Air Fryer Recipe
Chorizo and Sweet Potato Empanadas
Chorizo and sweet potato empanadas are full of flavour and simple to make, with the air fryer giving them a lovely crisp finish.
Ingredients
- 250g chorizo, removed from its casing
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for glaze)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A splash of olive oil
Method
- Warm a splash of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic, then sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add the chorizo and cook until it begins to brown and release its oils.
- Stir in the diced sweet potatoes and smoked paprika, then cook until the potatoes are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper, take off the heat and leave to cool.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into 10cm diameter circles.
- Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the centre of each pastry circle.
- Fold the pastry over to make a half-moon shape, then seal the edges with a fork.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Arrange the empanadas in the air fryer basket and air fry for 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
Why this works in an air fryer
Chorizo renders paprika-rich fat, coating the sweet potato so the filling stays moist while the puff pastry needs dry, fast convection to lift its layers. Cooling the filling prevents steam and melted butter in the pastry from collapsing the seal, giving crisp edges rather than a greasy leak.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 4–6 empanadas with space between them; in a single-drawer air fryer cook in batches on the crisper plate, while dual-zone models may brown unevenly, so swap drawers or rotate the empanadas after 8 minutes and expect 1–3 minutes extra if both zones are full.
Common pitfalls
- Pastry splitting at the crimp with orange oil leaking out? The filling was too hot or overfilled; cool it until barely warm and use a level tablespoon, then press the fork seal firmly without stretching the pastry.
- Pale, soft bottoms after 15 minutes? The empanadas are sitting in rendered fat or too close together; use the raised crisper plate, leave gaps for airflow and add 2–4 minutes, turning once if the base is still doughy.
- Dark tops but raw-looking pastry at the seam? The pastry circles are too thick or the air fryer runs hot; roll to about 3mm, reduce to 170°C and cook a few minutes longer so heat reaches the folded edge.
- Filling tastes flat or greasy? Chorizo varies in salt and fat; drain off excess oil after browning and season only after the sweet potato is tender, adding a small squeeze of lemon or sherry vinegar if it needs lift.
Variations & substitutions
- Use shortcrust pastry instead of puff for a sturdier, less flaky empanada; it usually needs 2–3 minutes longer because it browns more slowly in the air fryer.
- Swap sweet potato for butternut squash cut into small dice; it releases more moisture, so cook the filling until the pan looks dry before cooling.
- Use cooking chorizo for a softer, juicier filling or cured chorizo for a firmer bite; cured pieces brown faster, so add them after the sweet potato has started to soften.
- Add grated mature Cheddar or Manchego to the cooled filling; keep the quantity modest so melted cheese does not force open the crimped seam.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked empanadas chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the centre is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
