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Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas

November 22, 2021 by Ashley Leave a Comment

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Everything you love about thanksgiving dinner, all wrapped up in flaky empanada dough for a fun twist on leftovers. Dip these thanksgiving leftover empanadas in gravy for an extra kick of festive flavor.

This post is sponsored by Foster Farms.

thanksgiving leftover empanadas, cooked and on a serving platter with gravy for dipping. The empanadas are garnished with fresh parsley.

Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas are your answer to leftovers! When it comes to thanksgiving leftovers, you can only make so many sandwiches before you get a little tired of them. I love to try different ways to use up thanksgiving leftovers, like my Turkey Pot Pie and these delicious Thanksgiving Leftovers Empanadas.

The best part of this recipe is the flexibility. Whatever your thanksgiving leftovers look like, you can adapt this recipe to use what you have.

thanksgiving leftover empanadas, cooked and on a serving platter with gravy for dipping. The empanadas are garnished with fresh parsley. One of the empanadas are cut in half to show the filling inside.

What You Need To Make Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas

  • Turkey
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Peas
  • Gravy
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Empanada Dough – my recommended empanada dough is this one.
  • Egg
  • Parsley
empanada ingredients measured and ready to be mixed together.

How to Make Leftover Empanadas

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 375° while you prepare the empanada filling.
  • Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well to fully combine everything. You want the mixture to hold together easily, without crumbling or falling apart.
empanada filling ingredients unmixed, in the bowl.
empanada filling mixed together in a bowl.
  • Next, lay out defrosted empanada dough rounds with their plastic liners still attached. Keeping the liner attached ensures they don’t stick together and makes them easier to work with.
dough rounds spread out on a baking sheet with egg and pastry brush in the background.
  • Working with one dough round at a time, spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling onto one side of the dough round, avoiding the rim.
  • Fold the dough over and pinch the seams together to seal the empanada.
empanada dough with a scoop of filling on the inside.
empanada dough with filling inside, folded in half.
  • To create the crimped edge, pinch the dough together while slightly pulling away from the empanada, creating a small tab of dough. Take the dough tab and fold it over itself, creating a crimp. Repeat this process all the way around the empanada until the entire thing is crimped. For an easier crimp, use the tines of a fork to press down on the dough edge, creating a seal.
empanada assembled and crimped siting on a plate.
empanadas assembled and crimped on a plate waiting to be egg washed.
  • Once all of the empanadas have been filled, make your egg wash by adding a splash of water to the scrambled egg. Then, using a pastry brush or your finger, coat the outside of the dough in egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with salt and place them on a baking sheet.
assembled empanadas on a baking sheet ready to go in the oven.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, then raise the heat to 450° and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Serve with warmed gravy for dipping.
thanksgiving leftover empanadas, cooked and on a serving platter with gravy for dipping. The empanadas are garnished with fresh parsley.

Questions About the Empanadas

Can these thanksgiving leftover empanadas be made with a different meat, or without meat all together?

Absolutely! To make these empanadas vegetarian, omit the turkey & add stuffing or more mashed potatoes instead. You’ll also want to swap the gravy for a vegetarian gravy. If you wanted to change the meat, just sub any other protein for the turkey!

Can the empanadas be frozen if I make extra?

Empanadas freeze really well. Once they are assembled, flash freeze them for 1 hour, then transfer them to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Bake from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the cook time.

Thanksgiving Leftover Empanadas

Everything you love about thanksgiving dinner, all wrapped up in flaky empanada dough for a fun twist on leftovers. Dip these thanksgiving leftover empanadas in gravy for an extra kick of festive flavor.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: herb butter turkey, leftovers, thanksgiving, thanksgiving food, thanksgiving leftovers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 16 empanadas
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Ashley Pelaez Walker

Ingredients

  • 2 cups shredded Turkey
  • 1 cup Mashed Potatoes
  • ½ cup Peas
  • ¼ cup Gravy plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons Cranberry Sauce
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • 1 package Prepared Empanada Dough
  • 1 Egg scrambled
  • ¼ cup chopped Fresh Parsley for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • In a medium bowl, combine turkey, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  • Lay out your defrosted empanada dough on a clean surface, with the plastic liner still attached to the bottom (this will make it easier to fold later on and prevents them from sticking to anything).
  • Drop a heaping tablespoon of the filling on one half of the dough round, avoiding the edge. To close the empanada, fold the dough in half, closing the circle, and pinch the edges together. To create the crimped edge, pinch the dough together while slightly pulling away from the empanada, creating a small tab of dough. Take the dough tab and fold it over itself, creating a crimp. Repeat this process all the way around the empanada until the entire thing is crimped. For an easier crimp, use the tines of a fork to press down on the dough edge, creating a seal.
  • Once all of the empanadas have been filled, make your egg wash by adding a splash of water to the scrambled egg. Then, using a pastry brush or your finger, coat the outside of the dough in egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with salt and place them on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 25 minutes, then raise the heat to 450° and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Serve with warmed gravy for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
« Roasted Turkey with Salted Herb Compound Butter
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes »

Filed Under: Appetizers, Entertaining, Mains, Recipes Tagged With: empanadas, holiday recipe, leftover, leftovers, thanksgiving, thanksgiving recipes, turkey, turkey empanadas, turkey recipe

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Ashley!

I am the Recipe Developer & Food Photographer behind Millennial Kitchen. I have always had a love for cooking & grew up watching endless hours of the Food Network. This love, paired with my teaching background, gives me the tools to help others gain the confidence they need to feel like a pro in the kitchen! My recipes are simple, but delicious & very approachable for people of any skill level!

 

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