Canned Biscuits Are The Secret To Effortless Empanadas

We love full-blown meals that can fit in the palm of our hand, and empanadas fit this bill perfectly. You often see them at street fairs and farmer's markets, where they make for an ideal on-the-go snack. You can also make them at home, but whipping up tasty empanadas can take a whopping five hours, depending on how long you let your meat marinate. Plus, if you're making the dough from scratch, you'll need to let it rest in the fridge before you can use it.

But there's no rule saying you have to make empanada dough from scratch — and there's an easy shortcut you can supplement with here. Just grab refrigerated canned biscuit dough, separate it into biscuits, and then roll them out into 6-inch circles. Spoon a small amount of filling on top of each one, then fold each round in half and seal the edges together with a fork. After the empanadas are completely assembled, toss them in the oven on a lined baking sheet for anywhere between 10 and 14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Your final product should be nice and golden brown on the top, with melted cheese (if using) in the middle.

While you can use 6-inch circles to make full-sized empanadas, you can also make mini versions that can be eaten as a snack or appetizer. After separating out your biscuits, simply cut each one in half and press them into smaller rounds. Once they're filled and the edges are crimped, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit instead. With either of these empanada sizes, feel free to press out each ball with your hand if you'd rather not roll it. And to prevent any potential dumplings popping open in the oven, poke a few holes in the tops of your assembled biscuit dough before everything goes in.

When it comes to filling options, you can of course go for your favorite classic empanada flavors. Proteins like beef, chorizo, chicken, and pulled pork make a tasty base from which you can add ingredients like potatoes, veggies, cheese, and eggs. Chicken and sofrito come together with green chiles, dried oregano, and sazón seasoning to make a delicious stuffing in our chicken empanada with green chile recipe. However, you can easily opt for breakfast versions instead with scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, veggies, and cheese — or dessert dumplings with fruit, jam, pie filling, chocolate sauce, or Nutella. They're all easy to make with canned biscuit dough.