Empanadas de Tinga con Papa y Queso (Baked Chipotle Potato and Cheese Empanadas)
Golden baked pastry pockets filled with spicy chipotle potato and melting cheese, good hot or cold in a lunchbox.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.00 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Boil the potato cubes in salted water for 8 minutes until just tender. Drain well and let the steam escape for 3 minutes.
8 min - 2
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes and your ready made chipotle tinga sauce (see the base recipe). Cook for 5 minutes, folding gently, until the sauce is thick and clings.
10 min - 3
Cool the filling completely. Stir in the cheese. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
- 4
Unroll the pastry. Cut 12 circles of about 11 cm using a bowl as a guide, re rolling the trimmings.
- 5
Put 2 tbsp of filling on each circle. Brush the edge with beaten egg, fold over and press with a fork to seal tightly. Brush the tops with egg and prick once with a fork.
- 6
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.
23 min
Tips
- Cool the filling fully before filling the pastry. Warm filling melts the fat in the pastry and makes it split in the oven.
- Do not overfill. A scant 2 tbsp seals best and keeps the pockets from bursting.
- Chill the filled empanadas on the tray for 15 minutes before baking for a crisper, flakier crust.
Storing and freezing
Keep baked empanadas in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. Freeze unbaked on a tray, then bag, for up to 2 months and bake from frozen for 30 minutes.
Questions
Can I make them with meat?
Yes. Replace half the potato with 300 g of cooked shredded chicken or beef. Mix it into the warm sauce and cool fully before filling.
Are they vegetarian?
Yes. Most ready rolled shortcrust is made with vegetable fats or butter, but check the label for lard or animal fat.
Can I fry them instead?
Yes. Deep fry at 180C for 4 to 5 minutes until golden, but baking is simpler and less messy. Fried versions are more traditional for some regional styles.
More made with chipotle tinga sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.