Sweet Potato & Soy Chorizo Empanadas

Happy National Empanada Day!

It’s been WAY too long since I did a post for one of these super-authentic and totally-not-made-up holidays 😉

So that time has arrived.

So have the empanadas!

I used to make empanadas all the time.  During my pre-vegan days, they were one of my go-to ways to repurpose leftovers.  I’d take leftovers (usually burgers or other meat), combine them with some cheese and diced green chiles, and pile them into a pre-packaged pie crust.  Not very healthy, but a small one of these with a big salad makes for such a fast and fun dinner.

Since it was the way that I used up leftover ground meat, I kind of forgot about empanadas when I no longer had leftover ground meat in my house.

Until I saw this amazing holiday.

I’ve made quite the treat!  Look at those giant yummy empanadas!

Usually I’d make empanadas half the size of these, but here’s the completely honest reason I didn’t do it today: then you have to cut the pie crust into funny shapes and force it to work and it wouldn’t look as pretty in the pictures. 

It worked out for me, since I ate this and a big glass of green juice for a late brunch, so it was pretty much two meals.  I’m writing the recipe with these gigantic portions, but feel free to halve it for a more reasonable sized meal.

serves 4
1 medium sweet potato, baked
1/2 C frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 C soy chorizo
2 portobello mushroom lids, sliced and sauteed in 2 t olive oil
1/2 C vegan cheddar cheese
1 small can mild diced green chiles
2 pre-packaged pie crusts*

*Most of these are actually vegan, they use vegetable shortening instead of butter.  Just double-check, and choose the one with the fewest ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the pie crust.  Mash the sweet potato up with everything else – I like to leave it pretty lumpy though.

Lay out one pie crust.  Imagine it in four quarters, and put a pile of the filling on two of the four corners.  Then fold the other side on top, and press really well between the piles of filling.  Cut between the two piles of filling, fold up the edges, and press with a fork to seal the edges.  Make some little slices in the top of your empanadas so that steam can escape and they don’t burst!  Repeat with the second crust.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown on top!

Nutrition facts per serving: Calories: 434; Calories from Fat: 216; Total Fat: 24.0g; Saturated Fat: 7.6g; Sodium: 917mg; Total Carbohydrates: 48.6g; Dietary Fiber: 7.6g; Sugars: 3.4g; Protein: 8.6g