Just look at that golden flaky crust. Can you believe this is paleo? Inside this pretty pocket of dough hides a savory and spiced meat filling. This paleo empanada is perfection. It’s also ridiculously easy to make.
If you can make my 3-ingredient paleo naan, then you can make this. Remember when I told you that my naan batter was magical? These paleo empanadas are proof of that. It turns out that when you bake my naan, it turns into something pastry like (if you want to fry them in oil, I bet they’d be super tasty too). These empanadas are crispy and flaky and insanely delicious.
So let me tell you how to make them. First, make the paleo naan batter by combining tapioca flour, almond flour and canned coconut milk. Then pour ¼ cup of batter onto a frying pan at medium heat. Let it cook until you can easily move the flat bread from your frying pan onto a baking sheet. Don’t worry if your naan isn’t totally cooke; it will cook in the oven. Doing this should make you six empanadas.
Then add a spoonful of your filling onto the flat bread. Put some egg wash on the edges and fold the bread closed – creating your empanada. Brush some egg wash on top and put it in the oven at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until slightly crispy on top. (Ghee or another oil will work too). You can watch my mini-pie tutorial video on Youtube to get a better idea of how to handle the dough.
I filled my empanadas with some delicious spiced meat but you can fill yours with whatever your heart desires. Try this with something sweet or fill it with cheese if you’re primal vs. paleo. If you’re looking something savory then I definitely suggest this meaty filling because it’s just so good. I made it by combining ground beef and chorizo with some onion, garlic and spices. It’s awesome enough to eat on its own but even tastier packed inside this empanada crust.
Add a little paleo hot sauce – in my case cholula and enjoy this meaty pocket of goodness. Make this when you have a party – you’ll impress all your guests. You know your friends who say, “what you can even eat now?” Well make this for them 😉
My husband told me that if I made him empanadas every day, he’d follow paleo for life. He used a few words to describe these – in between bites: “fantastic,” “superb,” “wow.” Here is how I’d describe these paleo empanadas: insanely delicious.
After you make these, have my Paleo Apple Turnovers for dessert!
Anddd try my Paleo Samosa recipe (and then tell me how much you love me on Facebook. Oh did I just say that?).
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound chorizo or spicy ground pork sausage
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno minced
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- egg wash
Empanada crust
- ½ cup Almond Flour
- ½ cup Tapioca Flour
- 1 cup Coconut Milk canned and full fat
Instructions
Filling
- Add oil and onions to saute pan on medium heat.
- When onions turn translucent, add garlic, jalapeno and spices.
- After a minute, add meat and combine well. Once it is fully cooked, set aside for now.
Empanada Crust
- In a bowl combine almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut milk to form a batter.
- Pour ¼ cup of the batter onto a pre-heated (eco-friendly) non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Let the batter cook until the bottom of the flatbread is firm enough to move.
- Using a spatula, lift the bread and move it onto a baking sheet, flipping it over so that the sticky side is down.
- Repeat this until the batter is done - for a total of six empanadas.
- Spoon meat mixture in the middle of the bread and then pinch the dough closed.
- Brush egg wash on empanada and repeat about five more times.
- Place baking sheet in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crispy outside.
Kristen Stanford says
Are you supposed to flip the naan’s and cook on both sides?
Susan says
May I substitute arrowroot for the tapioca flour. My reaction to tapioca is not positive! Thanks, S
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Yes, arrowroot will work!
Patricia says
I do not see the calories or nutritional breakdown so you have that information. These are wonderful and so easy to make.
Suchi Madan says
Loved this recipe! will definitely make it again. I have never used an egg wash so that was new to me and also making pastries, so maybe an additional video on that would have helped. I got the hang of it after not putting too much meat in the center. I made it with ground lamb Indian style, may have needed to strain the liquid more, but it was still freaking delicious. crispy on the edges, soft like a pastry and then the filling was so flavorful. I cooked them in olive oil and then tried goat milk butter, both turned out really tasty.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Suchi, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you liked the empanadas 🙂
Lauren says
These were absolutely amazing. Great combination of flavors and crispy crust. I will definitely be making these again and trying out the Paleo Naan on its own and as apple turnovers.
My Heart Beets says
Lauren, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the empanadas turned out for you 🙂 Let me know what you think of the turnovers!
Jenn says
People, if you are on the edge debating trying yet another gluten free “dough” recipe…go turn on hour oven! This recipe is the unicorn of empanadas, hot pockets, pop overs, hand pies, etc! I have made so many AIP and paleo “pocket” recipes of all types with multiple ingredient variations. While some were very tasty, none were quick and few were anything close to easy (rolling, molding and shaping sticky dough with parchment and wet fingers only to watch it break in the over is not my favorite way to pass time, lol). Anyway, this recipe is quick, EASY!!! and delicious! Seriously…flaky, great chew, amazing “bread” flavor and…just simply a Unicorn!!! I found it at 4 am while nursing my little lady, made it at 7 with an egg breakfast filling and plan to make it again tonight with the beef filling for a special dinner…for my non-paleo family as my boys have already approved this crust! There’s not enough words to describe my excitement after two years of NOTHING meeting this craving! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
My Heart Beets says
Jenn, wow, this is so awesome to hear – thank you so much for leaving this review 🙂
Martha Lee says
Thanks so much, Ashley! I LOVE meat pies, but have been trying recipes without success since I went gluten-free and later paleo. The pies always fell apart. But I just made your recipe (with a different, anti-inflammatory filling) and the pies are holding together beautifully! I did not use a non-stick cookie sheet, so I greased it with coconut oil. I had to struggle to get them off the sheet after baking, but they STILL did not fall apart. You are a culinary genius!
My Heart Beets says
Martha, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for the kind words! Glad you liked the empanadas 🙂
Aleisa says
Ashley, thanks a million for this recipe. Your paleo empanadas are absolutely delicious. The pastry is a sign of ingenuity. Who would have thought that almond flour + tapioca flour + coconut milk + egg wash could make such masterful pastry. The meat filling is also very good both inside the empanadas, and in tacos (I used the leftover meat with almond flour tortilla shells, and organic salsa). It was hard to stop eating both the empanadas and the tacos. The only modification was to wipe a scant amount of olive oil inside the pan so the shells did not stick. Just to give some background, I recently found out that I am allergic to milk, corn and wheat in addition to the major allergies of which I was already aware: fish, peanuts, dark meat of chicken and soy. As someone who loves all kinds of food, the newer allergies have drastically altered my way of eating. I am so happy to have this recipe as one of my new favorites.
My Heart Beets says
Aleisa, I’m so glad you like these paleo empanadas!! 🙂 I’m sorry to hear about your allergies – I can relate to how tough that can be. I hope you’ll check out my recipe index – you can filter through the recipes easily to see what works with your diet. Hope you’ll let me know if you try anything else from the site and how it turns out for you!
Alfred says
Do you flip them half way through???
I don’t, and although mine come out great, I’ve never gotten the consistency in your picture.
BTW, I’m not paleo but I am GF… I use this recipe for everything.
Latin empanadas, Italian calzones, dessert pockets, breakfast pockets – it’s limitless.
I’ve never frozen cooked empanadas, but I’ve frozen them uncooked and baking was same process… 35/40 mins.
Also depending on filling I’ve gone back and forth with coconut and regular milk. I like the coconut for sweet and some savory, like my Thai chicken empanadas – but when it comes to pizza type fillings or Latin beef I stick with milk.
As naan it’s perfect with the coconut milk and the spicy Indian
Thanks again for this recipe.
Irene Liberal says
My daughter is celiac but loved her Argentine grandma’s empanadas. So I am trying these out. I had a hard time pinching them together, they wouldn’t stick. Am I cooking them too long before transferring them to the cookie sheet?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Irene, it sounds like that might be the case – you only need to cook them enough so that they don’t fall apart when you move them over to a baking pan. The dough will finish cooking in the oven. Let me know what she thinks of them, hope she loves them!
Rachael says
Fun to make! Mine has a bit too strong of a coconut taste. Any tips to help with that ??
My Heart Beets says
You can try adding garlic powder, salt or some other spices to help mask that flavor. Hope that helps!
Anitra says
These were delicious. I had the same problem with the coconut taste. Should I add the flavor to the empanada disk?
I truly loved these! =) Thank you again!
My Heart Beets says
So glad you liked them! You can definitely spice the empanadas to taste! I bet some garlic or onion powder would help mask any coconut flavor.
Yolanda Martinez says
Your Naan bread recipe is FABULOUS!!! I Added Granulated Garlic for a more Savory taste and OMG was it tasty!! I use Garlic all the time now! Of course I wouldn’t use garlic for any Dessert Use. I also made a mayo spread with curry powder, onions, and fresh lemon juice, and made The Most Wonderful Turkey Naan Sandwich!!!! My Whole Family went NUTS over how Flavorful and fresh everything tasted !!!! I also made Naan Bread Pizzas!!! To Die For! Thank You for Sharing your Love of good, healthy, and Versatile food! ONE RECIPE MAKES SOOO MANY FANTASTIC WAYS TO ENJOY A HEALTHY MEAL! Sorry for Rambling on, but your recipe DEMANDED IT😍
My Heart Beets says
Yolanda, thank you!! your comment just made my day!! 🙂
Mares says
Awesome crust! So easy to make and delicious! Ashley, thanks much for this recipe!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Emily says
HANDS DOWN my favorite paleo recipe I’ve EVER made, and I’ve tried A LOT!! These have changed my life. I love the empanada dough and can see myself using it in many other ways in the future! And the filling… omg.. THANK YOU!!
My Heart Beets says
Emily, that’s so great to hear!! Thank you for letting me know how much you like the recipe 🙂
Peter Lane says
No nut flour as AIP for now. Would cassava or tigernut flour work in place of almond?
Kayla says
THESE ARE THE BEST! I fooled my husband and all of his co-workers with this recipe. Im new to paleo and was looking for a savory recipe for football season. The crust is so Flaky ( flaky in a good way lol) and crispy. I still dont think anyone believes me when I say its paleo. Doesn’t matter its a keeper. Thank you so much for this recipe. Now to experiment with dipping sauce.
My Heart Beets says
haha, that is AWESOME! This comment made my day lol.
Tienne says
Tried these for the first time a few weeks ago and they have become a staple! The kids love them and request them often for dinner; I’ve filled them with taco meat, your empanada filling, some canned apples I had in the pantry, and am planning to try a curried pea filling that’s popular in my dad’s home country of Malta. THANK YOU so much!
My Heart Beets says
Tienne, that’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you and your kiddos like this recipe so much 🙂
Autumn says
Hello, I want to try these so badly, but I’m allergic to coconut. Is there another dairy free full fat sub I could use? Thanks!
Ty says
I just found your recipe today and made these with a ground beef, mushroom and cheese and they came out great! The crunch is my favorite part!! I’ve been living gluten free since the summer and I am so glad to have found your blog!! Can’t wait try out some of your other recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Excellent! Glad to hear that you liked the empanadas 🙂 Hope you’ll let me know what you think of my other recipes!
Sindhu says
Just made the empanadas. They taste divine. My celiac daughter loves it and says this is perfection. We couldn’t wait for it to cool and ate it right away. Thank you for bringing us these wonderful recipes. Makes our lives so much easier when we are forced to be gluten free.
My Heart Beets says
I’m happy to hear that you and your daughter like the recipe so much!! 🙂
Kathryn says
Can the dough be made with arrowroot flour instead of tapioca? Also, could I add a little salt into the dough without completely messing up the texture of the dough? I know some recipes in life are finicky if you mess around with them.
My Heart Beets says
Yes, arrowroot works as a sub for tapioca flour! And you can definitely add salt or any other spices you’d like to the dough 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Kathryn says
Thanks so much!!! I will definitely let you know. I shall be making these tonight.
Kathryn says
Thanks so much!! I shall be making them tonight. I will let you know!!
Kathryn says
Worked well with arrowroot!! Came out delicious. Will be making these again.
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that!! 🙂
Rita says
I made these twice last week and they were simply amazing!!! They were BETTER than their gluten-containing cousins. Wow, I had no idea I could make these so easily myself, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Rita, so great to hear that!! 🙂
Kiran says
Hi Ashley – quick question:
Do you know approx. how many ounces of ground meat will fit into one of these empanadas?
Thanks!
Kiran
My Heart Beets says
Hi Kiran! I haven’t measured… I usually just try and fit as much as I can. If you have leftover you can just make more of the crust another day! Let me know how these turn out for ya 🙂
Janet says
I just made this with leftover Paleo chili as my filling and they turned out great! I adore empanadas and I’m so excited to make them again with different fillings. Note to all, you will love these even more if you bake them on a SilPat.
My Heart Beets says
that’s awesome! thanks so much for letting me know how they turned out 🙂
Lauren says
Is this a dough that can be boiled rather than baked or fried (so that you could make wonton soup with it)?
My Heart Beets says
Lauren, nope – it’s like pancake batter – not a dough.
Danielle R says
OMG. Life changing! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
My Heart Beets says
Danielle, so happy you liked it!! 🙂
Cassandra says
OMG I tried your naan recipe last night and my fiancé and I died and went to heaven over it. So perfect and easy and actually bread like!! I can’t wait to make these for dinner tonight. Thanks for adding in nutrition info! I log in my fitness pal and having it all ready so I don’t have to dissect a recipe and input all data ingredient by ingredient is a godsend. You’re awesome and thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
Cassandra, that’s awesome! Glad you liked the naan and I hope you loved the empanadas!!
Valentina says
I made these today for my gluten free/dairy free girlfriend and they were really spectacular. I didn’t have a gf griddle for her at my house, so I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, heated it to 500, then ladled in 4 disks and baked at 500 degrees for 2 minutes. took them out, then filled them, folded, and baked at 350 for 25 minutes. It worked like a charm. I’m so excited about these.
My Heart Beets says
Valentina, how sweet of you to make these for her! And thank you so much for sharing this tip – so useful! 🙂
Bonnie says
I know this question was asked, but I didn’t see the answer yet.
Can these be frozen and reheated? I know most things go tough when microwaved from frozen, so I’m ok thawing them and then reheating. I just need to know if it will be a good option or if I need to make them every week. My husband would live off of these if I made them.
Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Bonnie, yes they can be frozen and reheated! So happy to hear that your husband likes these so much!
vanessa says
Hello,do you think I could use brown rice flour instead of tapioca?
Gill Davison says
Hi there ,
I have tried using a combination of ground almond /brown rice flour instead of all almond ( always use the same qty of tapioca though ) and used almond milk/ coconut milk instead of full fat stuff all worked out great . Thanks for this recipe … love it
My Heart Beets says
Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Jennifer G says
I need more than 5 stars to rate this recipe. I’ve already been an addict of your 3-ingrediant Paleo naan, but these empanadas are truly exceptional. I have the 2nd batch in two days (made with the leftover meat mixture) in the oven now. My entire family loved these. I’ll be making small ones to serve as appetizers the next time I have guests over for dinner. Oh – with the leftover egg, I made a flat pancake and rolled it up in one of the leftover naans spread with a bit of grass-fed butter. Yummy snack.
My Heart Beets says
Jennifer, wow thank you!! I’m so glad you and your family liked the empanadas!
Theresa says
Wow! These were delicious. I used my own recipe of empanada filling, and 1/2 slice of cheese (not paleo, I know, we are more primal) and they were fantastic!! I also tried using 1/4 c tapioca and 1/4 c plantain flour, and they were even better!! I flipped them in the pan, so the other side starts cooking, and then put the fillings in while it sat in the hot pan, that helped speed up the cooking process. My kids were starved, so I used 425 oven temp, and left them in about 12-15 min – perfect!! I was surprised how crispy the edges could get. These can be used with just about any filling! thanks for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
Thereas, that’s great! I will have to get my hands on some plantain flour! Glad you liked the empanadas 🙂
Sarah says
Hi- I’m really excited to try this recipe tonight but I have a quick technical question about cooking the dough. In the mini-fruit pie video you flip the naan after taking it off the burner so the sticky side is down but you don’t say to do that with this recipe. Since you reference the mini-fruit pie video for technique, I’m assuming that you also flip the naan for samosas, is that correct?
The samosa in the photo looks “crispier” than the fruit pie’s photo so I thought not flipping the naan could be responsible for the difference in texture, but maybe I’m over thinking things…
Thanks in advance!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sarah! I fixed the directions for the empanada so that they are similar to the fruit pie recipe. Truthfully, it doesn’t really matter – I just think having the sticky side down makes for a cleaner appearance 🙂 But yeah, either way works! Let me know what you think of the recipe!
Sarah says
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! I may try a few each way and see if I can detect a difference 🙂 I’ll let you know how they turn out!
My Heart Beets says
Sarah, awesome can’t wait to hear how they turn out! 🙂
Sarah says
They were fantastic! We really couldn’t believe how flaky the crust turned out 🙂 I made a few sticky-side down and a few sticky-side up, and I think the winner is sticky-side down. Both were tasty but the inside of the the sticky-side up empanadas were slightly gooey (makes sense) and the crust was a bit more flaky using the other method. I wound up with 5 instead of 6 so I think I made them a bit bigger than average, but they tasted just as good.
I’ve been 100% gluten free for ~12 years and these are some of the best GF “pastries” I’ve had…I’m excited to try more of your recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Wow, thanks Sarah! I’m so glad you liked them so much! And thanks for letting me know what side worked out better 🙂
Jenny Johnson says
I made these on the weekend – what a hit. The only problem was I brought some into work for my lunch on Monday and everyone told me off for not sharing, now I have to make some to share with everyone in the office. What a great recipe, thank you
My Heart Beets says
That’s great! Isn’t it fun making people jealous with healthy food? 😉
Mimi says
I just made these and they are amazing!!! Being Mexican these taste pretty authentic love them ! Thanks for sharing great recipes !!)
My Heart Beets says
Mimi, I’m glad you liked them! 🙂
jasmine says
HI dear
can you tell me the nutrition content of this recipe? paleo empanada with the spiced met and chorizo we made it tonight
Thank you
j
Rebecca says
Amazing recipe! My whole family of picky eaters loves these!!! Thank you so much, Ashley! I just found your site recently and am so excited to make more of your recipes. I’m waiting for some fenugreek leaves to arrive to try your saag next.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Rebecca! I’m so glad your family loves the recipe! Can’t wait to hear what you think of the saag 🙂
Paris says
I tried making these today but I had trouble with the crust when I was trying to fold them in half. They were sticky and kind of falling apart. Any tips?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Paris, I suggest watching my mini pie video to see how I do it – the method is the same: http://myheartbeets.com/mini-fruit-pies/
Elizabeth says
I keep forgetting to post a comment on these. i’ve made them several times now and i LOVE THEM. They are probably my favorite paleo dish ever. The filling is absolutely fantastic and i just eat the leftover by itself. Thank you so much for this recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Elizabeth! 🙂 So glad to hear this!!
Hasha says
Hubby and I made these last night! Delicious! We’ve just started experimenting with paleo-friendly recipes and this one is a keeper. Thank you for posting this!
My Heart Beets says
Hasha, that’s wonderful! Glad to hear that you like the recipe 🙂
Kerrin says
This is an amazing recipe, thank you. I inadvertently replaced the tapioca flour with arrowroot and the recipe still turned out beautifully! Next time I will use tapioca flour. 🙂 In the fall I will try the recipe with an apple pie filling. Yum!
Stephanie Smith says
This is such a good recipe! The dough is delicious and easy easy easy! I can not thank you enough! I will be making these all the time!!!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad you like the recipe!! 🙂
Brooke says
I made these tonight and doubled the recipe. They turned out fantastic! Definitely a new regular at our house. I can’t wait to try this dough for other recipes too. Thank you so much for coming up with this!
My Heart Beets says
Brooke, thanks for letting me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
Any says
I made these for dinner. They were so amazing! I plan on using this dough for all kinds of things. Thank you!
Karen says
Since full fat coconut milk separates in the can, do you use both or just the solid portion? I have used the liquid and solid combined and wonder if that’s why my crust sticks; maybe using just the solid part would make them thicker and easier to cook and remove from the
pan. Help!!!
Jessica says
Succulent, these are absolutely delicious ! The seasoning is spot on, spicy but not too much, and the dough actually got crispy in the oven.
My Heart Beets 5 says
Jessica, so glad you liked the recipe!
Sheri says
I make the naan often and make them very thin to use as crepes, I top with strawberries, coconut milk and honey…delicious. I’ve also made the apple turnovers which are delicious too! Last night I made pizza pockets….they were amazing!! I have struggled finding some sort of pizza that works for me and this is it!! So yummy! I may make a big batch and freeze them so I can have them ready when I need something quick and yummy!
Next to try will be dumplings!
Thanks for this recipe!!
Jen says
Can I use arrowroot flour instead of tapioca flour? I already have that at home.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jen, I haven’t tried it myself but I’ve heard some people say that arrowroot works for them when making the naan.
Dayvacare says
I’m kind of obsessed with these now. I had a filling in my head but could not find the right dough. This dough is AMAZING!
My Heart Beets says
So glad you like the recipe!
Stacy says
Making these tonight with buffalo chicken / goat cheese filling! Can’t wait. I am going to use arrowroot instead of tapioca (because thats what I have…). I found a conversion online: 1Tbsp arrowroot = 2 Tbsp tapioca flour.
Jen and Tonic says
I had to come here and say that this is, without a doubt, the greatest Paleo recipe I’ve ever come across. This will convert non-believers, and I think if I didn’t tell anyone, they’d never know it wasn’t full of all sorts of naughty (but delicious!) ingredients. I’ve loved your blog up until now, but this just shot you into my favorites category.
Oh, and I’d recommend to everyone to double the dough recipe. These WILL fly off the plate.
My Heart Beets says
Jen, you are so sweet! Thanks for tagging me in that IG pic btw! I really appreciate the comment – so glad to be one of your favs 🙂
Karen says
Made this tonight and although it was delicious (even my non-paleo, very picky husband liked it) I had a really hard time getting the crusts out of the pan. They stuck and were impossible to move without mangling. I used a little EVOO after I had to throw the first one away but it was still hard. I used a small pan; would it be easier with a larger pan with more room to move them? I want to make them again but need to perfect the crusts first. Thanks for any input to help solve my problem.
Ann says
Hi Ashley. I made some more and froze 2 of them. Popped one into a preheated oven at lunchtime today (for 10 mins) and it was just fine, still had that nice crunch. Of course, nothing is as good as fresh out of the oven!!! ☺️ I am on your Facebook page so will be trying more of your recipes. You have several UK fans here within my family and we are now all Paleo and intend to stay that way. I so needed my fab little grandson to know that YES, you can eat this pie!! Ha ha. Thank you again so so much! x
Ann says
Ashley, these are absolutely delicious! My 6 year old GF grandson has been asking his mum for a “meat pie” and I decided to try to make him his “fix” which I did today. I did not use your filling today but I shall do so when I make the next batch. I made my own ground beef filling for him and he was over the moon!! So was his 4 year old sister, in fact, I didn’t make enough to go round all the tasters! 🙂 My question is, do you think these would freeze well? I think I need to make a supply of these to keep in the freezer! Thanks so much for these and for the nan bread too. You have made my family here in the UK very happy. You Clever girl you!!!
My Heart Beets says
Ann, thank you for the sweet comment! I’m so happy to hear that you and your grandkids like this recipe! I have frozen them a couple times and I think they’ve reheated fine. I do think they’re best when they’re fresh out of the oven though. Hope you’ll continue to let me know how any recipes you try turn out 🙂
Veronica P says
Oh my goodness !! We had these last night and to say they were amazing, would be an understatement !! They were mind blowingly delicious !!! Even the kids were blown away by how good they were and before even finishing their plates, were asking when we could have them again !! Thank you, for a wonderful recipe !!
My Heart Beets says
Veronica, thanks so much for leaving this comment! It totally made my day! I’m so glad that you and your kids loved the empanadas – try my paleo apple turnovers for dessert next time too! 🙂
Diane says
hi, thank you so much for such a great recipe. I am new to baking so when I made these the empanadas got stuck on the bottom of the wax paper. I wasn’t able to peel it off. Any recommendations to avoid this?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Diane, I wouldn’t use wax paper – it’s not good for baking as it melts at high temps. Use a greased baking sheet instead and that should solve the problem 🙂
JC says
Has anyone tried to freeze these?
Monica Gallagher says
Yes, I have frozen them and then pop them in the microwave or oven after they have thawed. I have trouble with the shells being Very thin though.
Sara says
Delicious!!!
My daughter had asked me to make empanadas and I finally decided to make this. I’m sure glad I made them. Wow!! They’re amazing!! Thanks so much. 🙂
Husband loved them too!
My Heart Beets says
Sara, so glad you and your family liked the recipe 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how they turned out for you!
MKC says
What kind of oil??
Candice says
I live ina rural area in Ontario and have not been able to find chorizo or a paleo friendly ground pork sausage, also am fairly new to the paleo lifestyle. Just wondering if I could use all beef or add ground pork with extra spices? Would love to make these they look awesome!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Candice! You can fill these empanadas with any filling you’d like 🙂
Diane says
Hi, Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m so excited to try it this week. Before you pour the batter into the frying pan should I melt butter or coconut oil on the pan? Thanks!
Sarah says
Your paleo naan basically changed my life and now, you give me empanadas?? Your naan is magical and that makes you the magician!! Thanks for being a genius and sharing this!! You just took a good day to a whole different level! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
My Heart Beets says
Sarah, hahah, thank you!! You’re so sweet! I hope you LOVE the empanadas… and just in case you haven’t seen my apple turnover recipe – give that a try too 🙂
Shelly Myers says
I found your blog through Delicious Obsessions and I am really excited to try your recipes! Quick question about this one….I see 1 egg listed for the “filling” is that for the egg wash or does it get incorporated in the meat filling at some point? I don’t want to mess it up!
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Shelly, that’s for the egg wash – I’ll fix that now, thanks!
Jer says
I made these last night and I am impressed! They definitely past the husband test too! We at them with avocado salsa, and they were perfect. To save myself some time, next time I’ll double the filling and keep it on hand for later in the week.
My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Glad you and your husband like the recipe 🙂
Sarah says
Can you use coconut flour and arrowroot starch?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sarah – coconut flour is very different from almond flour so you can’t switch them out. I’ve been told that arrowroot will work in place of tapioca. Are you allergic to nuts? If so, you can try making this with my Paleo Roti dough – though I haven’t tested that out with these empanadas yet.
Sarah says
Can you use coconut flour and storeroom starch?
My Heart Beets says
Sarah, I don’t think that will work. Are you allergic to almonds? You can try making the empanadas with my nut-free paleo roti dough – I haven’t tried it yet but it may work.
Kim says
These look amazing! I saw that the recipe makes 6….are they big enough to eat one or is a serving size more like 2-3 w/ a veggie side?
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Kim! I think a serving would be more like 2-3 with a side. Hope that helps! 🙂
AJ says
my 12 year old calls these “Paleo pockets” and we all just love them! Made them last night and am looking forward to them again tonight!
My Heart Beets says
Aww cute! Paleo pockets – love the name 🙂
Marilyn says
These are absolutely delicious! I also had a little trouble with the dough falling apart, but then I just slid it off the frying pan right onto the baking sheet, and it held together just fine. They also look and taste fried, but they’re not. Brilliant!
Dawn says
I just found your blog today and am looking forward to trying many of your recipes. I am particularly interested in your 3 ingredient paleo naan because it is egg free. With that said, I am wondering if you know of any substitutes I can use in place of the egg wash in this recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Dawn, yes you can use ghee/butter instead! Let me know how this turns out for ya 🙂
Doris Griffith says
Can you use almond & coconut flour instead?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Doris, unfortunately you cannot replace tapioca flour with coconut flour – the two are very different.
Doris Griffith says
What can I sub for Tap Flour with? My husband is a diabetic and tap flour will raise his blood sugar. Any suggestions? I would really like to try this recipe.
Adrienne says
Hi Doris,
the common substitutes for tapioca flour are cornstarch, potato starch, arrowroot or rice flour, but you typically use much less when subbing these flours…about half. I have no clue if any of them would work well in this recipe, but I’m thinking they are all pretty starchy, and that’s why they work….and that’s also why the subs are probably not much better for your hubby.
John says
I love everything about these except the coconut milk wrapper – I don’t like coconut 🙁 Is it possible to use another ingridient, maybe almond milk? or does that not have the right consistency?
Adrienne says
Hey John!
I haven’t tried them with all almond milk, but today I did half coconut, half almond. I found the consistency was too thin (compared to how ti was previous times making) and I added extra flour by the tablespoon until it was thicker…..about 20% more than called for Now that they’re made I can’t tell the difference from ones made with all coconut milk. I think it’s worth a try, but perhaps cook one at a time, and if they are too thin/delicate to fold over the meat without ripping, try adding a bit more flour (both types in equal amounts) until it works. Good luck!
Katy says
My kids love these. They are making them with apple pie filling as well as meat. They think the dough needs a little salt even for sweet fillings. So easy, even my domestically inept 17yo can make them.
Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever) says
Hello Ashley, I thought I told you how much I LOVE these Paleo Empanadas; it must have been on twitter. I LOVE THESE! It is worth saying 100 times. I missed the part about left over filling and did have plenty. I added a couple eggs and had a super sweet potato pancake/omelet the next day. YUMMO! Also wanted to let you and your blog follower folks know that Trader Joe’s has mashed sweet potatoes in their freezer section. Love that! They’re all ready to go to add into your recipe. I love your empanada crust recipe the most. I have tried others with disappointment. You have the best combination and measurements of ingredients. I love the filling so much too that I put too much in and had 1 side open so a friend called them a “hot pocket”; they are the best sweet potato pockets we ever had! I have been cooking/baking GF for over 13 years and this is a definite WINNER in my collection. Thank you, Ashley; YOU ROCK! I love what you are doing in the kitchen; keep up the fabulous flavors. 🙂 You make living and eating healthy GF/Paleo a true pleasure for the senses.
Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever) says
Ashley, I just realized that I wrote you a great comment about your Paleo Samosas. I will have the try your empanadas too since I love the Samosas so much. Sorry for my memory lapse. I loved the Samosas so much that when I saw those luscious pockets again, I assumed they were your sweet potato Samosas. I am sure the empanadas are just as great. I will have to make them too since I love meat fillings too!
Leslie says
Hi! When you add the meat to the pan with onion and garlic, do you just stir to combine and let it cook in oven, or are you pre cooking it in the pan with the other ingredients? Thanks so much!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Leslie, the meat should be fully cooked in the pan before you place it in the empanada. Thanks for asking – I’ve clarified the steps in the recipe 🙂
Leslie says
Thank you, and thanks for the quick reply. My onions were waiting in the pan 🙂
Risa says
These were fantastic! My son requested them for his last home dinner before returning to college. I’m going to try a turnover dessert with the crust, too. Hint: I had to flip the crusts in the pan before removing them or they fell apart. I also doubled the crust with the same amount of filling.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Risa, that’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you and your son liked the recipe 🙂 Let me know how the turnovers turn out – I bet they will be absolutely delicious!
Lisa says
I made these and my kids loved them. Tonight, I was craving dumplings…you know, Chinese pot stickers? I found a recipe for the pork filling and used this empanada recipe for the dumplings! They came out really good and the kids (and Me!) loved them:-) I baked the dumplings and they came out crispy and yummy.
My Heart Beets says
Lisa, I’m actually working on a dumpling recipe! That’s so awesome – I’m happy to hear they turned out well for you and your family 🙂
Amanda says
About how many empanada’s does the dough make?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Amanda, the recipe will make you about six empanadas with extra filling left over.
casey says
These were amazing! Thank you!
casey says
These were awesome! Thank you!
Liz says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! It’s absolutely delicious! I think it’s my favourite gluten free dough for dumpling style dishes. I just tried it with an asian inspired filling (minced ginger, garlic, onion, shrimp and green onion all sauted with a little salt) and it was divine! Thanks so much for helping me finally eat a gluten-free dumpling that’s not only just as good, but better than my memories of the ones that contain gluten. You made my day! I am going to try this with all sorts of fillings.
My Heart Beets says
Liz, so happy to hear this! I’m actually working on an Asian dumpling recipe 🙂 I hope you’ll keep experimenting with different fillings and let me know how they turn out!
Carolina says
Mine kept breaking! Ahh
My Heart Beets says
Hi Carolina – just make sure you cook the naan enough before you try to move it to the pan. You may also need to add less filling to the empanada so that the top layer doesn’t break. Tapioca is very forgiving, so if it does tear – just pinch it back together. This should help fix the problem 🙂
Kristin says
Thank you so much for posting such great recipes! I made your paleo samosa recipe for our family Christmas Eve get together and they were such a bit hit… I barely blinked and the double recipe I made was gone! Even my extremely picky 3 yr old nephew ate a whole one, I almost passed out in shock! I’m so looking forward to trying this empanada recipe, I know it will be another winner.
My Heart Beets says
Kristin, that’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that the samosas were a big hit and that your 3-year old nephew even loved them! I hope you’ll let me know what you think of the empanada recipe 🙂 Comments like yours make my day!
karina says
can I use millet or potato starch in lieu of the tapioca flour? I would prefer millet over potato starch if that’s possible. Thanks
susanna says
would the cooking time be the same with other fillings? such as spinach and cheese?
Danielle says
How many does this make????
My Heart Beets says
Hi Danielle, it should make about six empanadas – plus extra filling left over!
Emily says
Do these reheat well?
Jeanine Johnson says
I made these today and discovered something else wonderful to do with these! Mine weren’t as fluffy as the pictures, but were crispy. I had one shell left over, so I brushed both sides with ghee and put it on the baking sheet. It came out crispy and delicious! You could use it as a cracker, or cook it draped over something to make a taco shell! Crunchy is my favorite texture, so I was really happy to have this happen!
celeste says
I was wondering if any other nut flour would work as I am allergic to almond flour?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Celeste! I am currently working on a nut-free naan recipe. I just need to make a few tweaks… once I do, I’ll try making empanadas and see how it turns out. Please subscribe to my newsletter for updates!
Christy says
Would almond & coconut flour work instead?
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
These look great! Pinning and will be making.
Jessica @ Delicious Obsessions says
Ashley – This recipe ROCKS! I made them for dinner tonight and my non-paleo hubby told me I have his permission to make them every night for dinner. This recipe is a keeper!!!! 🙂
~heather~ says
You’re my hero!
Manda says
Has anyone tried to make these with organ meats? I want to try incorporating them and this looked like a good way to do it.
Cindi@MyPrimalAdventures says
Have you tried to freeze these yet? How are they re-heated? They look absolutely incredible….
Adrienne says
I make these (as well as pizza pockets and apple turnovers using this recipe), freeze them and they come out great! I only bake for 30 minutes originally, and then put them straight from the freezer to the toaster oven, about 10 minutes at 350. Perfect! I think the options for Paleo Hotpockets is endless!
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that you like them so much, Adrienne 🙂
River Baggins says
Thank you for this tip! I’m expecting my 4th in the summer, and trying to create a freezer meal each week, in preparation. We’ll all love some hot pockets!!
Sherri says
I can see pizza pockets with this recipe!
You are a genius.
My Heart Beets says
Sherri, thank you 🙂 These will definitely make great pizza pockets – enjoy!