Cheese and Potato Empanadas
Fluffy baked empanadas stuffed with seasoned mashed potatoes, fresh sofrito, and mozzarella cheese. This is the Puerto Rican queso y papa empanadilla you didn't know you needed in your life. Make a double batch — they freeze beautifully and reheat like a dream.
Ingredients
SOFRITO
- ½ red pepper orange or yellow work too
- ½ white onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ½ to ¾ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ tsp salt and pepper
FOR THE FILLING
- 4 potatoes red, yellow, or russet all work
- Full batch of sofrito see recipe above
- Mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp salt for boiling water
FOR ASSEMBLY
- 1 egg separated (white for sealing, yolk for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp water
- 16-18 empanada discs or one batch of homemade dough
MOJITO SAUCE
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ head of garlic or 4 tsp jarred minced garlic
- ½ white onion
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- 2 tbsp cilantro optional
Instructions
Make the Sofrito
- Combine the red pepper, white onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a rough paste. Set aside.
Make the Potato Filling
- Fill a large pot with water and add 1 tbsp salt. Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain completely — and make sure they're fully drained.
- Transfer to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher, leaving some chunks in there. You do not want smooth mashed potatoes here. Stir in the full batch of sofrito and mix well. Let it cool before you start filling.
Make the Mojito Sauce
- Add all mojito sauce ingredients to your food processor and pulse until the onion, garlic, and cilantro break down into a paste. Store in a glass or stainless steel container. Can be made ahead.
Assemble the Empanadas
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out your empanada dough using a rolling pin (or use store-bought discs). Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the potato mixture onto one half of each disc. Top with about 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella.
- Brush the edges lightly with egg white. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly, then crimp with your fingers or seal with a fork.
Egg Wash and Bake
- Whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 tbsp water. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of each empanada.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve immediately with mojito sauce.
- To fry: Heat oil to 350°F. Fry 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
- Air fryer: 375°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- To freeze: Freeze unbaked on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 25-28 minutes.