empanada

[em-puh-nah-duh, em-pah-nah-thah]

noun

Latin-American Cooking.

1. a turnover or mold of pastry filled with chopped or ground meat, vegetables, fruit, etc., and usually baked or fried.

Word History and Origins

Origin of empanada¹

First recorded in 1920–25; from Latin American Spanish, equivalent to em- em- ¹ + pan “bread” + -ada, feminine of -ado -ate ¹

Example Sentences

The rest of the menu is just as impressive, featuring Argentine empanadas with a variety of fillings, provoleta — a gooey roasted cheese — pastas, prosciutto served with melon, and multiple potato sides.

From Salon

We brunched on the restaurant’s chorizo omelet, braised beef empanadas and a towering lemon berry French toast.

From Los Angeles Times

Martínez said she enjoyed trying Argentine specialties including empanadas and yerba mate and also came away with a deep fascination for Wilson’s phalaropes.

From Los Angeles Times

After he finishes the empanadas, he cleans his station and squeezes his body around a tight space.

From Los Angeles Times

Five stories up, in a sunny event space tucked away in New York City's Little Italy earlier this month, chefs had been busy preparing chicken lo mein noodles, empanadas, and shawarma.

From Salon