Pizza Empanadas (Empanadillas de Pizza)

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Keyword: empanadas, empanadillas, pastelillos, pizza

Prep Time: 12

Cook Time: 16

Total Time: 28

Servings: empanadas

Calories: 259kcal

Pizza Empanadas or empanadillas de pizza are flaky Puerto Rican fried turnovers filled with classic pizza toppings.

These savory hand pies are a popular snack for many Puerto Rican schoolchildren and adults alike.

2 14-ounce jars (794 grams) pizza sauce
1 pound (453 grams) mozzarella cheese hand-shredded
12 ounces (340 grams) pepperoni slices diced
2 teaspoons (1 gram) Italian Herb Blend
1 batch (1 pound 11 ounces or 780 grams) empanada dough or 2 14-ounce (794 grams) premade empanada discs
vegetable oil for frying

Add the pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, diced pepperoni, and Italian herb blend to a large bowl.
Use a spoon or a rubber spatula to combine the ingredients well.

Use a rolling pin to roll an empanada dough disc into a 6-inch circle.
The circle doesn't have to be perfectly round, but you want to avoid extreme irregularities in the shape.
You also don't want to roll the empanada discs too thin in the center, or they'll break open while frying. It's better to make the edges thinner since you will fold them.
Spoon the pizza filling onto the circle's center using a #12 portion scoop (about 1/3 cup or 92 grams).
Dip your finger into cold water and lightly moisten the edges of the dough.
Fold the dough over the empanada filling into a half moon shape. Use your fingertips to press the edges of the dough together to seal them.
Fold any scraggly edges of the dough over towards the empanada to create a round edge.
Use your index finger to fold the edge of the dough up and over towards the empanada.
Press down once you've formed a twist in the edge, then continue folding over the rest of the dough's edge.
*You can pinch the dough like a pie crust if the braid is too difficult.*

Place the sheet pan of sealed pizza empanadas in the fridge while you heat 6 inches of vegetable oil in a 12-quart rondeau over medium-high heat.
Prepare a draining station while you wait for the oil to come up to temperature. Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan and set it to the side of the pot.
Carefully add two or three pizza empanadas to the hot oil once a deep-fryer thermometer reads 360°F (180°C).
Try not to crowd the pan.
After 30 seconds, the pizza empanadas will rise to the surface of the oil.
Flip them over with tongs and fry them for 1 1/2 minutes.
Flip them over again and continue frying them for another 1 1/2 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on the surface.
Use tongs to remove the fried pizza empanadas to the draining station and continue frying the remaining empanadas.
Ensure the oil temperature returns to 360°F (180°C) between batches.
Allow the pizza empanadas to cool for 10-15 minutes before enjoying.
The filling will be hot, so be careful when biting into the empanadas.

You can replace the pork pepperoni with beef or turkey pepperoni if you abstain from pork products.
Replace the pepperoni with cooked and drained sausage crumbles, chopped ham, or cooked diced chicken.
Add diced green bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or drained pineapple.
Omit the pepperoni and replace it with assorted diced vegetables.

You can find pre-made empanada dough discs in the frozen food section of your grocery store next to the puff pastry and phyllo dough or by the Hispanic foods.
If you make this recipe with premade empanada discs, you might have leftover pizza filling. You can freeze it or buy an additional pack of discs to use it all.
The bagged shredded cheese is coated in an anti-caking agent that inhibits it from melting properly. Shredding it at home is best, but bagged will work.
When adding vegetables to your pizza empanadas, dice or mince them so they cook completely during frying.
If you prefer larger pieces of veg, sauté them in a small amount of olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then allow them to cool completely before adding them to the pizza filling mixture.
You don't want to use too much water to seal the empanadas because it will cause the dough to become too sticky and difficult to crimp.
I don't recommend draining your pizza empanadas on paper towels because they trap moisture and cause the empanada shell to become soggy.
If the empanadas burst open considerably, remove them from the oil to avoid a flare-up. A little hole in the shell is okay since the heat from the oil seal it.
You can serve pizza empanadas as a snack, for lunch, or as a main course with a side of arroz con gandules and a garden salad.

You can prepare the pizza filling for empanadas up to 3 days before using it. Cover the mixing bowl containing the filling and store it in the fridge until ready to use it.
Store leftover pizza empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat leftover pizza empanadas in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through.

To freeze the pizza filling:
1. Transfer the filling to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
2. Thaw the frozen pizza filling overnight in the refrigerator, and stir it well before filling the empanada discs with it.
To freeze raw pizza empanadas:
1. Place the sealed empanadas on a sheet pan lined with wax paper. Separate each empanada with a square of wax paper to keep them from sticking together. Overlap them slightly, laying a square of wax paper on the last two empanadas that are exposed. Freeze them until solid.
2. Once frozen solid, carefully transfer the pizza empanadas to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
3. You can fry frozen pizza empanadas while they're still frozen. Just add 2 minutes to the frying time. If you prefer to thaw them, do so in the fridge overnight.
To freeze pizza empanadas after frying them:
1. Allow the pizza empanadas to cool completely, then lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper.
2. Freeze the empanadas until solid, then transfer them to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for 3-4 months.
3. Thaw the pizza empanadas in the fridge, then reheat them in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.