Easy Vegan Corn Empanadas
Ingredients:
For the Empanada Dough:
3 cup All Purpose Flour (Organic When Possible)
3/4 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk, canned
2/3 cup Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 tbsp Filtered Water, if necessary
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Plant Based Milk (optional, for brushing Empanadas)
For the Corn Filling:
1 1/4 cup Fresh Corn, removed from cob
1 Yellow Onion
1/4 cup Roasted Red Peppers, finely diced
1 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk, canned
1/2 tsp Salt
Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the Flour and Salt. Stir Well.
Add the Cannelini Beans and 3/4 cup of Coconut Milk to a Blender or powerful Food Processor. Blend for 60-90 seconds, until the beans have broken down and only smooth liquid remains.
Pour the liquid mixture gradually into a bowl, and "cut" the liquid into the dough using knives or a pastry cutter. Once this becomes to difficult, knead the dough with your hands until all of the flour has been incorporated. If you find the dough to be too dry still, add water in 1 tbsp increments until the dough becomes soft and slightly sticky
Divide the dough in half and roll out each half between two sheets of parchment or wax paper, until about 1/8" thin. Place in the fridge and let chill while you prepare the Corn Filling.
Add a splash of water to a medium pot and bring to medium heat. Once warm, add in the diced Yellow Onion and cook until translucent, about 5 or so minutes.
Add in the diced Roasted Red Pepper, Corn, Salt, and a generous amount of Black Pepper. Pour 1 cup of Coconut Milk over this mixture, and bring to a simmer.
Let simmer for 15-20 Minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes before handling.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Remove the empanada dough from the fridge and roll it out one more time to ensure it is nice and thin. Use a round cookie cutter or rim from a heavy glass to cut the dough into circular shapes; I was able to make around 18.
To fill each empanada, spread the dough round out with your fingers, then place about 1-2 tbsp of corn filling into the center of the round. Use your fingers to pinch the round closed (into a half moon shape), then seal the ends as desired, using either a fork or your favorite folding technique Note: if this step is confusing for you, I would suggest you watch the recipe video in this blog post
Place the empanadas on a lined baking sheet and lightly brush with plant based milk, if desired (this will make them more golden on the outside).
Bake the empanadas for 30-35 minutes at 350F, or until golden.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. It is best to reheat these on the stovetop or oven in place of a microwave.
Recipe Notes:
I would strongly advise against substituting anything for the Flour or Full Fat Coconut Milk. // Frozen Corn can be substituted for Fresh, but this will affect the flavors of the recipe.
