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Why This Matters Right Now

Eperiencing empanadas in Argentina showed me how incredible this food can really be. Each province has it’s own way of making them with it’s own history incorporated into how they are traditionally made. These are the reasons I love them.

• Affordable and portable — perfect for sampling.
• Reflects migration and local ingredients by region.
• Easy to share, great for building a weekly menu at home.

From Iberia to Buenos Aires

This simple pastry started way back in Medieval Iberia from a 1520 cookbook, and then landed in our kitchen as a simple food filled with veggies and meat. Traditionally they were meant for farmers and have now become an Argentinian staple.

• Think of it like this: those huge Galician pies shrunk down to the perfect handheld size for folks on the go.
• That 1520 cookbook proves the recipe is ancient. Way before it became an Argentine must-have.
• Local produce is the boss, which is why you get Lamb in Patagonia, awesome knife-cut beef in Cuyo, and even river fish near the Litoral.
• The cool cooking tricks, like using a clay oven and different spice mixes, basically hitched a ride with the people who moved there.

How to Read a Menu like a Map

The ingredients change province by province, showing you all the fillings you can have with this versatile food.

Origin	Typical Old World Ingredients	New World Adaptations
Galicia/Portugal	Tuna, chorizo, sardines, tomato, garlic, onion	Sliced pies made portable; added local herbs
Colonial routes	Moorish baking techniques, spiced blends	Clay-oven bakes in northwest; regional spice mixes
Regional markets	Preserved fish and cured meats	Lamb and venison in Patagonia; knife-cut beef in Cuyo; river fish in the Litoral

Mastering Authentic Empanada Dough at Home

Making good dough is just easy! Flour, fat an egg, and a splash of water is a reliable base makes the whole recipe really easy and repeatable. If you are a digital nomad in Buenos Aires, this might be a new skill to practice on your travels! Let’s dive in.

Building the Base

To keep it super simple, I just use wheat flour and a little bit of fat for taste and texture, then an egg helps hold it together, and a splash of water blends the mix perfectly without getting sticky, so remember to mix the dry ingredients first and then cut in the fat.

Choosing Lard, Shortening or Oil for Taste and Texture

If you want that rich, old-school flavor, go with lard, but if you want tender dough, shortening is the way to go. If you’re in a hurry, oil works too, so just grab whatever you have in the kitchen.

Rolling, Resting and Cutting Dough Circles

Stick to this easy plan: knead the dough until it’s smooth, roll it out to about the thickness of two dimes stacked up, and then cut out six-inch circles, and don’t skip chilling it for an hour, so the edges seal perfectly and you don’t get any leaks.

• Roll to uniform thickness; re-roll scraps once.
• Keep a light dusting of flour on the board and pin.
• Store dough in the fridge up to 24 hours or freeze for longer prep.

The Essential Fillings Playbook

I always stick to just a few filling recipes that I know and trust, which lets me quickly and consistently check the flavor balance every time.

My favorite filling is a savory mix of ground beef, sweet onions, and bell peppers and then I throw in some olives for some salt, raisins for sweetness and chopped hard-boiled eggs a good texture.

Alternate Proteins and Veg-Friendly Options

Chicken works great with those same spices, just don’t cook it too long so it stays super juicy. I also always find ham and cheese is a winner. Mix mozzarella, provolone, and some cooked onions for that the meltiness, or if you’re going veggie, Humita (creamy corn) is the absolute best. Then add a little garlic and sweet paprika to warm up the flavors without killing the corn.

Spice Cues and Practical Tips

Make sure you season confidently but don’t season too much. Use sweet paprika, tiny bit of cumin, oregano, and black pepper to get that regional flavor and remember to keep the fillings on the drier side so they don’t leak. Always let the mixture cool down before you start filling the dough.

• Test one small fried sample to check salt and spice.
• Think of fillings as modular. Swap protein, keep the spice base.
• Use the table below for quick contrasts before you cook.

Filling	Key ingredients	Texture & tip
Beef mixture	Ground beef, onions, bell pepper, olives, raisins, hard-boiled eggs, cumin, sweet paprika, oregano	Rich and chunky; cool before filling to avoid sogginess
Fugazzeta-style cheese	Mozzarella, provolone, sautéed onions, oregano, black pepper	Stretchy and savory; use less moisture for good sealing
Humita (corn)	Corn, milk or cream, garlic, sweet paprika, a touch of cheese	Creamy and mild; thicken so it holds shape when baked

How to Assemble, Seal and Cook Empanadas

Make sure you’re using cool filling, measured circles, and keeping the size consistent so they all cook perfectly.

Filling Balance, Sealing and Avoiding Leaks

To make those perfect empanadas in Argentina, just drop a small spoonful of filling in the center, leave a half-inch border, fold it into a neat half-moon, press and firmly crimp the edges (a tiny bit of water helps it stick!). Keep the filling light because too much means leaks and chilling the assembled pieces for about 25 minutes makes a huge difference in stopping them from bursting.

Baking vs. Frying

If you’re frying, get some neutral oil up to around 360F and don’t crowd the pan, planning for about 1–2 minutes per side, but if you’re baking, make sure the oven is hot and brush them with egg wash, then pull them out when they’re golden.

Method	Heat	Minutes	Finish
Frying	360°F in vegetable oil	1–2 minutes per side	Crisp, golden; avoid crowding
Baking	High oven heat (preheated)	Until deeply golden (varies by oven)	Brush egg wash; rotate trays halfway
Cooling & handling	Room temp on a rack	Let rest 2–3 minutes	Keeps bottoms crisp and prevents sogginess

Province-by-Province Flavors

Every single region has different fillings, sizes, and how they finish them, so check out my quick guide below on what to expect as you eat your way across the provinces on your travels through Argentina, it’s basically your must-have tasting checklist before you order or start cooking!

Salta and Jujuy

If you’re hunting for the best empanadas in Argentina, you have to go to Salta for the tiny, juicy, clay-oven baked ones stuffed with knife-cut beef, potato, pepper, and chili or check out Jujuy, where the texture has dried beef or llama, peas and olives.

Tucumán

In Tucumán, keep an eye out for those small, party-ready turnovers, usually packed with beef, onions, spring onions, olives, and hard-boiled eggs and you’ll find them fried or baked in a clay oven.

La Rioja and San Juan

The ones in La Rioja are super juicy with rump beef, potatoes, peppers, olives, and sometimes raisins, so definitely grab a napkin, as it’s pretty juicy.

Córdoba

Check out Córdoba, where there is a sweet and savory balance because sometimes the bakers dust the crust with sugar, which is a great match for whatever meat or cheese filling is inside.

Patagonia

When you head down south, you’ll mainly be eating lamb and venison, and if you’re on the coast, there will be seafood empanadas that often have a smoky pepper or merken kick.

Litoral and the northeast

When you’re hanging out in the Litoral area, they often swap out the beef for river fish like dorado, sometimes mixing it up with cheese or white sauce.

Mendoza, Santiago del Estero, Chaco and Buenos Aires

Mendoza and Santiago del Estero often fill theirs with meat and oven bake. Though Santiago often boils their meat first before frying it. Buenos Aires keeps it classic and big with minced beef, onions, greens, bell pepper, egg and olive. Chaco mixes things up with both creole and river-fish fillings, fried or baked depending on who’s cooking and what time of year it is.

Where to Taste the Best in Buenos Aires Right Now

If you only have one afternoon in the city, check out these places, because I picked spots that have the classic frying crunch, awesome vegetarian choices, and that old-school clay-oven magic. If feeling a little lazy, you can also get some empanadas delivered to your door in Buenos Aires, fresh from the places listed below!

El Hornero de San Telmo and La Morada

For folks new to the best empanadas in Argentina, I always send them to El Hornero de San Telmo (Carlos Calvo 455) for their amazing knife-cut beef and Salta-style fillings or try their ham and cheese or humita for something softer and don’t skip La Morada (Larrea 1336) for a reliable, perfectly focused taste of Catamarca right here in the city.

Al Disco and Empanadas Tremendas

There is a place called Al Disco (Alvarez Jonte 3508) where they fry them in pella fat and serve up amazing knife-cut sirloin, bondiola with beer, and humita, but if you want massive variety, check out Empanadas Tremendas (Arcos 3182), which has 17 flavors and even colored doughs. You definitely have to try the flank steak with Malbec there.

Banco Rojo, Buenos Aires Verde, Labor and La Hormiga

Banco Rojo (Bolívar 866) has awesome weekly specials like the shredded lamb and pork rack with bacon, plus a surprising vegetarian bechamel. While Buenos Aires Verde (Vidal 2226) is the perfect spot for super organic, plant-based options. Labor (Gral. Ramón Freire 1501) rules if you love smoked and grilled flavors in your roast tapa and BBQ chicken, and La Hormiga (Armenia 1680) wins with their delicious clay-oven bakes, especially the mushroom or chorizo-provolone-tomato mix that everyone loves.

Spot	Standout filling	Address
El Hornero de San Telmo	Knife-cut beef; humita; ham & cheese	Carlos Calvo 455
Al Disco	Knife-cut sirloin; bondiola with beer; fried in pella fat	Alvarez Jonte 3508
Empanadas Tremendas	17 flavors; flank with malbec; colored doughs	Arcos 3182
Banco Rojo / Buenos Aires Verde / Labor / La Hormiga	Shredded lamb; organic veg; smoked roast tapa; clay-oven chorizo-provolone	Bolívar 866; Vidal 2226; Gral. Ramón Freire 1501; Armenia 1680

Plan your Tasting Route

Planning a smart tasting route should always be short, mixed up, and timed just right so you can quickly learn about the timing, portions, and spot the regional clues before you even take a bite.

Sizing and Shape Cues to Spot Regional Styles

Smaller ones usually mean you’ve got those northwest styles like Salta and Tucumán, while the bigger empanadas are usually found in Buenos Aires.

• I suggest planning for just 20–30 minutes per stop, budgeting for two empanadas and some water, and capping your whole food crawl at four places, which takes about an hour and a half.
• Keep your taste buds guessing by mixing up how they’re cooked. Switch between a crispy fried one and a nice clay-oven bake to compare the textures and flavors.
• Split your orders to try more stuff without spending too much; two people can easily smash 6–8 different flavors.
• Schedule a savory empanada run right before a sweet coffee break; those little pauses really help you reset your palate.
• If you’re shooting content, get the outside and inside photos first, and then cut open a hot empanada quickly to catch that awesome steam and filling detail.

Cue	What it suggests	What to do
Small size	Northwest regional style	Order two to share
Braided rim	Traditional filling or spicy mix	Ask the counter for a quick key
Fried vs baked	Texture and oil level	Alternate methods between stops

Pro Tips for U.S. Home Cooks Celebrating Argentina’s Staple

I’ve got some super simple pantry hacks so you can totally nail those regional flavors without hitting up a bunch of specialty stores, making the whole process super chill for weeknights and small kitchens.

Ingredient Swaps and Quick Rules

• When I’m cooking at home, I just use all-purpose flour and neutral oil if I don’t have lard or shortening; the texture changes a bit but they still come out flaky.
• Keep an eye on the heat with a small thermometer, frying around 360F for 1–2 minutes per side.
• Make sure you chill the dough for about an hour and cut roughly 6-inch circles so they’re easy to seal by hand.
• Always make sure your fillings are cool and not too wet; if the mix looks soupy, just cook it down on the stove for a few extra minutes or drain it a little.

Make-ahead, Freezing and Timing

If you want to save time, you can totally make the dough ahead of time, stack the rounds between parchment and toss them in the fridge, or even freeze the unbaked turnovers and just add a few extra minutes when you bake them, but seriously, always start small, test one batch first, and adjust the salt and spices before you fill the rest.

Method	Key cue	Practical tip
Frying	360°F, 1–2 minutes per side	Use neutral oil and a thermometer for steady heat
Baking	Golden crust	Preheat fully; don’t crowd trays
Prep	Chill dough 60 minutes	Stack rounds with parchment; cut 6-inch circles

Argentina Empanadas Guide

Think of my guide to empanadas in Argentina as your secret pocket map where the flavors and look tell the whole story faster than any menu. Just check the size and shape, because those small, juicy ones usually mean Salta-style with potato, while the tiny, party-ready Tucumán versions often have olives and hard-boiled egg hidden inside.

• Córdoba: a sweet-savory twist. Sometimes sugar on the crust.
• Patagonia: lamb or seafood with smoky or peppered notes.
• Litoral: river fish, often paired with cheese or a white sauce.
• Mendoza: knife-cut meat with cumin and garlic warmth.
• Buenos Aires: larger pieces, minced beef with onion and pepper.

The dough is super important for great empanadas in Argentina. Lard makes it flaky while shortening keeps it tender, and both bake or fry up crisp and for fillings, stick to beef and chicken for classics, cheese for comfort, humita for veg, and regional meats for a deeper taste, but seriously, just ask at the counter and the shape and size will tell you everything else so you can order like a pro.

Region cue	What to expect	Best pick
Small & braided	Northwest, juicy potato or knife-cut beef	Salta-style
Petite, festival	Olives, eggs, bright flavors	Tucumán
Large, classic	Minced beef, onion, pepper	Buenos Aires

Conclusion

Empanadas in Argentina are reflective of local history and farming traditions, with each one’s specific filling and folding technique revealing the unique regional identity

So while traveling, taste them regionally for different experiences. Enjoy eating!

Empanadas in Argentina FAQ