Easy Cheddar Mushroom Empanadillas

I hosted a tapas-themed potluck on the weekend and made these empanadillas -- they were a hit! Easy to make, and versatile, they can be made with all sorts of fillings, and in all sorts of sizes.

I like these mushroom and cheddar ones. I make them with veggie ground round, but you can also substitute in ground beef. Perfect for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike!

Let's make some empanadillas!

Easy Epanadillas

• 1 batch pizza dough (make your own 5-minute dough)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
• 1 pkg. Yves’ ground round
• 1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1/2 pkg. mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 egg (you won’t use it all)

Make the dough and set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a frying pan and fry up the onion, garlic, and mushrooms until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

Melt a tbsp. butter in a frying pan and fry up the ground round and taco seasoning until hot and aromatic.

Mix the meat with the mushroom mixture and add in the cheese.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces.

Smush each piece into a circle and add a spoon of the filling in the centre.

Fold over and seal dough by pinching shut.

Repeat with all dough pieces.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Grease cookie tray with oil and place empanadillas on tray.

Brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 15 min or until tops are golden.

Serve warm. Freezes well.

These empanadillas are very versatile -- mix up your own version with whatever you have in the house. Leftover pizza toppings? In they go, and you've got mini panzerotti! Leftover chicken pot pie filling? Fill 'er up, and you've got yourself a tasty pasty! Whichever version you make, they'll be a hit!