Best Ways to Reheat Empanadas

We’re certain that empanadas need no introduction. These amazing pastries are popular all over the world, even though their origin lies mainly in Latin and Filipino cultures.

Whether you first tried them as a child or they are a new discovery, we’re convinced that you can’t go wrong with a batch of delicious empanadas.

What are the best ways to reheat empanadas? Those that we recommend the most involve using your oven or your toaster oven. Microwaving empanadas may cost you quite a bit of texture and taste. They may end up gummy and dry, whereas oven-made empanadas will be slightly crispy and flavorful.

The key to reheating empanadas is to carefully follow a quick list of steps. Omitting even one may have an impact on their taste.

If you want to reheat the best empanadas without compromising their taste, we recommend reading more below.

How to Reheat the Best Empanadas

Empanadas can be made ahead of time and then reheated at no loss to the taste or texture – but only if you do it right. 

Empanadas require a bit of attention when you reheat them, as there are two factors that need to be considered. First: the dough.

It’s very easy to dry it out, especially in the microwave. While it will certainly become warm, it will feel gummy, dry and difficult to chew. 

The second thing for you to consider is the filling of your empanadas. Empanadas come with a variety of fillings, ranging from vegetables, mushrooms to minced meat.

Especially when it comes to meat, it’s rather easy to accidentally make the filling dry as well. A dry empanada tastes nothing as it did right after being cooked. 

This does not mean that you necessarily need to prepare a fresh batch of empanadas each and every time you have a craving for them. They freeze decently well, and you can store them in the fridge for a few days too. 

We know that in this day and age, time is scarce. Even if you enjoy cooking, you may simply not have the time to prepare empanadas each and every time you feel like eating them. They can be rather time-consuming to make, especially if made from scratch.

Save yourself the time spent in the kitchen and prepare a large number of empanadas that you and your family will be eating for weeks, and allow us to show you how to best reheat them.

Ways to Reheat Empanadas

When it comes to reheating empanadas, there are three main ways that net the best results:

1. In the oven. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your empanadas in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake for around 10 minutes.
2. In a toaster oven. In the same way as a regular oven, only perhaps for a longer amount of time.
3. In a skillet or deep fryer at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat a considerable amount of oil (enough to cover the empanadas) and fry them until they’re a golden color.

These methods apply to empanadas that have already been cooked, but they will work fine with uncooked empanadas as well.

But what if you find yourself with nothing but a microwave? In that case, you can use it to reheat empanadas. It’s a less than an ideal option, but it will work.

To reheat empanadas in a microwave, place them in a microwave-safe dish next to each other. Don’t microwave for too long. We recommend 15-second intervals after which you will check whether the texture and the warmth suit you. 

While these methods alone will allow you to enjoy empanadas that are as good as they were when they were freshly made, there are more details to the perfect empanada. 

If you want to wow your friends and family – even with something you’ve made a couple of days ago – check out our complete step-by-step guide to empanadas.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Reheating Empanadas

Empanadas can be reheated from various states. You may have a frozen batch that has already been cooked or one that has not. You may have a batch that you kept in the fridge. You may even have empanadas that you’ve kept outside the fridge for a few hours.

All of these different empanadas call for a slightly different approach. It’s important that you fully know what you need to do to preserve their taste. Read on below to take a look at our step-by-step guide.

1. How to Reheat Empanadas in the Oven

This is the most recommended method by far, although it is rivaled by using a toaster oven. When you bake your empanadas as opposed to just warming them up in the microwave, you ensure that all of the taste remains. 

1. Start by putting your empanadas side-by-side in an oven-safe dish or a grill rack.
2. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Heat empanadas for around 10 minutes.
4. When you’re almost done with the reheating process, you can cover them with aluminum foil for the last 2 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, check if you’re happy with how crispy your empanadas are.

2. How to Reheat Empanadas in a Toaster Oven

A toaster oven is a good alternative to a regular oven and will work just fine for empanadas. It’s definitely a superior option to microwaving them.

The downside is that you will not be able to reheat quite as many empanadas as you would if you were to use a regular oven.

1. Put all your empanadas on a toaster oven rack. Lay them out side by side, do not layer them.
2. Set your toaster oven to heat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Heat your empanadas for around 10 minutes.
4. You may need to reheat your empanadas for a longer amount of time. After 10 minutes, remove the dish and test if the pastries are warm throughout. If not, put it back inside the toaster oven for a few more minutes.

3. How to Reheat Empanadas in a Skillet or a Deep Fryer

While this method is most commonly used for making empanadas from scratch, you can reheat them like this too. Just be careful so that you don’t burn them! This method is only suited to frozen empanadas.

1. Do not defrost your empanadas. Keep them frozen. 
2. Preheat enough oil to cover the empanadas completely.
3. Fry the empanadas at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Do not fry them for too long – when they reach a nice golden color, you can take them out.
5. Leave them to sit on a paper towel for a minute or two before eating.

How to Microwave Empanadas

As said, this method is not ideal. Microwaved empanadas have a tendency to become soggy and lose some of their taste, especially if you try to microwave them after freezing.

However, if you find yourself with only a microwave and no other options, you can achieve a decent result – as long as you’re careful.

1. Place your empanadas on a microwave-safe dish or plate.
2. Lay them out side by side without overlapping.
3. Reheat them on a low-medium setting for 30 seconds at a time.
4. After each 30-second interval, check on your empanadas and make sure they are not too soggy or gummy. 
5. If the empanadas are fine, you can continue reheating them until they’re warm all the way through.

How to Reheat Frozen Empanadas

Other than the method mentioned above which works very well for frozen empanadas, you can also use the oven or a toaster oven. 

1. If you wrapped your empanadas individually prior to freezing, unwrap them.
2. Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Place your empanadas on an oven rack, side by side.
4. Heat up slowly. Check on them every now and then to not heat them up too much.

Now that you know how to reheat empanadas, you are set! We know that your days are probably busy, but that is not a reason to give up access to empanadas.

You can prepare a whole batch ahead of time. Nothing stops you from enjoying your favorite pastries even if they were made days or weeks prior!

Related Questions

We hope that our guide was comprehensive and helped you pick the right method to reheat your empanadas. To make sure that you are fully prepared, we also included this section to answer some of the most common questions.

How to Freeze Empanadas?

Properly freezing empanadas has a big impact on the taste when you reheat them. For already baked empanadas, we recommend wrapping each pastry individually.

To help prevent freezer burn, make sure to tightly wrap the empanadas in plastic wrap. Once you’ve wrapped them all, lock them in an air-tight container. Don’t forget to label it!

Can You Freeze Unbaked Empanadas?

Yes, you can! Lay your unbaked empanadas on a baking sheet that you’ve previously lined with parchment, or another option is to store them on a silicone baking mat. My favorite is this one from Di Oro.

Ensure that they’re not touching – leave a little space between each pastry. Freeze until they’re solid, then transfer them into a freezer bag. You can keep them for up to three months, but of course, the sooner you eat them, the better!

Up Next: Can You Freeze Masa?