Mushroom Empanadas with Cheese and Avocado Crema

Dito|August 5, 2026

In Ukraine, we have a culture of making pies.

And I do not necessarily mean the large, round pies that British or American readers might picture. I mean smaller filled pastries, somewhere in the wider universe of pirozhky, varenyky and pierogi, but better.

Well, of course I am biased.

So when I started thinking about mushroom empanadas, the idea felt immediately familiar. Take dough, place something delicious inside it, close it properly and bake it until golden. Every sensible food culture appears to have reached roughly the same conclusion.

An empanada is essentially a pastry turnover with a savoury or sweet filling, although the dough, fillings, shape and cooking method vary considerably between countries. Empanadas travelled from Spain into Latin America, where they evolved into numerous regional versions based on local ingredients and traditions.

My version is revolving around the following situation: Ukrainian pie instincts, Latin American inspiration, ancho-spiced mushrooms, Georgian sulguni cheese and a creamy jalapeño avocado sauce.

Geographically confused? I’d so so, perhaps.

But is it delicious? Absolutely, lip-smackingly good.

What Are Mushroom Empanadas?

Mushroom empanadas are savoury filled pastries made by wrapping seasoned cooked mushrooms inside thinly rolled dough before baking or frying.

In this recipe, I use my deeply flavoured ancho mushroom filling, add a little grated cheese and bake the empanadas rather than frying them. They come out flaky and golden, with earthy mushrooms, gentle chilli warmth and melted cheese inside.

I serve them with avocado crema because a good dipping sauce turns a pleasant pastry into something people begin guarding from their friends.

Mushroom Empanadas Recipe at a Glance

Makes: Approximately 18 empanadas
Preparation time: About 45 minutes
Baking time: Approximately 15 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Cooking method: Baked
Diet: Vegetarian
Best served: Warm, after resting for 5–10 minutes

Why This Mushroom Empanada Recipe Works

The filling is based on my ancho mushroom recipe, which gives the mushrooms depth, smokiness and a gentle chilli flavour.

The cheese adds saltiness, richness and that important melted centre. As I am currently in Georgia, I used sulguni, the country’s famous salty, stretchy cheese. Mozzarella, cheddar or a good plant-based melting cheese will work too.

Most importantly, the mushroom filling is cooked, cooled and kept reasonably dry before it goes anywhere near the dough. This helps the pastry bake properly instead of steaming from the inside and becoming soggy.

Then we add avocado crema for richness, lime for acidity, coriander for freshness and pickled jalapeño for heat. It follows the same flavour-balancing logic I use in my Taco Craft system: richness, texture, heat, acidity and freshness should all have a job to do.

Ingredients

For the Empanada Dough

500g plain white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon sugar
50g refined coconut oil, melted
1 small egg, whisked and at room temperature
200ml warm water

For the Mushroom and Cheese Filling

1 batch cooked ancho mushrooms, cooled completely
Approximately 75–100g grated sulguni, mozzarella or cheddar
Alternatively, use a melting plant-based cheese such as Violife mozzarella or cheddar

You need approximately 1 tablespoon of mushroom filling and 1 teaspoon of grated cheese per empanada.

The exact quantity of mushrooms will depend on how much moisture they release during cooking. The important thing is to have enough for around 18 tablespoons of finished filling.

For the Egg Wash

1 small egg, beaten

For the Avocado Crema

1 ripe avocado
3 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat Greek yoghurt
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4–5 generous sprigs of coriander
5–6 slices pickled jalapeño

For a dairy-free avocado crema, replace the sour cream or yoghurt with plant-based yoghurt, vegan sour cream or a spoonful of plant-based mayonnaise.

How to Make Mushroom Empanadas

1. Prepare the Mushroom Filling

Cook the ancho mushrooms according to my ancho mushroom recipe.

Let the filling cool completely before assembling the empanadas. If the mushroom pieces are particularly large, chop them slightly so the empanadas are easier to fill and close.

The filling should be flavourful but fairly dry. Avoid adding salsa, cooking juices or crema directly to it.

There is a time and place for a juicy filling. Inside thin pastry that still needs to seal is not that time.

2. Make the Empanada Dough

Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Add the melted refined coconut oil and the whisked egg. Gradually pour in the warm water while mixing until the dough comes together.

Gently knead it until the ingredients are evenly combined.

You are not trying to develop a dramatically stretchy, highly elastic bread dough here. The dough should simply feel cohesive, smooth enough to roll and no longer dry or crumbly.

Keep it covered while you work so the surface does not dry out.

3. Divide the Dough

Divide the dough into approximately 18 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.

Keeping the pieces roughly equal will help the empanadas bake at the same speed. Otherwise, one will be beautifully golden while another is still considering its options.

4. Roll the Empanada Wrappers

Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour.

Roll each dough ball into a thin circular wrapper. It should be thin enough to create delicate, flaky empanadas, but not so thin that it tears when you add the filling.

This is one of the most important parts of the recipe.

If the dough is too thick, the outside may colour before the centre of the pastry has baked through. If it is extremely thin, the filling may break through during assembly or baking.

Aim for a thin, even disc that still feels strong enough to lift.

5. Fill the Empanadas

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of cooled mushroom filling in the centre of each wrapper.

Add around 1 teaspoon of grated cheese.

Do not overfill them. I understand the temptation. More mushrooms and more cheese appear, philosophically, to be the correct answer.

Unfortunately, physics disagrees.

Leave enough clean dough around the edge to close the empanada securely.

6. Fold and Seal

Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape.

Press the edges together firmly, pushing out any large pockets of air as you go. Seal the edge with the tines of a fork or fold the edge into a traditional crimp.

If the dough does not stick easily, lightly dampen the inside edge with water before pressing it closed.

Transfer the finished empanadas to a baking tray lined with baking paper.

7. Add the Egg Wash

Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.

The egg wash will help the empanadas develop a shiny, properly golden finish in the oven.

Do not drown them. We are applying egg wash, not administering a baptism.

8. Bake the Mushroom Empanadas

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Bake the empanadas for approximately 15 minutes.

Start checking them after around 12 minutes because ovens have personalities, and some are more aggressive than others.

You are looking for a confident golden colour, so not pale yellow, but not dark brown either.

9. Let Them Rest

Remove the mushroom empanadas from the oven and leave them to rest for at least 5 minutes.

I once tried eating one immediately.

Learn from my mistakes…

After a few minutes, the pastry settles, becomes flakier and is far more enjoyable to eat. The filling will also be hot rather than potentially volcanic.

How to Make Avocado Crema

Place the avocado, sour cream or Greek yoghurt, lime juice, salt, pepper, coriander and pickled jalapeño in a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add more lime for acidity, another slice of jalapeño for heat or a spoonful of yoghurt if you want a lighter consistency.

The crema should be thick enough to cling to an empanada but soft enough for dipping.

This is a variation of the avocado-based sauces I use throughout my Mexican Salsa System. Avocado crema works particularly well when a dish needs cooling richness, acidity and freshness rather than another heavy or overly spicy sauce.

How to Serve Mushroom Empanadas

Serve the mushroom empanadas warm with a generous bowl of avocado crema in the centre of the table.

You can also add:

Lime wedges
Pickled red onions
Fresh coriander
Sliced jalapeños
A crunchy cabbage salad
Tomato or tomatillo salsa
A little salsa macha for additional heat

They work as a party snack, starter, lunch or part of a larger sharing table.

For a complete meal, I would serve three or four empanadas per person with a fresh salad and plenty of crema. For drinks, a crisp beer, a sharp Margarita or a fresh natural white wine would all make sense.

The important thing is to invite friends, but tell them to arrive quickly.

I bet you will eat the ‘bigger half’ before they get there. Don’t confess there were 18 pieces. Simplezzz.

My Tips for Better Mushroom Empanadas

Cool the filling completely

Warm filling softens the dough, creates steam and makes sealing much harder.

Keep the mushrooms relatively dry

Cook away excess mushroom liquid before cooling the filling. Do not add crema or salsa inside the empanadas.

Roll the dough evenly

An uneven wrapper can be raw and thick on one side while becoming too crisp on the other.

Do not overfill

One tablespoon of mushrooms and one teaspoon of cheese is enough. The empanada still needs room to close.

Seal the edges firmly

Any mushroom or cheese caught between the edges can stop them from sealing properly.

Check the oven early

Begin looking at them around the 12-minute mark. Remove them when they are evenly golden.

Let them rest

Give them five minutes. Your patience will be rewarded with better pastry and an intact mouth.

Can I Make These Mushroom Empanadas Vegan?

The mushroom filling and cheese can easily be made dairy-free by using a melting plant-based cheese.

The dough in this particular tested recipe contains egg, as does the egg wash, so it is vegetarian rather than fully vegan.

For vegan mushroom empanadas, use a tested egg-free empanada dough and brush the pastries with plant milk or another suitable plant-based wash before baking.

Can I Use Different Mushrooms?

Yes. Use mushrooms that can be cooked until well browned and relatively dry.

Chestnut mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, portobello mushrooms or a mixture will all suit the ancho seasoning. Whatever variety you choose, avoid crowding the pan and cook away the moisture before assembling your empanadas.

For another mushroom-based idea, try my refried beans, crispy mushrooms and chipotle cashew crema tacos.

Which Cheese Is Best for Mushroom Empanadas?

I used Georgian sulguni because it melts well and brings a pleasant salty flavour.

Mozzarella will give you a mild, stretchy centre. Cheddar provides a stronger, sharper flavour. A mixture of the two would also be delicious.

For a dairy-free filling, use a plant-based cheese specifically designed for melting.

Why Are My Empanadas Soggy?

The most likely reasons are:

The mushroom filling was too wet
The filling was still warm
The dough was rolled too thickly
The oven was not fully preheated
Too many empanadas were crowded onto one tray

Cook the mushrooms until their excess liquid evaporates, cool them fully and give each empanada enough room for hot air to circulate.

How Do I Stop Empanadas from Opening in the Oven?

Leave a clean border around the filling, avoid overfilling and press out large pockets of air before sealing.

Make sure there is no oil, mushroom or cheese trapped along the edge. Press the dough together firmly, then reinforce the seal with a fork or folded crimp. I used the fork. But you can also buy a simple empanada mold that closes your dough like magic.

Final Thoughts on My Mushroom Empanadas

These mushroom empanadas combine everything I enjoy about cooking: familiar comfort, ingredients borrowed from several cultures and just enough chilli to keep things interesting.

The ancho mushrooms are earthy and deeply savoury. The cheese melts into them. The pastry becomes golden and flaky. Then the avocado crema adds cooling richness, fresh lime and a small jalapeño kick.

Make approximately 18.

Invite people over.

And perhaps hide four in the kitchen before serving.

This is not selfishness. Let’s call it sensible meal planning. 😉

[Taco Craft | Salsa Magic | Proper Tortillas]