Gluten Free Empanada Mexican Pie

What started as a gluten free empanadas recipe turned into a Mexican pie.  I simply can’t stand in the kitchen all day rolling small empanadas, but love the taste of this recipe.

The great thing is you can do tons of variations on the filling.  I use very plain filling, however you can use chorizo meat, or flavor it with organic taco sauce, or you can even add more veggies or beans to make it less meaty or a vegetarian version.

  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • Cook: 40 minutes
  • Yields: 4-8 servings

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 1/2 cup gluten free flour
  • 1 cup white corn meal (harina de maiz)
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter (melted)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 egg for painting (not necessary, makes it look pretty)

Filling

1 lbs ground beef
2 TBSP grape seed oil or other oil for frying
1 medium onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, diced
1 bell pepper, diced into small pieces
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese  (recommend cheddar or other Mexican type cheese)
serve with sour cream or salsa if desired

Directions

  1. Mix the dry ingredients of the dough in a large bowl.
  2. Add the butter and water.  Mix until a slightly sticky ball forms.  If the dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water a time.
  3. Once finished, put the dough in a zip lock bag and put in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
  4. Add oil, onion and garlic and cook on medium heat until onions are transparent.
  5. Add ground beef and spices and cook until meat is brown. Feel free to add different type of spices or meat to change the filling of your empanada. Be creative! Just make sure to drain any excess liquid in order not to make the pie soggy.
  6. Add the bell pepper and mix well. Drain the mixture of any excess liquid.
  7. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  8. Remove the dough from the fridge.  Separate into two even balls and place on a silicone mat in order to roll it out.
  9. Using the plastic bag the dough was in (you may want to cut it to make it larger), roll out each of the balls in between the silicone mat and the plastic bag to a 8 to 9inch round size pie pan. (I roll one out, do step 10, and then roll the other out.)
  10. Place the dough in the pie tin. Add a layer of cheese, then add 1/2 of the filling.  Add another layer of cheese, the rest of the filling, and top off with cheese.
  11. Place the second dough circle on top of the pie.  Pinch the sides together.
  12. Add slits into the pie.  Pain with whipped egg, if desired.
  13. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
  14. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy