Paraguayan-Style Corn and Cheese Empanadas

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-10 · Updated 2026-07-10

Flaky empanadas filled with sweet corn kernels and melty cheese, inspired by traditional Paraguayan flavors. This latin american-inspired snacks (vegetarian) ready in about 75 minutes turns all-purpose flour, cold and cubed unsalted butter, cold water into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 12, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. 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

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp, cold and cubed unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups (fresh or frozen, thawed) sweet corn kernels
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 large, beaten for egg wash egg

Instructions

1. Step 1: To make dough, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Cut in 6 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Step 2: Gradually add 3/4 cup cold water, stirring until dough comes together. Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Step 3: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped small onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent. Add 1 1/2 cups sweet corn kernels and cook for 4 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Step 4: Stir 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese into the cooled corn mixture.
5. Step 5: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 5-inch circles.
6. Step 6: Place 2 tbsp of corn and cheese filling onto the center of each circle. Fold dough over to form a half-moon and press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
7. Step 7: Brush each empanada with beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown and flaky.