Wed, 06 May 2026 01:48:19 +0000

Why All Empanada Dough Recipes Hide the Same Surprising Shortcut Ever noticed how every empanada dough recipe—whether from a bustling kitchen in Argentina, a cozy home cook in Mexico, or a busy restaurant in Chile—seems to follow a similar, hidden shortcut? Despite variations in ingredients or techniques, the best empanada dough rolls out with surprising consistency. The secret? A common trick that simplifies home cooking and elevates restaurant-quality results: overworking (and then resting) the dough properly. ### The Hidden Shortcut: Resting the Dough to Save Time (and Ingredients) Most empanada dough recipes begin with simple ingredients: flour, fat (butter or lard), water, and a pinch of salt. But here’s the underrated game-changer: skipping the immediate kneading and letting the dough rest. This brief pause—often just 15 to 30 minutes—does more than just hydrate the flour. It relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to roll out without shrinking or tearing.