⏳ Yield & Time

Yield: 6 servings

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

🍽 Ingredients

• 1 cup, diced Butternut squash
• 1/2 cup, diced Carrots
• 1/2 cup, diced Zucchini
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Herbs (thyme, rosemary, etc.)
• 1 package Empanada dough (store-bought or homemade)
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar

📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This is crucial for perfectly roasted veggies and beautifully browned empanadas.
2. Chop your vegetables: Dice the butternut squash, carrots, and zucchini into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Aim for a fairly consistent size to ensure even roasting. Don't forget to peel the carrots – nobody likes a surprise carrot peel in their empanada!
3. Toss the veggies: In a large bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs (I love thyme and rosemary!). Make sure every piece is nicely coated.
4. Roast the veggies: Spread the veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized. Give them a stir halfway through for even cooking. If they start to brown too quickly, just lower the oven temperature a bit.
5. Prepare the balsamic glaze (optional, but highly recommended!): In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of sugar. Simmer in a saucepan over low heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until slightly thickened. This adds a touch of sweet and tangy magic.
6. Make the empanada dough (or use store-bought!): If you're feeling ambitious, make your own empanada dough. Lots of recipes are online. If not, store-bought dough works just fine. Trust me – I have totally used store-bought dough in a pinch!
7. Assemble the empanadas: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your empanada dough. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter or a knife to cut out circles. Place a spoonful of the roasted vegetable filling in the center of each circle.
8. Fold and crimp: Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork to seal them. Make sure they are totally sealed – otherwise your amazing filling will leak!
9. Bake the empanadas: Place the empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Watch them carefully! You don't want to burn them – those burnt edges are bitter!
10. Drizzle with glaze: Once the empanadas are out of the oven and slightly cooled, drizzle them with the balsamic glaze. It adds a gorgeous shine and complements the roasted vegetables perfectly. Enjoy your culinary masterpiece!

📝 Notes

• Feel free to adjust the herbs and spices to your liking. Experiment with different herbs – I’ve used oregano before, and it works well too!
• For a spicier kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• If using homemade dough, make sure to follow your recipe's instructions for rolling and crimping. I prefer my dough to be rolled out nice and thin – about 1/8th of an inch – it makes the empanadas crispier.
• Store-bought dough should be at room temp before you start the rolling process. Also, you should lightly flour the surface, and use a nice rolling pin, and make sure to work with your dough swiftly and gently, handling it as little as possible to avoid stretching it too much, leading to tearing. This usually takes me about 15-20 minutes, including the crimping process. It's important to note that making empanadas can be a little time consuming, particularly when working with homemade dough, which can be more challenging to roll out and handle without tearing.