Ecuadorian Street Food: empanadas
Ecuador is located in the middle of the world and has four different regions, making eating an important part of the traveling experience for many.
To help you discover some of the country’s known and unknown cuisine, we have written a series of blog posts, each for a different dish or street food option.
In this article, we will discuss what empanadas are, the different types of empanadas we have in Ecuador, and more.
About empanadas
Ecuador is known for its empanadas, a popular and tasty snack or street food option.
Empanadas can be described as stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried, and it oftentimes translates as stuffed turnovers or hand-held pies.
The exact origin of empanadas is unknown, but it’s thought they’ve originated in Galicia – a region in northwest Spain. Nowadays, you can find empanadas in most Latin American countries, from Mexico in the North to Argentina in the South.
The dough of empanadas is made with different kinds of ingredients and fillings, depending on the local ingredients available.
If you are in South America, I would love to see your pictures.
Empanada de viento
Empanadas de viento or Ecuador’s airy empanadas (some translate them as wind empanadas) are mostly found in the highlands of Ecuador.
These empanadas are a delicious crunchy fried dough filled with stringy cheese with a bit of onion and sprinkled with sugar.
We have an article and videos for empanadas de viento here: https://visitecuadorandsouthamerica.com/en/empanadas-de-viento/.
They normally fit an appetizer plate, but restaurants are serving huge options that you can share.
Empanada de verde
Empanadas de verde is a green plantain empanada made with green plantain dough. These empanadas are stuffed with melted cheese or sometimes with shrimp, chicken, or meat picadillo.
They are normally deep-fried, but they can also be baked.
Empanadas de morocho
The dough of the empanadas de morocho or Ecuadorian corn empanadas is made with white corn and stuffed with cheese or different meat options along with peas, carrots, and rice. They are normally deep-fried and they become incredibly crunchy and crispy.
How and where to eat empanadas
Empanadas are popular street food in Ecuador, so you will be able to find empanadas in many places in all four regions of the country.
We love empanadas in Ecuador, so most restaurants serving traditional food will also have empanadas on their menus.
Empanadas de morocho and empanadas de verde are often served with spicy aji chili sauce, and empandas de viento are served with sugar. You can enjoy all three empanadas with a nice glass of fresh juice or a warm cup of coffee or cacao.
Crunchy outside and tasty, squishy on the inside, empanadas are definitely snacks you must try while in Ecuador.
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