These tasty and convenient Latin-American-style turnovers can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can be served as appetizers or snacks, but they can also easily make a full and satisfying meal.
These delicious bundles can be prepared with so many different types of fillings, from traditional savory fillings to mouthwatering sweet fillings. There are very traditional fillings, called rellenos or condumios in Spanish, that are different from one country to another. Even within the same country, different regions might have specific empanadas that they are known for. However, when it comes to options for empanada fillings, the sky is the limit, you can stick to the classic fillings or you can create your own based on inspiration from other dishes. You can combine flavors and ingredients that you love, or simply use the ingredients you have available at the moment.
You can even buy ready-made empanada discs at many Latin grocery stores, but you can also easily make the dough at home. The most popular empanada dough is made with wheat flour. However, empanada dough can be made with corn flour or corn meal, mashed plantains, potatoes, yuca or cassava, sweet potatoes, and more. Sweet empanada dough can also be made with chocolate, almond flour, spiced with cinnamon and clove, with citrus rind, and more flavors.
Today, April 8 is National Empanada Day so here are five places you can enjoy them in Dayton:
La Co
lombiana Restaurante
2495 Commons Boulevard
Beavercreek, OH 45431
Pictured here the vegetable empanadas served with Aji, a spicy sauce that often contains tomatoes, cilantro ají pepper and onions.
Arepas & Co
2nd Streeet Market
1122 E Dorothy Land, Kettering, OH 45419
416 E 3rd Street, Dayton, OH 45402
Deep fried, gluten-free stuffed yellow corn turnovers (Beef, Chicken, Vegetarian) served with your choice of one of their 6 homemade sauces: Garlic Mayo, Scorcho, Hawaiian, Creamy Cilantro, Hagao, Rosada.
El Meson
903 E. Dixie Drive
West Carrollton
Salar
400 E 5th Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Chef Margot’s juicy stir-fried beef tenderloin and Peruvian spices are the filler for the Peruvian Empanada you’ll find as an appetizer on this Oregon District restaurant.
Nelly’s
79 S Main St
Centerville, OH 4545
This restaurant has dropped the chicken from their name (formerly Nelly’s Chicken) but not from the menu! You’ll for sure want to try a Bolivian-style empanada, pictured here is their chicken turnover.
If you have a favorite spot for Empanadas in the Miami Valley, be sure and add it in the comments below!
