Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

Crispy vegan lentil empanadas are the ultimate cozy, hearty appetizer. After making these many times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly crispy pastry and a flavorful, hearty filling. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Breakfast Egg Rolls and Easy Blackberry Shortbread Wedges.

What You'll Need for Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Chimichurri sauce (parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil)
• Optional: Vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving

How to Make Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

1. Cook lentils: Rinse and pick over lentils. Cook according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté veggies: Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and potato. Cook until softened. Add bell peppers and corn, cook for another 5 minutes. Season with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, cold vegan butter, cold water, and apple cider vinegar until a dough forms. If too dry, add more water. If too sticky, add more flour.
4. Assemble empanadas: Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a 4-inch cookie cutter. Place a spoonful of lentil mixture in the center of each circle. Fold dough over filling and seal edges with a fork. Poke a small hole in the top for ventilation.
5. Bake empanadas: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Make chimichurri: Blend parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve: Serve empanadas hot with chimichurri sauce and vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, if desired.

Storing & Reheating Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover empanadas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: You can assemble empanadas up to 24 hours ahead. Keep in the fridge until ready to bake.

Freezing Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

Freeze uncooked empanadas for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat empanadas in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat empanadas in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, but be careful not to make the pastry soggy.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add diced jalapeño to the filling or serve with hot sauce.
• Best substitution: Instead of lentils, you can use cooked black beans or chickpeas for the filling.
• Make-ahead: These empanadas are perfect for making ahead and freezing. See storage notes for details.
• Scaling: This recipe makes about 12 empanadas. To make more or less, adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
• Troubleshooting: If your pastry is too sticky to work with, add more flour. If it's too dry, add more water.

Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri

⏱

Prep

30 mins

🍳

Cook

30 mins

⏳

Total

1 hour

🍽

Serves

12 empanadas

🥗

Diet

Vegan

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Seasonings

• Cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Chimichurri sauce (parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil)

Optional Toppings

• Vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook lentils: Rinse and pick over lentils. Cook according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté veggies: Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and potato. Cook until softened. Add bell peppers and corn, cook for another 5 minutes. Season with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Make dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, cold vegan butter, cold water, and apple cider vinegar until a dough forms. If too dry, add more water. If too sticky, add more flour.
4. Assemble empanadas: Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a 4-inch cookie cutter. Place a spoonful of lentil mixture in the center of each circle. Fold dough over filling and seal edges with a fork. Poke a small hole in the top for ventilation.
5. Bake empanadas: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Make chimichurri: Blend parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve: Serve empanadas hot with chimichurri sauce and vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, if desired.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add diced jalapeño to the filling or serve with hot sauce.
• Best substitution: Instead of lentils, you can use cooked black beans or chickpeas for the filling.
• Make-ahead: These empanadas are perfect for making ahead and freezing. See storage notes for details.
• Scaling: This recipe makes about 12 empanadas. To make more or less, adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
• Troubleshooting: If your pastry is too sticky to work with, add more flour. If it's too dry, add more water.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover empanadas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze uncooked empanadas for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• Oven reheat: Reheat empanadas in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat empanadas in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, but be careful not to make the pastry soggy.
• Make ahead: You can assemble empanadas up to 24 hours ahead. Keep in the fridge until ready to bake.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 220
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 8g
• Carbs: 30g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 400mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sat. Fat: 1.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Vegan Lentil Empanadas with Veggie Filling & Chimichurri and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!