Empanadas - Latin American Hand Pies
Empanadas—filled pastries found across Latin America—became street food staple and food truck favorite 2012-2020, with regional variations sparking debates.
Regional Variations
Argentine: Baked, wheat dough, beef/onion filling, repulgue (crimped edge) art. Colombian: Fried, corn dough, potato/meat filling, served with aji sauce. Chilean: Baked, “pino” filling (beef, raisins, olives, egg). Cuban: Fried, picadillo (ground beef) filling.
Food Truck Era
Empanada trucks proliferated 2012-2016. Easy to eat one-handed, customizable fillings, affordable ($3-5 each). Became festival/event food staple.
Home Cooking Adoption
Goya discos (pre-made dough rounds) made empanadas accessible for home cooks. Air fryer adoption (2018+) revived fried empanada interest with less oil.
Cultural Pride
Each Latin American community claimed superiority of their empanada style. Instagram debates raged. Empanada festivals celebrated regional traditions.
Sources:
- Saveur: “Empanadas Around the World” (2015)
- Food52: “The Ultimate Empanada Guide” (2018)