Low-Calorie Baked Empanada Recipe

Empanadas are a delicious comfort food that are surprisingly easy to make and low calorie! These are easy to make ahead for a week’s lunches or a busy weekday meal. You can make your own empanada dough; however, to make things even easier this recipe uses store-bought dough from the freezer section.

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper diced
• 1 pound of protein: lean meat, tofu, or 2-15 oz cans of beans
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 oz diced green chilies
• 1 Tbl all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup green olives chopped (about 12)
• 2 cups Sofrito sauce (see recipe below or use store bought)
• 1 package empanada dough
• Optional: chopped hard boiled eggs, raisins, mushrooms, roasted garlic, sazon seasoning

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Saute onion and red pepper for 1-2 minutes until onion begins to soften. Add protein of choice (cook fully if using meat or just heat if using cooked/canned beans) along with spices and green chilies. Cook until liquid is gone from green chilies. Add flour, mix, then pour in sofrito sauce. Heat until bubbling. Add chopped green olives and set aside to cool slightly while you prep the empanada dough.

The night before or the morning of move frozen empanada dough into your refrigerator. The dough should be cold when you are working with it rather than room temperature. Fill the dough circle with about 1/2 cup of filling, fold the circle in half, and press to seal. If the dough isn’t sticking together lightly brush water along the edge before sealing. Use a fork to better seal the edges or use the repulgue fold, as seen below. Place empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg (or aquafaba if vegan), and bake for 20-25 minutes. The tops should be lightly browned.

 

 

Nutrient information provided using Lose It! App

Empanada with Beans as Protein (Using store-bought empanada dough)

Servings 12 |  216 Calories per Serving

37.1g carbs; 7g protein; 0mg cholesterol; 3g fat; 4.4g fiber; 760mg sodium; 2.8g sugar

---

 

 

Homemade sofrito sauce

Sofrito Sauce recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 green pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbl olive oil
• 2 Tbl tomato paste
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes

Instructions

Dice onion and green pepper. Mince garlic. Heat oil in sauce pot and saute onion, green pepper, garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add paprika and tomato paste and saute for 1-2 minutes to caramelize the tomato sugars. Add crushed tomatoes and salt. Heat uncovered for 15 minutes over medium heat. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze.