Baked Turkey Curry Empanadas
Buttery, flaky, and crispy pastry filled with a fragrant turkey curry mixture. So good that you can't just have one!
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 3 cups (15 oz) All purpose flour, see note below
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 9 oz unsalted butter, chilled & cut into small cubes
- 8-10 tbsp cold water
Turkey Curry Filling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 tbsp curry powder, divided
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 4 tbsp soy sauce, I use low sodium
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 egg yolk or egg wash to brush, see notes
Instructions
Pastry Dough
- Mix flour and salt into a large bowl.
- Cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until the butter is about pea sized.
- Add the water until it comes together. I like to add 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time so I don't add too much water. The dough should just come together when you squeeze it in your hand. If there are little pieces at the bottom of your bowl, just gently knead it into the dough.
- Once the dough has come together, divide into two pieces and wrap in plastic wrap to chill. Chill for at least 1 hour, up to two days.
- While your dough is chilling, you can make your filling.
Turkey Curry Filling
- In a medium sized pan on medium-high heat, heat oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and 1 tablespoon curry powder. Cook until the onions begin to sweat.
- Add the ground turkey, remaining curry powder, and soy sauce. Cook until turkey is browned, about 5-10 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Let the filling cool completely before filling the empanadas
Assembling the Empanadas
- Preheat the oven to 450° F.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. 1/8" should be about the perfect thickness.
- Cut out rounds of dough with a 3 1/2 inch cutter. (See above for what I used.)
- Holding the dough circle in the palm of your had, add a heaping tablespoon of the cooled filling. Starting at one end, bring the dough together while using your other had to push the filling into the dough.
- Once your dough is closed, you can either crimp with the tines of a fork or fold over the dough empanada style. I like folding the dough over as it makes for a better presentation.
- Starting at one end, you simply fold the edge of the dough on itself until you get to the other end. Tuck the end of the dough onto the empanada. Repeat until you have used all of your filling.
- Placed the finished empanadas onto a parchment lined baking sheet spaced about 1/2" apart. You don't want them to touch each other.
- Brush the empanadas before baking with the egg yolk.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- I used 12 oz all purpose flour and 3 oz whole wheat flour this time, but generally just use all purpose flour.
- Sometimes I make the dough the night before to save on prep time the next day.
- This dough freezes well if you have any extra or if you want to make a double batch and freeze some for later. I am all about stocking the freezer to make meals in the future a little easier.
- Your filling should not be too wet, if it's too wet then your empanadas may leak resulting in soggy pastry.
- When you roll out your pastry dough, make sure it's pretty thin. You don't want to have your pastry dough too thick, otherwise it won't be cooked in the middle.
- I've made this with both and egg wash and an egg yolk brushed on top. Both work if you don't want to waste your egg white. The egg yolk will give the empanada a slightly darker finish.
- These freeze really well, I like to cook them and then freeze. You can reheat them in a toaster over, air fryer, or oven. I would not recommend microwaving them, they will become soggy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!