How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Mely Martínez

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These crab empanadas are popular among beachgoers along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. Empanada vendors carry a basket covered with a tablecloth protecting the empanadas from the sand and will offer you shrimp, fish or crab empanadas.

Crab Empanadas

How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (1)

Some people, like my family, will go to the beach with an ice chest full of drinks, and just wait for the vendors to pass by their palapa.There are many types of vendors offering all kinds of foods and snacks, but we love to go for the empanadas. Even though they’re also sold at local seafood restaurants, the feeling of being at the seashore feeling the warm breeze, listening to the sound of the sea, and enjoying some crab empanadas with a cold beer, is simply priceless.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, it’s one of my favorite things to eat when I go to my hometown. Check the notes below for other filling recommendations.

How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe

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How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (2)

Notes:

  • In my hometown, we usually add beer to the dough to form the batter, but you can use water and baking powder as indicated above.
  • I use almost the same process to make the dough as when I’m making flour tortillas, the only difference is using beer instead of plain water. You can use this same dough to make empanadas with other types of fillings, like potato, ground beef picadillo, cheese and ham, chicken, or anything you can imagine!

DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE STUFFING:

How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (3)
  • Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan and add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes and stir in the garlic and crabmeat. Keep cooking for 2 more minutes and add the Serrano pepper and chopped tomato. Stir and place the lid on, and reduce heat to allow the tomato juices to release.
  • Cook for about 7-8 minutes, season with salt and pepper and allow them to cool down. The stuffing has to be cool when you use it to fill the empanadas.
How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (4)

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:

  • Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Next, add the shortening and, with the help of a fork, incorporate it with the flour until it resembles coarse oatmeal. Now, slowly pour the beer and stir to form the dough.
  • Place the dough on a floured work surface. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it is soft and smooth.
  • Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. This resting time will release the gluten that will help you roll the dough easily.
How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (5)
  • After the resting time, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. They should be about the size of a golf ball and will correspond to one empanada each. Cover them with the plastic wrap while you roll one at a time to form the empanadas.
  • Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and start rolling each piece of dough to form a 5-inch diameter circle. If you have a hard time forming a round shape, use a small bowl and place it upside down over the already-rolled dough, then gently press it down to cut the dough into a circle.
  • Once you’ve formed the circle, place 3 tablespoons of crab filling on one side of the circle and fold the empanada, making sure the edge of the top part will be about a centimeter behind the bottom edge. (See picture above)
  • Using a kitchen brush, very lightly moisten the edge with water. Now, pinch and fold the edges into half-inch sections towards the center, using your thumb and your middle and index fingers, overlapping each fold until you finish at the other end of the empanada.
How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (6)
  • Place the empanada over a clean kitchen towel and cover with plastic wrap, then proceed to form the rest of the empanadas.
  • Once all the empanadas are ready to be fried, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the empanadas, turning once, about 4 minutes per side until they are deep golden. Do not overcrowd your frying pan; for a 12-inch pan, fry 3 or 4 at a time, giving them enough room to turn them when ready.
  • Remember, the oil is very hot, so be careful. Once ready, place them over the paper towel to drain or over a baking rack. You can eat them cold or warm. If you want to keep them warm, place them on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees until you finishing cooking the rest of the empanadas.
How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (7)

Provecho and have fun cooking!

Mely,

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📖 Recipe

How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (8)

Crab empanadas

Mely Martínez

These crab empanadas are popular among beachgoers along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. Empanada vendors carry a basket covered with a tablecloth protecting the empanadas from the sand and will offer you shrimp, fish or crab empanadas.

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Antojitos, Appetizers

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Calories 416 kcal

Ingredients

CRAB STUFFING

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ¾ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 Lb. crabmeat
  • 2 garlic cloves finely diced
  • 1 Serrano pepper chopped
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to season

EMPANADA DOUGH

  • 2 ¼ cup All-purpose flour 300 grams
  • 5 Tbsp. vegetable shortening 60 grams
  • 1 cup of beer (any beer will do or use 1 cup water, plus 1
  • ½ tsp. baking powder)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ cup vegetable oil for frying the empanadas

Instructions

FOR THE STUFFING:

  • Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan and add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes and stir in the garlic and crabmeat. Keep cooking for 2 more minutes and add the Serrano pepper and chopped tomato. Stir and place the lid on, and reduce heat to allow the tomato juices to release.

  • Cook for about 7-8 minutes, season with salt and pepper and allow them to cool down. The stuffing has to be cool when you use it to fill the empanadas.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:

  • Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Next, add the shortening and, with the help of a fork, incorporate it with the flour until it resembles coarse oatmeal. Now, slowly pour the beer and stir to form the dough.

  • Place the dough on a floured work surface. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it is soft and smooth.

  • Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. This resting time will release the gluten that will help you roll the dough easily.

  • After the resting time, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. They should be about the size of a golf ball and will correspond to one empanada each. Cover them with the plastic wrap while you roll one at a time to form the empanadas.

  • Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and start rolling each piece of dough to form a 5-inch diameter circle. If you have a hard time forming a round shape, use a small bowl and place it upside down over the already-rolled dough, then gently press it down to cut the dough into a circle.

  • Once you’ve formed the circle, place 3 tablespoons of crab filling on one side of the circle and fold the empanada, making sure the edge of the top part will be about a centimeter behind the bottom edge.

  • Using a kitchen brush, very lightly moisten the edge with water. Now, pinch and fold the edges into half-inch sections towards the center, using your thumb and your middle and index fingers, overlapping each fold until you finish at the other end of the empanada.

  • Place the empanada over a clean kitchen towel and cover with plastic wrap, then proceed to form the rest of the empanadas.

  • Once all the empanadas are ready to be fried, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the empanadas, turning once, about 4 minutes per side until they are deep golden. Do not overcrowd your frying pan; for a 12-inch pan, fry 3 or 4 at a time, giving them enough room to turn them when ready. Remember, the oil is very hot, so be careful. Once ready, place them over the paper towel to drain or over a baking rack. You can eat them cold or warm. If you want to keep them warm, place them on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees until you finishing cooking the rest of the empanadas.

Notes

  • In my hometown, we usually add beer to the dough to form the batter, but you can use water and baking powder as indicated above.
  • I use almost the same process to make the dough as when I’m making flour tortillas, the only difference is using beer instead of plain water. You can use this same dough to make empanadas with other types of fillings, like potato, ground beef picadillo, cheese and ham, chicken, or anything you can imagine!

Nutrition

Serving: 2empanadasCalories: 416kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 14gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 759mgPotassium: 270mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 8.6mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2.3mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Mexican Appetizers

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Cynthia

    How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (13)
    I’m so excited to try this! Just to double check, if I use 1 cup of water, it’s 1 1/2 tsp baking powder right? And, is it ok for the water to be cold or room temperature? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Mely Martínez

      Hello Cynthia,
      Water is better to be warm.

      Reply

  2. Lizandra

    Hi! If using beer, do I still need to add the baking soda?

    Reply

    • Mely Martínez

      Helo Lizadra,
      No, only use one of the two.

      Reply

  3. PAULINE

    Love the idea of empanadas stuffed with crab.

    Reply

  4. Claudia Quinn

    How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (14)
    Se miran deliciosas ! where do you buy the crab meat?
    saludos desde California

    Reply

    • mmartinez

      Hello Claudia,
      Usually, any supermarket sells the crab meat in small plastic containers in their fridge section close to the seafood.

      Reply

  5. Rocio M Banda

    Hi Mely! Love your site! Glad to see food from Tamaulipas! I grew up in Anahuac, a small border town. I tried the dough recipe and required less beer/liquid than stated. I used a little more than half. My cooking instincts told me no to add everything at once. Also, I baked the empanadas instead of frying. I brush them with egg and turned beautiful!

    Reply

    • mmartinez

      Hello Rocio,
      Glad to know you follow your cooking skills when making the crab empanadas. Saludos! Thanks for the baking tips, I'm sure it will be of great help for other cooks.

      Reply

  6. Ros Emely

    This looks so good, I love empanadas and crab is one of my favorites 🙂

    Reply

  7. loves2spin

    Oh my! That sounds and looks so delicious!

    Reply

How to make Crab Empanadas Recipe | Mexican Food Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Which dough is best for empanadas? ›

If you're looking for a shortcut, store-bought pie dough can be used to make empanadas.

What is an empanada made of? ›

What Is An Empanada? Empanadas are crescent-shaped, savory pastries made of dough and filled with a variety of ingredients. Empanada filling varies greatly, and can include anything from beef, chicken, pork, tuna, shellfish, cheese, and / or vegetables, seasoned vibrantly, then baked or fried to perfection.

Are empanadas Mexican or Spanish? ›

Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The stuffing can consist of a variety of meats, vegetables, or even fruits. Empanadas have their origins in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal. They first appeared in Medieval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions.

What do you serve with empanadas? ›

Side Dishes
  • Instant Pot Mexican Rice. Are you on the hunt for an easy-to-make, spicy rice dish that pairs perfectly with meat-based empanadas? ...
  • Black Beans And Rice. ...
  • Authentic Homemade Refried Beans. ...
  • Plantain Chips. ...
  • Mexican Black Beans. ...
  • Cilantro Lime Rice. ...
  • Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob. ...
  • Mexican Sweet Corn Cakes.
Mar 9, 2024

Is it better to fry or bake empanadas? ›

Sometimes empanadas are fried, and sometimes they're baked. We love these baked empanadas for many reasons: Not only are they easier to cook, but they are also a healthier option. Bonus: you don't have to figure out what to do with a pot of hot frying oil when you're finished cooking.

Can you buy dough for empanadas? ›

Here's a delicious, flaky wrapper that's perfect for capturing all your favorite flavors: GOYA® Empanada Dough. Our line of ready-to-use flour dough discs are the #1 ingredient for preparing a wide variety of empanadas, a favorite in Latin America and around the world.

What is empanada called in English? ›

noun. pasty [noun] a small pie made by wrapping pastry around meat, vegetables, or cheese and baking it. pie [noun] food baked in a covering of pastry. (Translation of empanada from the PASSWORD Spanish–English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Is empanada dough the same as pie dough? ›

While empanadas are a type of hand pie, they're not made with the exact same dough you'd use for an apple pie crust. There are key differences in empanada dough that affect its texture, structure, and flavor. The main difference is that, unlike the flaky and crisp pie dough, dough for empanadas is meant to be tender.

Which country makes the best empanadas? ›

From Bolivia's salteñas to the Dominican Republic's catibias, just about every country makes their own version. Two countries, however are internationally renowned for their takes on the empanada: Colombia and Argentina.

Who eats empanadas? ›

As history progressed, Spanish colonists brought the dish with them to Latin America and the Philippines. Argentina has become world-famous for their empanadas which are widely available in Buenos Aires and across the country as fast-food options and restaurant staples.

What is the American version of empanadas? ›

The Many Names of Empanadas

For instance, Americans call them meat pies, and Jamaicans call them beef patties. At the same time, Indians call them samosas, and people in Latin America or Spain call them pastelillos or pastelitos. The glory of this dish is that there is not a right or wrong way to cook it.

What country invented empanadas? ›

Origins. The origin of empanadas is unknown, but they are thought to have originated in Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, Llibre del Coch by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.

What drink goes well with empanadas? ›

A chilled glass of either a full-bodied Tempranillo or red Rhône wine also works well with both ground and hand-sliced beef empanadas. Consider a white wine with good structure to go along with our Pollo Saltado Spicy empanada.

How many empanadas per meal? ›

When the empanada is served us as an appetizer before a meal, it is usual to calculate one or two normal sized empanadas per person. If it is to be the main player in a meal, five or six are considered normal. With a genuine regional empanada from an Estancia in Buenos Aires, it is essential to wrap a napkin.

Is an empanada a snack or meal? ›

Empanadas can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can be served as appetizers or snacks, but they can also easily make a full and satisfying meal. Some folks prefer them baked, while other like them fried.

What kind of dough are empanadas made of? ›

Similar to an American turnover but far more versatile, an empanada is a fried or baked pastry shaped like a crescent moon. Once the bread has been made with flour dough or corn flour dough, it's then stuffed with myriad fillings depending on the occasion and your taste.

Is empanada dough the same as tortilla dough? ›

There's not a lot of difference — chief one being that you use ice water with empanada dough, and hot water for tortillas. Another difference is the flour.

Is Goya empanada dough puff pastry? ›

GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking are versatile and convenient puff pastry discs, ideal for creating sweet or savory recipes with a gourmet touch. Just fill them with simple ingredients—like fruit, cheese, meats, or vegetables—and then bake them until crispy and golden brown.

Is empanada dough the same as pizza dough? ›

Pizza dough and empanada dough are different for one significant reason: Pizza dough uses yeast to allow it to rise, whereas empanada dough does not. Empanadas don't require resting time or lots of kneading. In fact, the less you work the dough, the better, as it leaves the pastry tender and flaky.

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