great on-the-go meal as well as a healthy and delicious snack.

5. Peach Mango Hand Pies

These Peach Mango Hand Pies are wicked good. Sweet yellow mangoes and smooth orange peaches come together beautifully within a flaky, crunchy crust. They’re colorful, sweet, and irresistible. All that you need to top it off is a scoop of non-dairy ice cream and you have the perfect dessert.

6. Cranberry Orange Hand Pies

A pie in the hand is worth two in the oven…or something like that. These Cranberry Orange Hand Pies are filled with sweet and tart cranberries in a flaky pie crust and topped with a maple glaze. The crust in this recipe includes the unique addition of ground up pecans for a sweet snack that’s truly seasonal.

7. Samosanadas (Seasonal Pumpkin Samosa Empanadas)

What do you get when you cross Mexican empanadas with  Indian samosas? You get Samosanadas: an incredible treat to devour. Instead of the traditional potato filling, they’re stuffed with roasted pumpkin, so they’re sweet and savory at the same time. Dip them in your favorite chutneys, salsas, or both.

8. Gooey Marshmallow and Chocolate Bourbon Sweet Potato Pop Tarts

Put down those packaged pop tarts because these Gooey Marshmallow and Chocolate Bourbon Sweet Potato Pop Tarts are your new go-to treat. Everyone loves creamy spiced sweet potatoes topped with gooey toasted marshmallows as a side dish but here, they’ew transformed into hand pies. Bourbon and chocolate chips are thrown into the mix and the result is even better than you would imagine.

9. Seasonal Pumpkin and Leek Pasties

Cornish pasties are traditionally filled with root vegetables and meat with gravy to keep everything warm and moist. These Seasonal Pumpkin and Leek Pasties have an easy homemade dough. They’re stuffed with leeks, onions, mushrooms and “cheese” to create the ultimate filling.

10. Pumpkin Spice Empanadas With Apple Cinnamon Cranberry Filling

Empanadas, hand pies, turnovers … whatever you want to call them, these lovely little Pumpkin Spice Empanadas With Apple Cinnamon Cranberry Filling are the perfect no-guilt nibble to offer your family and friends. The crust is crisp on the edges, yet tender, and delicately pumpkin-flavored with a touch of pumpkin pie spices. The filling is bursting with cinnamon infused apples and tart cranberries. Sweet and neat little mini pies, no forks necessary.

11. Vanilla Bean Blueberry Peach Hand Pies

These Vanilla Blueberry Peach Hand Pies are adorable and delicious. The spelt dough is filled with a combination of blueberries, peaches, and fragrant vanilla beans so it smells as good as it tastes. What could possibly be better than a pie you can hold in your hand? Two pies…you know, since you have two hands.

12. Tiropitakia (Greek Cheese Hand Pies)

Pies are a big thing in Greece with snack places selling pies all over the country. Cheese pie is the most popular pie and is made with thin phyllo or puff pastry phyllo. These Tiropitakia are a vegan version of those pies. They have a homemade vegan yellow cream cheese filling made with nutritional yeast and chickpea flour. The phyllo is homemade as well. Enjoy these for breakfast or for a quick snack during the day.

13. Jamaican ‘Beef’ Patties With Cheese

Just like authentic patties, these Jamaican ‘Beef’ Patties With Cheese have a spicy filling of “beef” and dairy-free cheese surrounded by a homemade dough that’s flaky and flavorful. They can be filled with greens, veggies, tofu, seitan, or whatever you love. A bit of turmeric give them that familiar yellow color.

14. Crispy Lasagna Pockets

If you’ve ever had a craving for lasagna but didn’t want to make a whole pan, these Crispy Lasagna Pockets are perfect for you. These pockets take the magic that is lasagna and places it neatly inside crispy wontons for a perfectly portioned, delicious take on a classic Italian entrée. These dippable treats are great for a family friendly meal or even a fun appetizer for a gathering.

15. Amaretto Cherry Strudel With Homemade Puff Pastry

If you think making your own puff pastry is too hard, think again. This Amaretto Cherry Strudel with Homemade Puff Pastry is a much simpler recipe than it looks. The dough is flaky, easy, and most importantly, delicious. The filling has intoxicating flavors of almonds, cherries, amaretto, and maple syrup. These look fancy and would be the perfect addition to any special breakfast or brunch.

No matter what you call them, you just can’t go wrong with delicious fillings stuffed in dough. Celebrate National Empanada Day with these recipes you’ll enjoy stuffing yourself with.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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