If you've scrolled through food content lately, you've seen them: golden, crimped little hand pies oozing with cheese, spiced beef, or sweet fruit filling. Empanadas are officially one of the biggest food trends of 2026, and for good reason — they're endlessly versatile, perfect for any occasion, and genuinely fun to make.

From James Beard-recognized chefs to TikTok home cooks, everyone is talking empanadas right now. And unlike some viral food trends that are more aesthetic than practical, empanadas are legitimately delicious and surprisingly approachable. Here's everything you need to get started.

Why Empanadas Are Having a Moment

Empanadas have been a staple across Latin America, Spain, and the Philippines for centuries — so why are they blowing up in American kitchens in 2026?

A few reasons:

They scale effortlessly. Making 12 for a weeknight dinner? Easy. Making 60 for a party? Just multiply the recipe. This crowd-pleasing scalability is a huge part of the appeal.
They work with almost anything. Leftover rotisserie chicken? In. Black beans and cheese? Perfect. Sweet potato and chorizo? Absolutely. Empanadas are the original clean-out-the-fridge meal.
They freeze beautifully. Make a double batch, freeze half unbaked, and you've got a stash of ready-to-bake hand pies for months.
Baked, not fried. While traditional empanadas are often fried, baking at 400°F delivers a shatteringly crisp crust without a vat of oil — making them feel more everyday-friendly.

The Dough: Homemade vs. Store-Bought

Let's talk dough, because it's the foundation of a great empanada.

Homemade dough is surprisingly simple — flour, cold butter or lard, salt, a bit of vinegar (the secret to tenderness), and cold water. The result is flaky, rich, and slightly savory, with more character than anything store-bought. It takes about 15 minutes to make and benefits from a 30-minute rest in the fridge. Store-bought discs (look for Goya or La Fe brand in the freezer section) are a legitimate shortcut and plenty of home cooks use them. They're consistent, sized perfectly, and knock a solid chunk of time off the process. No judgment.

Pro tip: Whether homemade or store-bought, keep your dough cold. Warm dough is sticky, tears easily, and doesn't crimp as cleanly. Work in batches and pop assembled empanadas in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.

5 Fillings Worth Making Right Now

1. Classic Beef Picadillo

The gold standard. Ground beef with onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, green olives, raisins, and a splash of tomato sauce. The olives and raisins sound wild if you haven't had it — they're essential. Cook it dry so the dough doesn't get soggy.

2. Chicken and Roasted Green Chile

Shredded chicken (rotisserie works great), roasted Hatch or Anaheim chiles, cream cheese, cumin, and a squeeze of lime. Creamy, smoky, and deeply satisfying. This one disappears fastest at parties.

3. Spinach and Four-Cheese

A crowd-pleaser for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Sautéed spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg. Inspired by spanakopita but distinctly empanada — richer and more substantial.

4. Black Bean and Sweet Potato

Mash roasted sweet potato with black beans, chipotle in adobo, cotija cheese, and cilantro. This one is hearty enough to not miss the meat, and the chipotle gives it a smoky heat that's completely addictive.

5. Dulce de Leche and Banana (Sweet)

Don't skip dessert empanadas. Slice banana, add a spoonful of dulce de leche, seal, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you want to fully commit.

The Assembly and Crimp

This is where empanadas go from "fine" to "impressive."

Roll or press dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.

Cut rounds 4-5 inches in diameter (a small bowl works as a cutter).

Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling into the center — don't overfill or you'll never get a good seal.

Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape, then press the edges firmly with a fork, or learn the repulgue — the traditional rope-like crimp made by folding and pinching the edge in overlapping folds. It's easier than it looks and incredibly satisfying once you get the feel for it.

Brush with egg wash (one egg + a splash of water) for that deep golden color.

Baking vs. Frying

Baking: 400°F for 20-25 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet. Flip halfway for even browning. Result: crisp, golden, lighter. Frying: 375°F oil, 2-3 minutes per side. Result: extra crispy, richer, more indulgent. Worth doing for special occasions.

Air fryer also works — 380°F for 12-15 minutes, brushed with oil. Great for reheating frozen ones.

Making a Big Batch Without Losing Your Mind

Empanadas are a natural meal-prep project, but assembling 30+ at once can get chaotic. A few strategies:

Set up an assembly line. Dough rounds on one side, filling in a bowl in the middle, baking sheet on the other end. Keep them moving.
Chill as you go. Finished but unbaked empanadas can wait in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
Freeze before baking. Lay unbaked empanadas on a sheet, freeze solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 28-30 minutes.
Scale your recipe with confidence. When you're feeding a crowd, scaling a recipe up correctly matters — not just multiplying ingredients, but thinking about pan capacity, bake time adjustments, and yield per batch.

That's exactly where SnipDish saves the day. The built-in recipe scaling tool handles the math instantly, whether you're going from 12 empanadas to 48 or cutting a recipe in half. And if you're working through a multi-step recipe in the kitchen, Cook Mode walks you through each step hands-free — no accidentally losing your place mid-crimp.

Sauce, Please

Empanadas are great on their own, but a dipping sauce takes them to the next level:

Chimichurri — the classic. Parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes. Bright and punchy.
Salsa verde — roasted tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro, onion. Tangy and slightly smoky.
Aji amarillo crema — mayonnaise, aji amarillo paste, lime juice. Rich and gently spicy.
Simple garlic aioli — for the cheese or chicken versions.

The Takeaway

Empanadas are one of those rare foods that reward you at every skill level. Beginners can use store-bought dough and a simple beef filling and still produce something genuinely impressive. Experienced home cooks can dial in the repulgue, experiment with regional fillings, and build a freezer stash that makes future weeknight dinners effortless.

And with spring cookouts, Cinco de Mayo, and summer gatherings coming up fast, there's no better time to get comfortable making them in volume.

Ready to start? Save your favorite empanada recipe to SnipDish, scale it up for your next party, and let Cook Mode guide you through the assembly. Your guests will ask for the recipe — and scaling it back down to email them is a two-second job.

Empanadas Are Everywhere in 2026 — Here's How to Master Them at Home