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Empanadas de maíz (corn empanadas): recipe illustration
Everyday meals

Empanadas de maíz (corn empanadas)

Costa Rican turnovers made with a soft corn dough filled with fresh cheese, fried until golden. Very popular as snacks and at breakfast, they are best eaten still warm.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Pâte

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Nutrition facts

479 kcal per serving

Protein
7.1 g
Carbohydrates
43.5 g
of which sugars
23.1 g
Fat
29.6 g
of which saturated fat
12.2 g
Fiber
4.7 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

  1. Finely blend the corn kernels with the milk until you get a fairly thick purée.
  2. Add the butter, sugar and salt, then mix to a smooth, supple dough.
  3. Crumble the fresh cheese and divide it into small portions.
  4. Shape discs of dough about 8 cm across, place a spoonful of cheese in the center, then fold into a half-moon and seal the edges well.
  5. Heat the oil in a pan to about 170 °C and fry the empanadas for 3 to 4 minutes per side until nicely golden.
  6. Drain on paper towels and serve while still warm.

Variations and tips

Sweet version. Replace the cheese with guava jam or sweetened cinnamon for a more indulgent snack.

Baked version. Brush them with melted butter and bake at 200 °C for 20 minutes for a lighter version.

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Original Ecomely recipe.