Pan-Fried Manchego and Spinach Empanadas
Golden pan-fried empanadas filled with nutty Manchego cheese and sautéed spinach, offering a delicious vegetarian Spanish snack. This Spanish recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs empanada dough discs, Manchego cheese, fresh spinach leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 8, 6 inches diameter empanada dough discs
- 150 g, grated Manchego cheese
- 200 g, washed and chopped fresh spinach leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1, minced garlic clove
- 1 small (about 80 g), finely chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp, for sealing edges water
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil for frying
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 80 g finely chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove, sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Step 2: Add 200 g chopped fresh spinach to the skillet, cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Step 3: Place 2 tbsp grated Manchego cheese and about 3 tbsp spinach mixture in the center of each empanada dough disc. Moisten edges with 2 tbsp water and fold dough over to form a half-moon shape. Press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
- Step 4: Heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry empanadas in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels before serving warm.
