Can You Freeze Empanadas? Follow These Rules to Make It Work
Updated on March 2, 2023
When you have a favorite dish that takes forever to make, you may want to take advantage of the powers of your freezer. Yes, that applies even when your favorites are empanadas!
Empanadas take a bit to make and you may not be in the mood for all the work that goes into it every time you actually crave them. If that’s the case, your freezer is your best friend!
Can You Freeze Empanadas?
We’re not the only ones who love empanadas and we even got a question about freezing them from one of our readers.
Q. I’m not sure if you can help me, but here goes. I like to make empanadas. They are a type of South American meat patty that consists of ground meat or chopped vegetables wrapped in a pastry crust and then either baked or fried. They are a food that I grew up eating, but they are difficult to find in the place I currently live. So, I make them. The thing is, they are time-consuming to make, and so I don’t do it very often. I would like to be able to set aside one day every few months to make a big batch that I could then freeze. That way, all I would have to do is thaw out a few frozen empanadas any time I feel like eating them. Can you freeze empanadas?
And that’s such an interesting story! We love empanadas, but we’re lucky enough to live somewhere they’re readily available. We can imagine that it would be a very time-consuming endeavor to have to make them from scratch every time you wanted them. Happily for everyone, yes, you can freeze empanadas! Whether they are baked or fried, they can be safely frozen without affecting taste or quality.
How to Freeze Empanadas?
To freeze empanadas, you must wait until they have cooled completely after cooking.
- If you have fried the empanadas, rest them on some paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
- If you have baked them, allow them to cool on the baking sheet. If not, condensation will form and the crust will go soggy.
I recommend flash freezing them first. You can do this by placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer until the outside firms up a bit. Then, you can decide if you are going to wrap them individually or not. I recommend it, but it’s not a requirement.
To wrap individually, simply wrap each empanada in a layer of plastic wrap, making sure that none of the pastry is exposed to the air. Once they are all wrapped, place them in a large freezer bag or hard-sided freezer-safe container, and then seal the package. Label and date it, and then place it in the freezer.
How to Keep Your Empanadas Longer?
If you want to make sure that your empanadas have a long shelf life, you can use a food saver. These devices can help perfectly seal your cooked dishes, meat, vegetables, and more. Not only will this method help preserve the flavors for longer, but it will also considerably prologue the life of your food.
We’re partial to the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine, which can seal your food in a multitude of bags and containers. Ultimately, it’s awesome to have it around for whenever you need it.
How to Thaw Your Empanadas?
To use, simply take out the number of empanadas you want, and then allow them to thaw in the fridge or in the microwave. Be sure to remove the plastic wrap if defrosting in the microwave. Then, reheat them in a warm oven. This will help them regain their flaky texture.
Can you refreeze empanadas if they thaw?