In these Caprese Empanadas, the flavors of a summertime classic are wrapped in a buttery, flaky dough. Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil with molten cheese served with a tangy balsamic chimichurri will transport you to warm summer evenings on the patio any time of the year.
Jump to Recipe
Our family enjoys these flaky treats over lunch on the weekend, but these are the perfect make-ahead appetizer for your next party or get together.
The inspiration for these cheese empanadas actually comes from an Argentinian empanada restaurant right here in Minnesota. My oldest son’s all-time favorite salad is the infamous caprese salad (even if he can never remember the name), so we of course had to order one the first time we visited this place. It’s become my absolute favorite, right alongside their sweet beef empanada. It’s just our luck that this fabulous place is just far enough to be out of our way, so of course, I had to learn how to make them myself. (If you’re in the area, check out Del Sur Empanadas in Excelsior – all of their empanadas are delicious and I hear great things about their steak sandwiches.)
What are empanadas?
Empanadas are crescent-shaped hand pies that are filled with delicious ingredients and regional specialties that can be found in nearly every Latin American country.
Depending on country and region, you can find empanada dough made from regular, all-purpose flour, corn flour or corn meal, mashed potato, yuca or even plantain. Some are fried and some are baked. Which you prefer is a matter of personal preference.
Fillings are even more varied by region and range from savory to sweet. You may be familiar with some variation of a ground beef empanada with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and sometimes raisins, but it’s also common to find them filled with some combination of cheese, chicken, or even fish and other vegetables. If you’ve ever been to a Mexican grocery store with a decent sweet bread selection, you may have seen or tried sweet variations of these with pineapple and sweet potato being my favorite.
All empanadas share one thing in common regardless of where or how they are made: they are delicious, and these baked caprese empanadas are no exception!
These Caprese Empanadas Are Loaded With Cheesy Goodness
- Grated mozzarella cheese: We’re not using fresh mozzarella here because I was worried about the moisture content making a soggy mess out of the empanadas. I also opted to grate the cheese by hand, but I suspect you could use pre-packaged grated mozzarella as well.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I also chose to use sun-dried tomatoes because I was, once again, worried about the moisture content in fresh tomatoes. However, I also love how intense the flavor is and how consistent the results are year round.
- Fresh basil
- Egg whites: Surprise! Perhaps the secret ingredient in these cheese empanadas are the egg whites, beaten into stiff peaks. I tried these without them, and felt the cheese melted on to the bottom of the empanada. It seems to be a common addition to cheese empanadas based on the videos I watched in Spanish on YouTube. Using egg whites helps the cheese stay soft even when reheated and I found it also seemed to help distribute the cheese and help it stick to the top and bottom of the empanada.
- Empanada discs: Admittedly, you just can’t beat homemade dough, but using a premade empanada shell can be a convenient way to speed up meal prep or make empanadas in large quantities.
- Egg wash: You’ll want to brush these in an egg wash so they get golden brown and beautiful in the oven. Be sure to save the egg yolk when you separate the egg in this recipe.
And Don’t Forget the Balsamic Chimichurri!
A playful twist on everybody’s favorite loose, oil-based condiment to ensure this truly tastes like caprese salad slipped into a sweater and hopped in the oven. (Or something like that.)
- Fresh parsley: A handful (roughly ½ cup), finely chopped.
- Garlic: 2-4 cloves minced.
- Dried seasonings: Basil/oregano, red pepper, white sugar, salt and pepper. I often add ½-1 teaspoon of white sugar to my dressings and vinaigrettes, to help balance out some of the acidity. How much is needed depends on the quality of your oil and vinegar as well as personal preference.
- Balsamic vinegar: While certainly not traditional, it really is necessary to turn this into a ‘caprese’ appetizer.
- Olive oil: Much like a simple vinaigrette, choose an olive oil you enjoy the taste of.
How to Make These Caprese Empanadas
Make the Chimichurri
- Add everything but the olive oil, and then slowly pour it in, mixing by hand. Taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Make the Empanadas
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
- Fold in the mix of mozzarella cheese, basil chiffonade, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and optionally, the dried basil.
- Use either homemade dough, rolled (or cut) into discs, or store bought discs, and place 2 heaping tablespoons of the empanada filling into the middle of the dough.
- Wet the edges of the dough with a little water and fold over into a half-moon crescent.
- Either use a fork to crimp the edges shut (basic) or use the ‘repulgue’ technique to fold the empanada dough (this is how these empanadas were photographed).
- Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush empanadas with egg wash.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
- Let empanadas cool for five minutes and serve with balsamic chimichurri.
📖 Recipe
Caprese Empanadas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Empanadas
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 cup basil leaves in chiffonade
- ½ teaspoon dried basil optional
- 3 cups grated mozzarella 10 oz mozz.
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 14 discs from homemade empanada dough or store-bought empanada discs
Balsamic Chimichurri
- 4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup parsley finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon white sugar or to taste
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
Make the Chimichurri
- Add everything but the olive oil, and then slowly pour it in, mixing by hand. Taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Make the Empanadas
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.
- Fold in the mix of mozzarella cheese, basil chiffonade, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and optionally, the dried basil (if using).
- Use either homemade dough, rolled (or cut) into discs, or store bought discs, and place 2 tablespoons of the empanada filling into the middle of the dough.
- Wet the edges of the dough with a little water and fold over into a half-moon crescent.
- Either use a fork to crimp the edges shut (basic) or use the ‘repulgue’ technique to fold the empanada dough (this is how these empanadas were photographed).
- Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush empanadas with egg wash.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
- Let empanadas cool for five minutes and serve with balsamic chimichurri.
