Pinto Bean & Mushroom Empanadas
Where do I even begin? This recipe has been on my mind for a long time now, and I’m so glad on how these turned out. Every bite you will be asking yourself what you have been doing without these delicious stuffed empanadas in your life! Great vegan baking recipe because the dough is much more resilient than most other vegan, gluten free doughs.
Normally empanadas are made with lots of oil (deep fried), covered in sour cream (dairy), and held together using fat from lard (animal fat). I completely flipped this recipe on its head and gave it new life all while being gluten free, dairy free, and low oil. Instead of deep frying, we baked these using a “egg” wash made from plant milk. Instead of sour cream I substituted cashew cream. And instead of lard, I used the healthy fats from an avocado which turned the dough green! Then I filled them with delicious sautéd veggies, Mexican spices, and boom….talk about a yummy lunch or dinner.
If you have ever looked at these and thought making empanadas are out of your league, think again because they are easier than ever. Packed with healthy, fresh ingredients to help you stay on track of your health goals while providing you with nutrients to keep you running at optimal level. They also store really well for a few days in the fridge, in case you want to meal prep these over the weekend for the week ahead. So grab your friends and family, turn on some jams, and lets make some stuffed empanadas!
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Makes about 8 empanadas.
The Goods:
The filling:
1 tsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
1 cup chopped maitake mushrooms
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
For the dough:
2 cups masa flour
1 cup water
1 medium avocado, seeded and peeled
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
For the “egg” wash coating:
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 cup plant milk
For the Garnish:
3 scallions, sliced
1 or 2 tomatoes, diced
2 limes, quartered
The Method:
Preheat oven to 400. If you haven’t soaked your cashews for cashew cream do that now. Grab a large sauté pan and heat with olive oil on medium high heat. Once hot, add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Next add garlic and sauté for about a minute or two.
Now toss in mushrooms with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook down the mushrooms and toast the spices for 2-3 minutes. Next add the coconut aminos to help deglaze the pan.
Once the mushrooms have cooked fully, add in the pinto beans and stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool.
As the filling cools, time to make the dough. Grab your blender and add water, avocado, lime, salt, and blend until fully smooth.
Grab a large mixing bowl, add masa flour, and pour avocado mixture over the flour. With a fork, stir and start to fold over and over until everything starts to become mixed. As it becomes thicker, drop the fork and use clean dry hands to knead the mixture into a fully mixed dough. Roll into a large ball, it should be sticky enough to hold together without cracking apart, but not sticky enough to stick to your fingers if you push on a small spot. Set aside as we quickly make the “egg” wash.
In a small dish, add your melted coconut oil, plant milk and stir together. Set aside “egg” wash along with a silicone brush too.
Now once the dough is rolled into a big ball, grab a thin metal spatula and slice the ball in half. Now quarter each half (8 pieces) with the end of the thin metal spatula, and roll all 8 pieces into evenly sized smaller balls. You may have to spare some leftover from other pieces to make sure they are all the same size.
Ready a tortilla press with a large parchment paper, and press a dough ball into a flat tortilla. With the flat tortilla in the parchment paper, add a spoonful or two of the filling offset to one side of the center, all while leaving a small edge of tortilla showing.
With the brush, coat the exposed edge with “egg” wash and then with two hands underneath the parchment paper, fold the empty side of the tortilla over the filling and trapping everything inside. With your two pointer fingers, pinch the sides together and work your way around the entire half crescent side. Be delicate and don’t try to stuff too much filling into each empanada or else it will crack open. If it does, you can use your fingers to gentle close any cracked open spots.
Once the empanada is made, lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With the brush, brush “egg” wash all over the top until it’s coated. This will help keep the dough from cracking in the oven as it cooks.
Repeat until all the empanadas are made and coated with “egg” wash. Don’t be shy with the “egg” wash over the top of each one. Next, pop them into the oven and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
As they bake, grab your blender and make your cashew cream. Set aside for when the empanadas are ready.
Once the empanadas are fulled cooked, remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Grab your serving plates, and place 1-2 empanadas onto a plate, drizzle a squirt of cashew cream, garnish with a sprinkle of scallions, and a top with a spoonful of diced tomatoes.
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