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Dominican Republic365
SnackDominican dish

Empanada Dominicana

The golden, crispy pocket of flavor

Total time90 min
Serves6
DifficultyMedium
SpiceMild
Street food
Meal type
Snack
Region
National
Prep time
60 min
Cook time
30 min
The dish

About Empanadas Dominicanas

Empanadas Dominicanas include wheat-flour empanadas and catibías, the cassava-flour variety. This yuca dough fries up into a unique texture that is crispy and crunchy on the outside with a slightly chewy, almost translucent quality. Filled with seasoned ground beef, chicken, or cheese, Dominican empanadas are a beloved street snack and fritura (fried food) staple.

The use of yuca flour sets Dominican empanadas apart from the empanadas of Argentina, Colombia, or Mexico. This is a direct link to the island's Taino heritage — yuca was the Taino people's most important food crop, and its incorporation into the empanada represents the Dominican genius for blending indigenous, Spanish, and African food traditions into something entirely new. Empanadas are sold at virtually every fritura stand in the country and are a quintessential Dominican snack food.

For the yuca variety, the dough technique is:

  • The dough: Cassava flour is mixed with salt, oil, and boiling-hot water. The flour can be made by grating and squeezing yuca, or bought ready-made.
  • The filling: The most common filling is seasoned ground beef (carne molida) cooked with sofrito, tomato paste, and olives. Chicken and cheese fillings are also popular.
  • Assembly: Small portions of dough are flattened into circles, filled with a spoonful of the meat mixture, folded into half-moons, and the edges crimped firmly to seal.
  • Frying: The empanadas are deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown and crispy, typically 3-4 minutes per side.

The yuca dough behaves differently from wheat dough — it is more fragile when raw but fries into a satisfyingly crisp shell. Traditional Dominican empanadas can also be made with wheat-flour dough.

What goes in

Key ingredients

flourbuttersaltwaterground beefsofritotomato pasteoniongarlichard-boiled eggsraisinsvegetable oilpepper
Make it at home

How to make Empanada Dominicana

  1. 1

    In a large bowl, combine flour with a pinch of salt and cut in the softened butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add cold water gradually and knead briefly into a smooth, firm dough, then cover and rest it for 20 minutes.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the ground beef with diced onion and garlic, breaking it up as it browns, for about 6 to 8 minutes.

  3. 3

    Stir in the sofrito and tomato paste with a splash of water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the filling is thick and no longer watery. Take it off the heat and stir in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and raisins, then let it cool.

  4. 4

    Divide the dough into balls and roll each one out on a floured surface into a thin circle about the size of a small plate.

  5. 5

    Spoon a portion of the cooled filling onto one half of each circle, leaving a clear border around the edge.

  6. 6

    Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape, press the edges together firmly, then crimp with a fork or fold them into small pleats to seal tightly.

  7. 7

    Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to about 175C and fry the empanadas in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.

  8. 8

    Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot on their own or with a side of hot sauce.

A home-style reference method; every family and kitchen has its own version.

Facts on this page were last compared with their sources on . Details may have changed since. How we check

Good to know

Empanada Dominicana questions

What is an empanada dominicana?

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Dominican empanadas are savory turnovers made with wheat-flour or cassava-flour dough; the cassava-flour variety is called empanadas de yuca or catibías. They are filled with seasoned ground beef, chicken, or cheese, then deep-fried until golden and crispy. The yuca dough gives them a distinctly crunchy exterior and chewy interior that sets them apart from empanadas in other Latin American countries.

How are Dominican empanadas different from other empanadas?

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The key difference is the dough. Dominican empanadas can use wheat-flour dough or cassava-flour dough. Some varieties also use flour-based dough, but the yuca version (catibia) is the most distinctly Dominican. They are often deep-fried, but baked versions also exist.

What fillings are available in Dominican empanadas?

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The most popular fillings are seasoned ground beef (carne molida), shredded chicken, and white cheese. Some vendors also offer seafood fillings like shrimp or crab. The meat fillings are well-seasoned with sofrito, oregano, and tomato, creating a savory interior that contrasts beautifully with the crispy shell. Cheese empanadas are especially popular as a quick snack.

Where can I find Dominican empanadas?

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Empanadas are sold at bakeries (panaderias), street food stands, and frituras (fry shops) throughout the Dominican Republic. Many vendors specialize in empanadas and fry them fresh to order. They are a common grab-and-go breakfast or snack option. Supermarkets also sell frozen empanadas for home preparation, but the freshly fried versions from street vendors are far superior.

Are Dominican empanadas gluten-free?

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Traditional yuca-based Dominican empanadas (catibias) are naturally gluten-free since yuca does not contain gluten. However, some establishments make empanadas with wheat flour dough, which does contain gluten. If you need a gluten-free option, ask for empanadas de yuca or catibías, then confirm the ingredients are gluten-free and that preparation uses clean equipment and clean oil or a separate fryer.
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