This Inside Out Empanada Dip will have you thinking twice about how to enjoy the flavors of a traditional empanada in a party-ready dish. Get ready to dig in to this delectable, savory dip!
Have you ever had an empanada? I mean, a really gooooooddd empanada? The basic structure of an empanada is anything wrapped in bread, and then fried. The variations are plentiful around the world, so if you’re into tasty morsels stuffed into pockets of flaky bread, these yummy treats are right up your alley.
When we lived in San Antonio, we were fortunate to have a place that sold these tasty treats at the local farmer’s market. Yapa Empanadas were one of my first stops when I arrived at the market. On Saturday mornings, I had to decide which of my favorite food booths to choose from–and there were many each week, from breakfast tacos, tamales, steamed Asian buns, crepes, and of course empanadas. Flaky crust, warm and savory filling–it was the stuff many-a snack dreams are made of. And the best part is that you could find nearly any type of filling in these pockets of bread-wrapped goodness. The hardest part was choosing which one to dig into each time I found myself staring (and drooling) at the selection. I mean, wouldn’t you have a hard time deciding?
Needless to say, I loved them all, but more often than not I found myself grabbing the Spinach & Goat Cheese empanada. All of that leafy green goodness packed in with creamy goat cheese was just too much to pass up. Oh, and did I mention that they offered a chipotle dipping sauce if you so chose? Did I chose? Why yes, yes I did.
Breakfast of champions, my friends. I’m just sayin’.
On a recent weekend, we joined some friends for dinner. They were serving Ropa Vieja, which is a Cuban dish of stewed beef over rice and beans. It’s homey, satisfying, and oh-so-good. Because I’m incapable of showing up empty-handed, I decided I wanted to add something to the evening. What I really wanted were some little empanadas for snacking, but decided that showing up with an armful of these beauties may wind up being too filling for a nosh before dinner. So I put on my thinking cap and decided to take the flavors found in some of these great treats and turn them into a dip for snacking.
Whoa. This Inside Out Empanada Dip turned out even better than I anticipated. Taking the ingredients found inside a regular empanada and turning it into a dip was a stroke of genius. The perfect blend of savory, creamy, and spicy, it was attacked nearly the moment we arrived. This will definitely be added to my permanent rotation of easy and flavor-packed appetizers. And you should add it to your list, too.
Oh, and because we decided not to be complete gluttons (even though the thought crossed our minds), the leftovers of this Empanada Dip made great breakfast tacos the next morning. Be sure to check out what we did in the recipe notes below!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 people | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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Like so many recipes of this nature, the fun is in the variety. I love the endless options of ingredients that come in different empanadas. And that means that the varieties of flavors and ingredients for this dip are just as endless. The ground beef with the peppers and warmth of cumin & cayenne were a perfect addition to the creamy cream cheese base. Warmed up and served with tortilla chips, this dip can be a meal in itself!
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- 1 large red bell pepper, roasted
- 1 medium poblano pepper, roasted
- 1 large tomato, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
- 4 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 block cream cheese, softened
- tortilla chips, for serving
- Roast the bell pepper and poblano pepper. Once they are roasted, put them in a plastic bag and let them steam for about 15 minutes. Remove the skin, seeds and membranes on the inside of each pepper, and then finely chop them. Chop the tomatoes at about the same size as the peppers.
- Brown the beef over medium heat until no pink remains. If there is excess fat, drain it off before adding other ingredients.
- Mix in the cumin & cayenne, making sure no clumps of spice remain and the spices are fully incorporated into the ground beef.
- Add the peppers & garlic to the beef mixture, and stir to incorporate.
- Add the juice of half of one lime.
- Sprinkle in half of the cilantro, and stir to incorporate.
- In a pie plate or other oven-safe dish, spread the cream cheese evenly in the bottom of the dish.
- Pour ground beef mixture over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Mix tomatoes, remaining cilantro, and the juice of the other half of the lime. Spread this mixture over the top of the ground beef.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips, then dig in and enjoy this inside out empanada dip!
I mentioned above that we had a little bit of this concoction left over the next morning. Because breakfast tacos were such a staple in Texas, it made sense to combine these two great sets of flavors for a little ffoodie lashback. My hubby toasted a couple flour tortillas, and then layered the remainder of this dip over fluffy scrambled eggs to create a delicious and filling breakfast. In fact, the next time I make this dip (which will have to be soon!), I may specifically reserve some just for the purpose of an Empanada Dip Breakfast Taco. YUM!
So flavorful! I’ve never had empanadas in dip form, but I’m pretty sure if I ever got near it I’d eat the whole bowl!
It was a revelation! And so easy that you can take the accolades and enjoy a scoop for yourself all at the same time!
Oh my gosh this looks so good! Love empanadas and can only imagine how delicious your combination must be, YUM!
I need this in my life immediately. I think my hubby and son would go nuts for this. k
As I mentioned, I was pleasantly surprised at how great this experiment turned out! I’m sure your family will love it, too. :o)
This sounds like such a delicious dip! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
So easy, and so versatile. Oh, and so delicious! :o)