Shrimp Empanadas (Empanadas de Camarones)

By
Hector Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
A Puerto Rico native and former food service professional, Hector Rodriguez develops recipes inspired by the Caribbean and Latin America.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/19/23
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Shrimp Empanadas (Empanadas de Camarones)

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Resting: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 4 to 6
Yield: 12 to 20

This recipe for empanadas is made with a delicious filling of shrimp, cheese, and Spanish-style tomato sauce. Feel free to change up this recipe with different flavored tomato sauces, Italian for instance, and by using different cheese blends, such as a Mexican four-cheese blend.

Directions are given for a homemade empanada dough, but it can be purchased in specialty markets in the form of frozen discs, usually 10 discs per pack. The number of empanadas made will depend on the size of dough rounds used.

Empanadas are ideal for appetizers, finger foods, lunches, and meals on the go. They also work well for family meals or get-togethers with such side dishes as fried plantains and black beans and rice, for instance.

Shrimp Empanadas/Tester Image

"These empanadas are fantastic and so great to have on hand in the freezer for a quick meal. I've tried baking them but much prefer them fried, which makes the dough wonderfully rich and crispy. I've also made these without cheese and they're just as delicious. Opt for a chunky tomato sauce to keep the filling from being too watery." —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Empanada Dough:

  • 1/2 cup cold water

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 teaspoon vinegar

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3 tablespoons shortening

For the Shrimp Filling:

  • 8 ounces chunky tomato sauce

  • 3 tablespoons sofrito

  • 10 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese

  • Canola oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Empanada dough ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a medium bowl, beat together the water, egg, egg white, and vinegar. Set aside.

    Beat the water, egg, egg white, and vinegar together

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

    Whisk together flour and salt

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or 2 butter knives.

    Cut the shortening into the flour mix with a pastry blender

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the egg-vinegar mixture into the center.

    Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour in liquid ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Mix with a fork until a stiff dough forms.

    Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a fork

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth.

    Knead the dough on a floured surface

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Form the dough into a disc. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but never more than 24 hours). If you want to keep the dough longer than 24 hours, you can freeze it.

    Dough wrapped in plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Shrimp Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Empanada shrimp filling ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the tomato sauce and sofrito to a simmer.

    Bring the tomato sauce and sofrito to a simmer in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Pat the shrimp dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.

    Shrimp on a plate plus salt and pepper

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Place the shrimp into the saucepan with the tomato sauce.

    Shrimp, tomato sauce mix, and cheese in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Cook the shrimp, stirring often, until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook the shrimp because they will become rubbery.

    Shrimp sauce mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese. Cool completely before filling the empanadas.

    Shrimp filling in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Filling and Frying the Empanadas

  1. Roll the empanada dough out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness (you can cut the dough ball in half to make rolling more manageable).

    Rolled out dough

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cut the dough with a round cookie or biscuit cutter. For large empanadas, use 6-inch cutters, and for smaller ones, use 3-inch cutters. Reroll the dough scraps. If the dough rounds shrink a bit, just roll them back to size individually before filling.

    Cutting out pieces of dough

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each dough round. 

    Shrimp filling on top of pieces of dough

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Fold the dough over the filling into a half-circle shape, and crimp the edges with a fork. If the edges won't stay sealed, you can dip the fork in water before crimping or use an egg wash. Do not overfill the empanadas. They will burst, and you will lose your filling in the oil.

    Fold the dough over the filling into a half-circle shape and crimp the edges with a fork

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy-duty large pot over medium heat until it reaches 375 F.

    Pot of oil with thermometer

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Fry the empanadas in batches to not crowd the pot, 1 to 2 minutes per side. They should be lightly golden. Drain on paper towels. Cool slightly before serving.

    Shrimp empanadas (empanadas de camarones) on a paper-towel-lined plate

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Make sure the empanadas are sealed tightly so they don't break open and leak out all of the delicious filling.
  • If frying, don't overcrowd them; work in batches so they can cook evenly.

Recipe Variation

  • Instead of frying, the empanadas can be baked in a 375 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly golden. Pierce 2 or 3 small venting slits on the top of the empanadas, and use egg wash give them a golden color.

How to Store and Freeze

  • If your empanadas are cooked, and there are any leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator, where they will keep for two to three days.
  • Empanada dough can be made in advance and kept wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two days. Or freeze the dough, tightly wrapped, for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before rolling out and using.

Helpful Links

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
740 Calories
47g Fat
51g Carbs
26g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 740
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 61%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 163mg 54%
Sodium 1255mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 4mg 21%
Calcium 345mg 27%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 334mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)