So, first things first, what is an empanada? It’s a type of pastry that is quite popular in countries like Portugal. What makes it so popular is the fact that it’s a tasty pastry that’s normally filled with things like meat and cheese. Aside from just being a pastry filled with things like that, it’s crispy and delicious! The best part about all this is that it’s easy to store and reheat for later consumption. This makes empanadas a great snack for later or whenever you’re craving something like that. Anyways, empanadas are a great snack for whenever you’re feeling hungry for a cheesy and meaty treat.
In case you’ve ever bought too much for yourself, you can always store it away for later. Follow this guide to learn how you can store your empanadas away safely while reheating them properly as well. Also, here’s a small tip. Always make sure that you add a small dab of butter or fat spread onto your empanadas before reheating them. The butter and fat spread then melt into the pastry to make it exponentially better!
Can you eat empanadas the next day?
This depends on how well you’ve stored your empanadas away. In case you’ve left it out in the open for too long it may have gone bad. Aside from that, not leaving your empanadas out for long enough until it cools down leads to them getting super soggy the next day. Not only is this unappetizing but also stale to taste.
Furthermore, in case you haven’t stored your empanadas in an airtight container they may have lost their flaky texture. So, ensure that you always follow the proper steps in storing your empanadas away to enjoy them the next day. Aside from that, follow the proper steps to reheat your empanadas so that they won’t get burnt.
Is it safe to reheat empanadas?
Of course, it is! If you’ve followed the proper steps to store your food away, then your empanadas should be more than safe to enjoy the next day. However, the taste may not be as inviting as before. This is most likely because the empanadas were stored in a fridge overnight, causing them to lose most of their flavor.
Normally when this happens to me, I would refill my empanadas with some sauce or cheese to bring life back to their flavor. Aside from that I would use an air-fryer or oven to bake them back to their flaky textures, so they taste as good as new. Anyways, just follow this guide to safely reheat your empanadas.
Before jump in to the methods, I suggest you to read complete guide on how to reheat calzone.
How to reheat empanadas in an air fryer?
Now this is one of the ideal methods of reheating your empanadas. Not only does it evenly spread the heat over your empanadas, but it also gives them back their flaky texture. Furthermore, the cheese and meat inside are melted until it starts to ooze out into the pastry itself making each bite more mouth-watering than the last.
If I had to point out one downside to all of this, it’s just the size of the air-frying basket. This means that you’d have to repeatedly reheat your empanadas individually. Anyways, just follow these steps to get the best results:
- First, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
- Then proceed to place your empanadas in the air frying basket while evenly spacing them out. Try not to overlap them or else they might get burnt.
- Leave your empanadas to cook for 5-7 minutes until the crust is crispy.
- Occasionally shake the basket to flip each empanada over.
- As soon as you feel that your empanadas are hot enough, take them out with a spatula. Serve it hot to get the best taste out of it and enjoy!
Here’s a small tip to make your empanadas extra appetizing. Serve it with a small helping of mustard and mayo and believe me when I say that it’s exquisite!
One more thing, if you are truly enthusiast about mozzarella sticks, I suggest you to read complete guide on reheating mozzarella sticks.
How to reheat empanadas in an oven?
This method does take a couple of minutes to reheat the empanadas. However, it thoroughly reheats your empanadas to a crisp. While doing this the gooey cheese is brought back to life, spreading its flavor all over the pastry. I know all you pastry lovers are already mouth-watering. So, just follow these steps to reheat your empanadas properly:
- First preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Then go ahead and leave your empanadas out of the fridge to thaw for at least 10 minutes.
- Thereafter, you can place your empanadas on a baking sheet over an oven-safe tray.
- Proceed to place the tray in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the empanadas are hot to the center.
- As soon as you feel that your empanadas are ready to eat, take them out of the oven. Leave them to cool for a minute or two before serving. Enjoy!
How to reheat empanadas in a microwave?
This, in my opinion, is one of the quickest and most convenient ways of reheating your empanadas. Aside from taking a couple of seconds to reheat your empanadas, the cheese is melted too!
However, the pastry’s crust may not be as crispy as before. It may be a little soggy and soft since microwaves don’t heat the same as an oven. Just keep this in mind before you reheat your empanadas in a microwave. Now then, just follow these steps to get the most ideal result from reheating your empanadas in a microwave:
- Place your empanadas on a microwave-safe tray.
- Then proceed to cover your empanadas with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.
- Thereafter you can leave it in your microwave, at high power, for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- In case you feel that your empanadas aren’t hot enough. You can leave it in the microwave for another 15 seconds.
- Serve and enjoy your empanadas once they are done reheating!
If you want, you could enjoy your empanadas with a side of potato wedges. This normally makes me want to eat more empanadas, all the time.
How to reheat empanadas in a toaster oven?
To be honest, there isn’t much of a difference between heating your empanadas in a toaster oven and reheating it in an oven. The only noticeable difference is the temperature range and the size of the baking trays. Just make sure that you follow the proper steps so that you don’t burn yourself or the empanadas:
- Preheat your toaster oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Then proceed to place your empanadas into a baking tray over a baking sheet.
- Thereafter, go ahead and place your tray in the toaster oven. Leave it to heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Occasionally check on your empanadas to ensure that they aren’t overheated or burnt.
- Once your empanadas are hot enough, serve them fresh. Try not to burn yourself in the process.
Nachos are one of my favorite! This is how I used different methods to reheat nachos.
How to reheat empanadas in a deep fryer?
As greasy as this method sounds, it’s a very interesting way to bring life back to your empanadas. The crispiness of the pastry is immediately revived and given and made even tastier! Aside from that, the oil oozes into the cheese to make it even more mouth-watering. Each bite is simply an explosion of flavor. However, I can’t say that this method is the healthiest of the bunch. Just try not to get your fingers burnt while trying this method out:
- Preheat your deep fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Then go ahead and place your empanadas into the frying basket. Ensure that your frying basket isn’t overcrowded.
- Afterward, you can slowly lower the basket into the oil.
- Leave your empanadas to fry for 3-5 minutes until their crust is golden brown.
- As soon as your empanadas reach your desired crunchiness and temperature, take them out of the fryer. Then place it on a paper towel so the excess oil is drained out.
Always make sure that you take these steps slowly so that you don’t burn yourself or break the empanadas.
Average Time and Temperature for Preheating Empanadas
| Method | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Air fryer | 350°F (180°C) | 5-7 minutes |
| Oven | 350°F (175°C). | 10-15 minutes |
| Microwave | High power | 30 seconds to 1 minute |
| Toaster oven | 350°F (175°C) | 5-7 minutes |
| Deep fryer | 375°F (190°C) | 3-5 minutes |
How to store empanadas for reheating?
It’s quite simple. Simply follow the steps mentioned here:
- Ensure that your empanadas are at room temperature before you store them. Just leave them out in the open until it reaches room temperature.
- Thereafter place your empanadas in a dry, airtight container. Make sure that you place this container away from direct sunlight and in a cool and dry space.
- Furthermore, try not to let any air into your empanadas in the fridge as it may cause them to lose their flavor and go bad.
- Finally, keep any topping you received with your empanadas away and in another container.
How to keep empanadas moist?
Once again, the steps here are simple. While reheating your empanadas using things such as an oven, you can cover your empanadas with a damp paper towel to keep the moisture in. Aside from that you could brush your empanadas with oil before reheating them. Finally, the simplest and easiest way to dampen them is to just serve them with a dipping sauce. Like mayo!
What is the best method for reheating empanadas?
If I had to pick one, I would say that using an oven or air fryer is a good method. Not only is your empanada cooked and reheated to a crisp, but it’s also given a tasty and flaky texture. The cheese inside is melted until it oozes out from each bite making your empanadas twice as tempting to eat! Finally, these two methods are the healthiest and drain most of the oil before you can eat your empanadas.
