Empanadas are delicious, savory filled, buttery pastry fold-over pies. They are usually filled with a tasty savory filling, then baked or fried until golden brown.
The fillings range from beef or pork to a spiced vegetable or even some seafood. It all depends where you are in Latin America ordering one.
Empanadas have been a staple in the Latin Americans diet for centuries, with the only other recorded place of these tasty treats coming from Southern Europe.
Regardless of where you are eating your empanada, which will rarely disappoint, what makes these small pies even better is that they are straightforward to reheat and come out just as good as when you got them from the vendor.
This article will cover the different ways to reheat empanadas and other questions around reheating them.
How to Reheat Empanadas with an Air Fryer
Reheating empanadas with an air fryer is a simple process with very little that can go wrong.
The air fryer is an ingenious device that applies a controlled hot air to your food for quick and straightforward reheats or cooking.
Simply set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to warm up thoroughly before use. Give it a good generous spray with spray and cook or any similar oven baking spray.
This will ensure that the empanadas don’t stick to the tray. Place them evenly into the air fryer and bake for roughly 4 minutes or until you think they are warmed through.
As I’ve mentioned, very little can go wrong with this method as long as the temperature isn’t set too high, all will be good, and they will be enjoyed in no time.
How to Reheat Empanadas in the Oven
The oven is probably the most common way to cook and reheat Empanadas. They are generally baked each day and then sold on to passing patrons. So, the reheating part in the oven isn’t much different. Simply set your range to 300 Fahrenheit and allow it to warm up.
Place your Empanadas on a baking tray evenly spaced out. Ensure that you use a sheet of greaseproof paper or a gel mat; else, the empanadas will stick and burn.
Place them in the oven for around 20 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. The tray may need to be turned halfway through the cooking time to ensure they don’t get too dark on the one side; this is especially prone to happening when you have a fan oven.
How to Reheat Empanadas on the Stove
When I mention the stove to reheat an Empanada, I refer to using a pan on the stovetop. There are two ways to do this—a shallow frying method in a pan or a deep-frying method in a safe, high-rimmed pot.
To shallow fry, place the pan on a moderate heat on the stovetop, pour in about 1 cm of cooking oil, and allow it to warm up. You can check the heat by using a thermometer or the old-school bread test.
If using the thermometer, then you need the oil to be around 320 Fahrenheit. The bread crumb method is simply done by dropping some breadcrumbs into the oil while it is warming, and when they start to fry, your oil is ready.
Slowly lower your empanadas into the shallow oil and allow them to begin frying once they are warmed on the bottom 2-3 minutes, flip them over, and cook for further 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen towel.
Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan with too many at a time, as this will drop the oil temperature and result in the pies soaking up the oil instead of frying in them. This will lead to oil-drenched parcels that won’t be very edible.
The exact process is done if you choose to deep fry the empanadas. You will just be working with more hot oil, and this is always a dangerous process that you should have confidence in doing should you choose this method.
How to Reheat Empanadas in the Microwave
The microwave is the fastest method to reheat empanadas. It will take 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of the actual pies. Place them on a microwavable plate, set the microwave to a medium-strength 600W, and heat them for 2-3 minutes. The only issue with using a microwave is that the actual pastry won’t be as crispy as when you got it from the vendor. This is because the microwave heats from inside out, creating steam which will moisten the pastry. The empanadas still taste good; they just don’t have that characteristic crispy crunch. But from a time, perspective this is the fastest way to get them empanadas hot again.
How to Reheat Empanadas Under the Grill
The grill isn’t the ideal method to reheat an empanada, but it is possible, and this method can part a lovely smokey flavor into the empanadas.
If you love to use the grill as the primary cooking method, then this is the method for you.
Place the empanadas on the side of the grill grid and allow them to slowly warm, though. You won’t be able to prevent the char marks; these marks give you that extra crunch and charred flavor.
Be sure to keep your eyes on them as they will burn instead quickly.
How to Cook Empanadas When Frozen
One of the great things about empanadas, other than the fact that they are delicious, is that you can reheat them from frozen and don’t have to wait for the first to defrost.
The best method for this would be the oven or air fryer. Whichever you choose, make sure the tray is well greased with if you have used a quality oven-proof spray or make use of a gel mat.
Place them on your tray, making sure they are evenly spaced. Place them in the preheat oven or air fryer and let them reheat. For the stove, make sure the setting is at 280-300°F for 25-30 minutes, and for the air fryer, set it to 300°F for about 15 minutes.
If you see the empanadas crisping before, then remove them from the oven, allow them to cool slightly, and enjoy.
Tip and Tricks when Reheating Empanadas
- Always make sure the oven or fryer or whatever you choose to use has reached its set temperature before you place them into it.
- Use a gel mat or greaseproof paper when rewarming in the oven or air fryer.
- If you are reheating by deep-frying them, make sure you have the correct spoons and pots to do so and ensure you follow all safety precautions as hot oil isn’t a joke.
- Microwaving them is super quick but won’t get the pastry crispy again.
- Using greaseproof paper to layer the empanadas when storing them will help when you want to reheat them.
How to Store Empanadas Properly
Storing Empanadas is a pretty straightforward process. There are a few things to do before you can put them in your fridge or deep freeze.
Make sure that they have cooled completely to room temperature before placing them in the fridge or freezer. This is extremely important because they are likely to turn sour while cooling if they are slightly warm inside.
The second storing note is not to over-pack the containers you are storing them in, especially when you plan to freeze them, as the pastry will stick together and just be a nightmare when it comes to reheating.
An excellent tip is to layer them up with greaseproof paper in between each layer. This will ensure they don’t stick, and you can remove them layer by layer should you wish not to reheat the entire batch.
To Sum Up
To sum it all up, we know that empanadas are tasty little fold-over pies originating in Latin America and that they come with all different fillings and flavors.
The fastest way to reheat empanadas would be to use the microwave, the only downside to this is that the pastry won’t be crispy at all, but if you are ok with this and just want to eat them for the flavor, then this method is for you.
The oven is our favorite and go-to method to reheat empanadas; as mentioned above, it is the easiest and allows you to do something else while they reheat. We love the crispy pastry, and the oven method ensures this every time.
The master will follow the above info with whichever method you choose, and you won’t go wrong. You will end up with delicious crispy empanadas every single time. Always remember to buy a few extras for later as they make the tastiest treats.