4 Cheese Impossible Empanadas Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 6 tbsp cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Bind dough

Add 1/4 cup cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Cook potatoes

Place the peeled, small-dice russet potato in a small pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 4 minutes until slightly tender but not falling apart. Drain well and pat dry with a towel.

Season & brown

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the par-cooked potatoes and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp on edges, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from pan and set aside to cool slightly.

Sauté vegetables

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 small diced yellow onion, 1/4 diced red bell pepper, and 1/4 diced green bell pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Cook Impossible meat

Add 8 oz Impossible ground to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until browned, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.

Combine with potatoes

Transfer the cooked Impossible mixture to a bowl and fold in the crisp breakfast potatoes, mixing gently so the filling is evenly distributed. Allow mixture to cool until lukewarm (important so cheeses don't fully melt inside the dough).

In a small bowl combine cheeses: 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup shredded white cheddar, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, and 2 tbsp crumbled feta. Gently fold the cheese blend into the cooled meat-and-potato mixture, reserving about 2 tbsp of the mozzarella for sprinkling on top of the empanadas before sealing if desired.

Roll dough & cut rounds

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5–6 inch round cutter (or a bowl), cut out 4 rounds — you will make two empanadas per serving but the recipe yields 4 empanadas total. Re-roll scraps if necessary.

Fill empanadas

Place about 3 heaping tablespoons of the filling (meat, potato, and cheese mixture) in the center of each dough round, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the reserved 2 tbsp mozzarella over the filling if using.

Seal

Brush the dough edge with a little beaten egg (from 1 egg). Fold the dough over to form a half-moon and press edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork for a tighter seal and a decorative edge. Repeat for remaining rounds.

Pan-fry (preferred) or bake

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, place empanadas seam-side up and cook 2–3 minutes until bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until the other side is golden and dough is cooked through, pressing occasionally to ensure even contact (total about 5–7 minutes). If the empanadas are browning too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 1–2 minutes to ensure internal heating. Alternatively, bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes until golden.

Drain & rest

Transfer cooked empanadas to a rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and rest 2 minutes before serving (this helps the cheese set slightly).

Whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp sriracha, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 minced garlic clove and 1/8 tsp salt until smooth. Taste and adjust sriracha (to taste) for heat. Chill until ready to serve.

Serve 2 empanadas per portion (from the 4 total made). Arrange on a plate with a small ramekin of sriracha aioli. Garnish optionally with a sprinkle of extra grated parmesan or chopped fresh parsley.