Give those tired leftovers a delicious makeover when you make these Holiday Leftover Empanadas. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, and potatoes encased inside a buttery, flaky pastry dough that’s baked to golden perfection.
Want all the flavors of the winter holidays enveloped into one glorious handheld package? Who wouldn’t?! Look no further than these Holiday Leftovers Empanadas served with cranberry sauce for dipping, of course. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes…all encased inside of a buttery, flaky pastry dough that’s baked to golden perfection. Forget turkey sandwiches and turkey soup this year; get ready to take holiday leftovers to irresistible new heights.
Holiday Leftovers Empanadas Recipe
These Holiday Leftovers Empanadas are perfect for the day after a big holiday dinner when you would naturally have all the filling ingredients on hand. I wouldn’t recommend making all of these side dishes from scratch just for this recipe, but the concept can be used with any leftovers from every day meals too. The fun and festive nature of this recipe comes from the fact that it’s so quick and easy to put together due to the filling being comprised completely of leftovers!
Don’t be intimidated to make empanada dough from scratch; it’s really pretty fool proof! What I love most about this Holiday Leftovers Empanadas recipe is that the filling is so adaptable. You can easily omit the turkey from some of the empanadas if there are any vegetarians in the bunch, or make some that are strictly stuffing for the carb fanatics.
Whatever filling combination you choose, definitely serve these empanadas with leftover cranberry sauce. I like to purée mine so that it has a smoother texture because it’s better for dipping. That’s totally optional though and I’m sure a chunky cranberry sauce would be just as delicious.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1/4-1/2 cup water, as needed to achieve a smooth dough
- Holiday leftovers, such as turkey meat, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, etc.
- 1 egg
- Cranberry sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
- Add the butter and pulse until a crumbly consistency is reached.
- Add the egg and water gradually, pulse until a dough forms.
- Split the dough in half and flatten into discs.
- On a lightly-floured surface, roll one disc into a 1/4 inch thick round.
- Use a round cutter to cut the dough into circles. Repeat with second disc.
- Place a spoonful of assorted leftovers in the middle of each empanada disc. The amount of filling will vary based on the size of the empanada. Take care not to overstuff so that the filling does not spill out from the edges when sealed.
- To seal the empanadas, fold the disc and seal the edges by pressing the dough with fingers or the tines of a fork.
- Chill empanadas for 30 minutes.
- Just before baking, brush the tops of the empanadas with egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water.
- Bake the empanadas for 18-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve with cranberry sauce for dipping.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Chill the empanadas after assembling for 30 minutes to help prevent the filling from leaking out during baking. To get a glossy, golden sheen on the pastry crust, brush an egg wash over the tops of the empanadas just before baking.
We hope you love this Holiday Leftovers Empanadas recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Denisse from Le Petit Eats, as much as we do. If you like this recipe, be sure to stop by our Appetizer Section for even more small bites for your holiday feast. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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