Breakfast Empanadas
If you like breakfast burritos, then you have to try breakfast empanadas: Pockets of flaky empanada dough are filled with breakfast ingredients such as eggs, sausage, bacon, and cheese, and are baked until crispy.
Empanadas for breakfast? Why not?
We’ve already done pizza for breakfast, a 30-second breakfast, and an 80-cent breakfast sandwich. These portable breakfast empanadas are the logical next step.
Traditional South American empanadas are filled with meat, hard-boiled eggs, olives, chicken, and other ingredients.
These breakfast empanadas are filled with yummy, budget-friendly breakfast ingredients:
- Roasted potatoes
- Scrambled eggs
- Homemade sausage
- Cheese
You can fill these with other breakfast ingredients that you may have on hand – chorizo, bacon, sautéed onions, etc. Just make sure the ingredient is pre-cooked before adding it to the filling (sautéed green onions instead of raw, for example).
Where To Buy Empanada Wrappers
I purchased empanada wrappers at a local Mexican grocery store. One package of 10 wrappers cost $2.89. All in all, each empanada cost about 85 cents each. Not bad for a hearty, on-the-go breakfast!
You can also make your own empanada dough (try this recipe).
Make-Ahead Breakfast Empanadas
Speaking of on-the-go breakfast, these empanadas can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast on the go. Once you’ve baked the empanadas, let them cool, package them individually, and place them in the freezer.
Simply reheat in the microwave.
How To Make Breakfast Empanadas
To assemble the empanadas, place a scoop of filling (recipe below) in the middle of the empanada wrapper. Fold over and seal the edges with a fork.
Brush with egg wash, bake, and enjoy with your favorite salsa on the side.
Empanadas are fun and easy to make – and are completely customizable.
They can be filled with all sorts of ingredients from ground beef to cheese to turkey to vegetables and everything in between. 
Get the recipe: Leftover turkey empanadas with a roasted red pepper sauce
Get the recipe: Foolproof ground beef empanadas (Argentine style)
Breakfast Empanadas Recipe
Save money by using ingredients you already have on hand. Sub bacon for the sausage or skip meat altogether. Use another type of cheese instead of purchasing a whole package of cheddar. Use your imagination - these are hard to screw up!
Ingredients
- 1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons whole milk or cream
- 1/8 cup cooked breakfast sausage, crumbled
- 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Hot sauce or salsa, to taste
- 6 empanada wrappers (5 inches across)
- 1 egg white, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Toss potato cubes with olive oil and spices. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until fork-tender and slightly browned on the outside. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 400F.
- Beat eggs with milk. Season with salt and pepper. Heat in a skillet and scramble the eggs (don't overcook!). Set aside to cool.
- Combine potatoes, onions, eggs, sausage, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add a bit of hot sauce or your favorite salsa, if desired.
- Place empanada wrappers on clean kitchen countertop. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each empanada wrapper. Fold the wrapper over and secure the edges by pressing down with a fork. Continue until all the empanadas are prepared. Brush the outside with egg white.
- Bake empanadas for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with salsa on the side.
I love anything-breakfast. I can hardly wait to make these yummy looking breakfast treats.
1/8 cup sausage? Can’t be right, look at the photo.
Hi Donna. You can definitely up the sausage amount to 1/4 cup or even more. But the empanadas don’t hold a lot of filling. Feel free to play around with different filling amounts. Thanks.
These look and sound delicious. I have never used empanada wrappers before, but I am going to try your recipe this weekend and give it a whirl!
Onion isn’t in the recipe ingredients but one step says to combine the onion?
Sorry about that! Just revised the recipe.