These to-die-for Venezuelan Cheese and Ham Empanadas are filled with gooey cheese and savory ham. This recipe is sure to please just about every cheese lover and will become an instant favorite!!
Happy Tuesday my friends!! Did you have a good Labor Day weekend? Ours was fantastic. Just like these empanadas look!
Weekend highlights:
These Cheese and Ham Empanadas!!
This time I filled the empanadas with a combination of Mozzarella Shredded cheese and ham. This combination is one of our favorites. Simple, yet delicious!
Let’s be honest! Empanadas are always good. No matter what dough they are made of, what filling they have, or if they are baked or fried.
I would never turn down an empanada. But this time the filling was so cheesy and creamy that I cannot wait to make them again. I think what made the difference was the touch of Philadelphia the mozzarella had.
These Cheese and Ham Empanadas are a simple and delicious meal solution for many occasions. Perfect for school lunches, as an appetizer for a get-together, or just something different for dinner.
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Venezuelan Cheese and Ham Empanadas
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1 cup sliced ham, chopped
Dough:
- 2 cups (240 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) grabulated sugar (optional, see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups Harina P.A.N (pre-cooked white maize meal)
- 1/4 cup (35 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- Oil to fry (I use corn oil)
- Guasacasa for serving (optional)
Important
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Instructions
Filling:
- In a medium bowl mix shredded cheese and ham. Set aside.
Make the dough:
- Wash your hands. Add water, salt, and sugar to a medium bowl. Mix until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Then, add Harina P.A.N, flour, and baking powder to the bowl. Slowly mix/incorporate with your hands, making circular movements and breaking any lumps that may form with your finger. Knead until the dough comes together. When the dough looks homogeneous and all the dry ingredients have incorporated evenly, let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
- After 5 minutes, the dough should be firm enough to hold its shape without cracking when molded. If it is too soft, add a little more harina P.A.N.; if it is too hard, add a little more water.
Form the empanadas:
- Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and form into little balls (golf ball size).
- Then place one dough ball between two pieces of lightly greased heavy-duty plastic wrap (I like to cut up a large resealable bag—it works perfectly!). Gently flatten with your hands out into a 5-inch circle. Peel off the top piece of plastic, place a heaping spoonful of filling in the center, then use the bottom piece of plastic to help you fold the dough over the filling, forming a half-moon. Press the edges to seal, then either trim the edges with a knife or press down with the rim of a bowl to shape it nicely. Carefully remove the plastic and place your empanada on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough balls.
Fry the empanadas:
- Heat 2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350º F. Fry the empanadas in batches until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet; keep warm in the oven at 300º F.
- Serve hot.
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I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This post was sponsored by Collective Bias and Kraft.
Hola .. I used to live on caracas .when it was lovely and civilized … originally from Portugal .. and loved the empanadas .. never made them so I tried your recipe .. the dough ingredients are off .. have you actually tested it ?.. we had to add so much more arena Pan… they were too soft and falling apart otherwise .. I also think a bit less sugar is needed ..finally after much tweaking and a mess I was able to get four empanadas .. please revisit this recipe ?
Hello Nathan, I am sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. I make empanadas for my family every other week and this recipe works perfectly. I would recommend to carefully measure the ingredients next time, and of course, you can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking, or just omit it. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Ty for the reply ! Perhaps you can help me as I love vnzlan empanadas .. I measured very carefully .. how do you measure the flours .. with a scoop? And how do u measure the water ? With sane scoop or cup ?Also what temp is the water .?i will retry it as yours looks amazing !
Ty for the reply ! Perhaps you can help me as I love vnzlan empanadas .. I measured very carefully .. how do you measure the flours .. with a scoop? And how do u measure the water ? With sane scoop or cup ?Also what temp is the water .?i will retry it as yours looks amazing !
Hello Nathan! I usually measure ingredients with a measuring cup; 1 cup water = 240 ml, 1 cup Harina PAN = 150 gr. I will publish a video soon about how to make arepas and empanadas. Stay tuned.
Hi Oriana,
I am going to try to make these for a wedding as an appetizer. There will be Venezuelans. Are there any other smallish appetizers that you would recommend that would be easy for this Latina Americana to make?
Hello Connie! Here are a few ideas: Tostones (https://mommyshomecooking.com/how-to-make-tostones/), Guasacaca (https://mommyshomecooking.com/easy-avocado-sauce/) Mango ceviche (https://mommyshomecooking.com/easy-fish-and-mango-ceviche/) Chorizo empanadas (https://mommyshomecooking.com/mini-spicy-pork-chorizo-empanadas/) Tequeños, this a classic (https://mommyshomecooking.com/eggless-venezuelan-tequenos/) Hope this help! =)
These did not come out the way my momma makes them
Hello Ishmael! Mami always is the BEST. Thanks for trying my recipe though.
Not shabby.
This dough was very hard to work with: the ham poked through the dough regularly, and I was constantly fixing holes in the dough with more of the corn meal mix. The empanadas cracked even more easily as I dropped them into the oil. I must not have added enough pre-cooked white maize meal.
But, once I got the hang of it, I was able to make them come out okay.
The favors were simple and tasty. The empanadas kept well in the fridge and reheated well enough in the oven. Something like 350 degrees for 10 minutes, iirc.
For what it’s worth: pre-cooked white maize meal is NOT the same as regular old corn meal. I was able to find the pre-cooked white maize meal in my local grocery store, but it was in the flour section, not the section with the other corn meal and grains.
*flavors
I am sad to admit that I have never had empanadas! I have some Kraft Mozzarella in the fridge so I think I’ll have to grab some of the other ingredients and make your recipe my first attempt at making this delicious looking recipe! #client
I love empanadas! I’ve never had ham ones. These look soo yummy! can’t wait to give them a try 🙂 Pinned!