Leftover Turkey Empanadas Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/24/22
Leftover turkey empanadas

The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 14 mins
Total: 34 mins
Servings: 20 servings

These empanadas, which originated in Spain, are easy to prepare. This recipe features a tasty filling of turkey, mashed potatoes, and dressing, along with some complementary seasonings. Refrigerated pie crusts make this recipe especially easy.

The turkey empanadas are a fabulous way to use all of your holiday leftovers, and the little hand-held pies are delicious with cranberry sauce on the side.

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Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) package refrigerated pie crust sheets

  • 1 1/2 cups diced cooked turkey

  • 1/3 cup turkey gravy, cold, from leftovers or a jar

  • 3/4 cup mashed potatoes, cold, seasoned 

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 3/4 cup ​leftover turkey dressing, bread or cornbread

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 large egg white

  • 1 teaspoon water

  • 1 cup cranberry sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients and preheat oven to 400 F.

    Ingredients for leftover turkey empanada
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry round to about 12 inches. Cut out three 6-inch rounds, then roll the remaining scraps out to cut out 1 more 6-inch round. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.

    Cut out rounds
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. In a small bowl, combine the turkey with the gravy and set aside.

    Combine turkey and gravy
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Combine the mashed potatoes with parsley in another small bowl.

    Combine mashed potatoes with parsley
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. On each 6-inch round, mound about 1 1/2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes.

    Add mashed potatoes
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Top with about 1 tablespoon of dressing, then about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the turkey mixture. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

    Top with dressing
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. Cut a few slits in the top of each empanada and arrange on a parchment paper or silicone lined baking sheet.

    Cut slits in
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  8. Wet the edges with water, fold over, and seal with the tines of a fork.

    Wet edges
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  9. Beat the egg white and water together and brush each empanada lightly with the mixture.

    Beat egg white
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  10. Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, or until nicely browned.

    Beat egg white
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  11. Serve with cranberry sauce on the side.

    Serve with cranberry sauce
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
169 Calories
8g Fat
19g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 169
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 208mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 95mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)