Empanadas Are The Genius Way To Enjoy A Handheld Breakfast

Let's face it: A well-rounded breakfast is aspirational for busy people. A lot of mornings all we have time for is a cup of coffee, but it doesn't have to be this way for the most important meal of the day. A well-balanced, handheld breakfast from home is a lot easier than you think — as long as you can make a simple empanada.

Long before there were Hot Pockets, people have been making these Latin American-style turnovers stuffed with savory and sweet fillings, and you can do it too. In fact, a batch of breakfast empanadas are a genius way to prep a weeks' worth of hot breakfasts that are perfect on the go. All you need is empanada dough, breakfast fillings like eggs, bacon, sausage, and veggies, and some shredded cheese. Assembly only takes a few minutes, and they can be reheated quickly in the microwave or air fryer on the way out the door in the morning.

There are no rules to making breakfast empanadas. Whatever you like to eat in a breakfast sandwich is fair game, of course, but since the filling is enclosed in a tasty outer crust you can even get away with filling them with smaller, messier ingredients that a sandwich can't handle. You don't even need to know how to make empanada dough, either, just grab a can of biscuits from the grocery store and roll out the dough. The biggest choice, really, is whether to go savory or sweet.

For savory breakfast empanadas, the basics are easy: Scrambled eggs, cooked breakfast meat, and cheese. You can also take some cues from empanadas' origins and add some adobo spice, zesty salsa, or chorizo and potato. If you're vegan or vegetarian, skip the meat and add the vegetables of your choice (roasted sweet potato and black bean are a great combo) and some plant-based cheese. Remember to sauté vegetables like peppers, tomatoes or onions first to release the moisture, before adding them to the filling. 

If you're more of a sweet breakfast person, try filling your empanadas with some diced apples and a teaspoon of maple syrup (sort of like Taco Bell's discontinued caramel apple empanadas). To avoid too much moisture being released when baking, you should caramelize your apples first in a pan. Or you can give in to the pumpkin spice latte craze and stuff them with squash and a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

Once you've assembled your empanadas, either store them uncooked in the freezer until you're ready to bake, or bake them and store them in the fridge. Unbaked empanadas will be good in the freezer for about three months, and cooked empanadas are safe for up to seven days in the fridge. When you're ready for a quick breakfast, simply pop a frozen empanada in the oven to bake, or reheat your cooked pastries in the microwave or air fryer and you're off and running.