Mexican Street Corn Empanadas

These savory Street Corn Empanadas will be your new favorite dish, with delicious Mexican street corn and soft dough paired with your favorite salsa.

This recipe is one that you’re going to want to write down on a recipe card, because you’ll probably be making it again and again thanks to how delicious it is.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect side dish or a main course, these Street Corn Empanadas are a great addition to the dinner table.

The zesty taste of the street corn mixed with the crunchy shell of the corn empanadas makes for a unique and flavorful food to serve your family.

You can also make this delicious street corn salad and serve it in Wonton Cups for a fun appetizer!

My Favorite Empanada Recipes

• Spicy Sausage Empanadas
• Taco Empanadas
• Caramel Apple Empanadas
• Sweet Potato Empanadas
• Beef empanada recipe

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Ingredients Needed

Corn – For this corn empanadas, I use frozen white corn kernels but you can also use a yellow or sweet corn mixture.

Red onion – Use white or yellow onion if you don’t have a red one.

Limes – The limes will be used for lime juice and zest, which can be substituted for bottled lime juice.

Red bell pepper – I like red peppers for this recipe, but any color pepper works.

Cilantro – Choose fresh cilantro if possible. If not, you can use dried cilantro as well.

Jalapenos – Jalapenos can be replaced with cayenne pepper as needed.

Sour cream – Substitute with greek yogurt or whole milk if you don’t have sour cream.

Cotija cheese – Feta cheese is a good swap for Cotija cheese.

Empanada dough – No premade empanada dough? You can make your own homemade dough with just a few simple ingredients.

Salsa – Every salsa is a little different, so pick an easy salsa recipe or pico de gallo that you prefer.

Kitchen staples – Unsalted butter.

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How To Make Street Corn Empanadas Recipe

First: Preheat your air fryer to 325F. Prepare the corn salad.

Second: Add a few tablespoons of your street corn to the center of your dough. 

Third: Fold dough in half to create a half-moon shape. Press out air from edges of dough. 

Fourth: Press edges of the empanada to create a good seal. Crimp side of the dough with a fork or fold over edges of the circle. 

Fifth: Brush edges and top with non-stick spray or egg wash made from egg yolk. Place empanadas into air fryer and cook for 20 minutes at 325F. 

Sixth: Cook until golden brown. Let cool for 2 – 3 minutes. Serve with salsa or pico de gallo.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How long do they last? 

One of the best parts about this recipe is that you can make these ahead of time and save them in the fridge for a few days.

Or pop them in the freezer to have as a nice little snack when you want something different.

For the fridge, make sure to place them in an airtight container. For freezing, I recommend using a plastic bag. Look for freezer-safe bags specifically at the grocery store.

Make sure to remove as much of the air as possible before sticking them in the freezer.

What’s the best way to reheat them?

There are a few different ways you can reheat your empanadas once you’re ready to serve them. Over medium heat to medium-high heat, place 2 – 3 inches of oil in a large skillet and wait until warm.

Once heated, place empanadas in the oil, making sure to flip after they’ve browned. Once they’re golden brown on both sides, you can remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Allow them to cool to room temperature before serving.

If you want to use less oil, you can also layer parchment paper over a few large baking sheets. Lay out your ground beef empanadas on the prepared baking sheet, and place in the oven.

Let bake for a little longer than the recipe suggests, or until heated thoroughly before removing the lined baking sheet from the oven and letting them cool.

Can I make my own empanada dough?

Although you can find the full dough recipe, there is an easy way to make your own dough for this recipe.

All you will need is a food processor, some masa harina or corn flour (you can also use wheat flour if you prefer), salt, butter, an egg, and a few cups water.

In the food processor, mix your teaspoon salt and flour. Add butter and pulse. Incorporate your egg, and a small amount of water at a time around a tablespoon water. Combine between each step until a paste form from the egg mixture and you have a smooth dough ball.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can do the above by mixing the ingredients in a large bowl with your hands.

Make sure to coat your work surface in a handful of flour to avoid sticking. Divide dough into two sections and shape each piece of dough into two small balls on the lightly floured surface.

If you want, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it to be used later.

With a rolling pin, flatten the dough before cutting out circles for your empanadas with a pastry cutter or knife.

If you have a tortilla press, this can also be used to flatten the empanada dough into circles. Lastly, you can follow the steps provided in the recipe to create these delicious vegetarian empanadas.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can prepare the empanadas and freeze before cooking or after cooking! You can even bake them in the oven.

Can I use store bought corn salad?

Sure you can! I use store-bought empanada dough sometimes too.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• For some protein, try adding some cooked black beans to your corn mixture before sealing it in your corn dough.
• If you usually prefer a super crunchy exterior on your Colombian empanadas, I recommend you heat oil in a medium pot and deep fry them for best results.
• To see if the oil is warm enough, you can stick the end of a wooden spoon in. If it bubbles, then you know the oil is at medium-high heat.
• Rather than using a fork, you can also use the tip of your finger for sealing your empanadas.
• If you want a little more spice, add black pepper and chili powder to your street corn mixture. Top your empanadas with sesame seeds for some extra crunch.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

This recipe for Street Corn Empanadas is as delicious as it is easy to make, and I highly recommend trying it for yourself. It can be made as an easy side dish or a main course, and paired with a number of different Mexican dishes you can make a full meal.

(Originally published 07/26/19 – photos and recipe notes updated to improve user experience)

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