Last week, I opened my phone and kept seeing the same food over and over again. Scroll after scroll. Every video showed these bright orange empanadas being cracked open, revealing shredded papaya, longganisa, mung beans, and egg inside. And the best part? They were always served with one of my all-time favorite dipping sauces: spicy vinegar. At that point, I couldn’t escape it. After the tenth video, I was convinced I had to try it.
I’ve made over 22 Filipino dishes, so I thought this would be a walk in the park. Let me tell you something… making Ilocos Empanadas humbled me real quick. The prep time is a bit long, and getting the dough consistency just right can be tricky. There were a few moments in the kitchen where I definitely had to take a deep breath. But after a little trial and error, I finally got it down. And trust me, once you bite into that crispy shell with the savory filling and spicy vinegar? It’s worth every second. So let’s get into exactly how I made them and what you can do to make your experience smoother than mine.
What Are Ilocos Empanadas?
Ilocos Empanadas are a famous Filipino street food that originated in the Ilocos region of the Philippines, particularly in Vigan and Laoag.
Unlike Latin American empanadas, these are made with a rice flour dough colored with annatto, which gives them their signature orange color and crispy texture when fried.
They’re typically filled with:
• Longganisa (Filipino sausage)
• Shredded green papaya
• Mung beans
• A whole egg
Once assembled, the empanada is deep fried until crispy and served with a garlicky spiced vinegar dipping sauce. The contrast between the crunchy shell, savory filling, and tangy vinegar is what makes Ilocos Empanadas so addictive.
If you enjoy Filipino street foods and comfort dishes like Sizzling Sisig or Turon, this is another must-try recipe.
Ilocos Empanada Ingredients
- Mung Beans: These add a soft texture and mild nutty flavor to the filling.
- Longganisa: A sausage that brings savory, garlicky flavor to the empanada.
- Green Papaya: Shredded papaya adds freshness and a slight crunch.
- Eggs: Each empanada gets a whole egg in the center.
- Rice Flour: Used to create the crispy dough shell.
- Annatto Seeds or Annatto Powder: This gives the dough its signature orange color.
- Oil: Used to infuse the annatto color and for deep frying.
- Salt & Pepper: For seasoning.
- Spicy Vinegar Sauce: Made with vinegar, garlic, Thai chilies, and calamansi.
How to Make Ilocos Empanadas
Start by cooking the mung beans. Cover them with water and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until tender. You’ll know they’re ready when the beans still hold their shape but easily smash when you press one between your fingers. Drain and set aside.
Start by peeling and deseeding the papaya, then shred it. Sprinkle the shredded papaya with about 2 tablespoons of salt, mix well, and let it sit for 15 minutes to help draw out excess moisture. After the 15 minutes, place the papaya in cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This helps keep the empanadas crispy when frying.
Now let’s talk about the longganisa. I actually used longaniza from the Mexican market meat department. It looks very similar to Filipino longganisa since it also comes encased, but it’s a little more red and slightly spicier instead of sweet. To prepare it, remove the casing and add the sausage meat to a pan over medium heat. Use a meat chopper or spatula to break the meat apart while it cooks. Once the sausage is fully cooked and crumbly, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool before using it in the empanadas.
Next, make the annatto oil. In a pan, heat 6 tablespoons of oil and add 2 tablespoons of annatto seeds. Cook until the oil becomes fragrant and the color begins to bleed into the oil. Remove from heat and strain out the seeds. If you’re using annatto powder, you can skip this step and simply mix 1–2 tablespoons into the boiling water along with 4 tablespoons of oil when making the dough.
Now it’s time to make the dough, which is the most important part of the recipe. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil along with 4 tablespoons of annatto oil and salt and pepper to taste. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and slowly stir in the rice flour one cup at a time. The mixture will look crumbly at first. That’s normal. Transfer the dough to a bowl or work surface and knead it until smooth. The dough will be extremely hot, so wearing gloves helps a lot. Once smooth, place the dough in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
To assemble the empanadas, take about 3 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten it into a thin round using a rolling pin and plastic wrap. Add the papaya and mung bean mixture in a curved line on one side, place the cooked longganisa along the opposite curve, and leave a small space in the center to crack the egg. Fold the dough over to seal the empanada and press the edges closed. Trim any excess dough if needed. Deep fry the empanadas until they are crispy and develop that deep orange color.
Tortilla Press Method
Halfway through making these, my fiancé walked into the kitchen and immediately knew something was wrong.
His first question was: “Are you okay?” At that point I had definitely reached my limit with the dough. So he grabbed our tortilla press and honestly… it saved the day.
To use this method, line both sides of the tortilla press with plastic wrap and lightly coat the plastic with oil so the dough doesn’t stick. Take a small piece of dough, place it in the center, and press it until it forms a thin round. He also realized using smaller portions of dough works much better. I was using too much and it kept squeezing out of the press. Once pressed flat, add the filling, fold the dough over, and seal the edges.
If you have a tortilla press, I highly recommend using it. It makes shaping the empanadas much easier.
Spicy Vinegar Dipping Sauce
Ilocos Empanadas are almost always served with spicy vinegar.
For mine, I used:
• White distilled vinegar
• Minced garlic
• Fresh Thai chilies (one green, one red)
• A splash of calamansi extract
This dipping sauce is so good and goes great with just about anything fried!
Other Filipino Recipes You Have to Try
If you enjoy Filipino food and want to try something a little less intimidating, you have to try these simple and comforting Filipino recipes next:
Pork Sinigang
Chicken Tinola
Turon
Ilocos Empanadas
Description
Crispy Ilocos Empanadas filled with longganisa, mung beans, shredded papaya, and egg. This Filipino street food is served with spicy vinegar for the perfect bite.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cook mung beans in water over medium heat for about 30 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside.
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Peel and deseed the papaya, then shred it. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Place the papaya in cheesecloth and squeeze out excess moisture.
+3 photos -
Remove the casing from the longganisa. Cook the sausage in a pan over medium heat, breaking it apart with a meat chopper until fully cooked. Set aside to cool.
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To make annatto oil, heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add annatto seeds. Cook until the oil becomes fragrant and orange in color. Strain out the seeds.
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Bring 3 cups of water, 4 tablespoons of annatto oil, salt, and pepper to a boil. Turn off the heat and slowly stir in rice flour one cup at a time until crumbly.
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Transfer the dough to a bowl or surface and knead until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
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Lightly oil plastic wrap and place a 3-tablespoon ball of dough in the center. Cover with another piece of oiled wrap, then press down and roll out until flat.
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Add a curved layer of papaya and mung beans, place cooked longganisa alongside it, and crack an egg in the center.
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Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges firmly.
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Heat oil to 350–375°F and deep fry the empanadas until crispy and deep orange in color.
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Serve hot with spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
Tortilla Press Method
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Line both sides of the tortilla press with plastic wrap and lightly coat the plastic with oil so the dough doesn’t stick.
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Take a small portion of dough (about 2 tablespoons) and place it in the center of the press.
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Close the press and gently flatten the dough until it forms a thin round.
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Add your filling: papaya and mung bean mixture, cooked longganisa, and crack the egg in the center.
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Carefully fold the dough over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal.
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Trim any excess dough if needed, then deep fry the empanada until crispy and deep orange in color.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 420kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 20g31%
- Sodium 540mg23%
- Total Carbohydrate 45g15%
- Dietary Fiber 5g20%
- Protein 16g32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
