Beyond Beef: Your Complete Guide to 40+ Empanada Fillings
Imagine you’re ordering empanadas for a group. Someone says, "No beef.” Someone else says, "No cheese.” One person wants something spicy, another wants something comforting, and suddenly you’re doing empanada math on the subway, trying to make sure nobody feels left out and everybody leaves full.
In this blog, we’re breaking down 40+ empanada fillings, how they taste, who they’re for, and how to build an order that actually works.
Not just what sounds good, but what balances. Because empanadas aren’t meant to be ordered in isolation, they’re meant to be mixed, shared, debated, and sometimes fought over.
The Golden Rule of Empanada Ordering
The fastest way to fumble a group order is to order six of the same fillings and call it a day. Empanadas shine when there’s contrast on the table.
A simple rule of thumb that works almost every time is building your order around a few different categories. One hearty meat option to anchor the tray, one chicken filling for the classic crowd, one veggie or vegan option to cover everyone, and one wildcard that brings personality.
As for quantity, two to three empanadas per person works for snacking. Four to five make a complete meal. If it’s a party and you want zero regrets, plan for five or six each. Empanada leftovers don’t last long anyway.
Chicken Empanada Fillings That Always Win
Chicken empanadas are the crowd-pleasers, but only when they’re done right. If the chicken’s dry, the empanada becomes a crumbly minor betrayal.
The best chicken fillings are savory, saucy, and comforting. Something like pollo asado-style chicken with depth, chicken tinga with a bit of heat, chicken and cheese for the classic lovers, or buffalo chicken when the table wants something bold.
Curry chicken, jerk chicken, pesto chicken, or chicken mole all bring global flavors without scaring anyone off. Even something simple like chicken and corn can hit when it’s seasoned properly.
Pork Empanada Fillings for Big Flavor Energy
Pork is the move when you’re feeding hungry people or ordering late at night.
These fillings are rich, savory, and deeply satisfying. Pernil and carnitas bring slow-cooked comfort. Al pastor-inspired pork adds sweetness and spice. BBQ pulled pork leans messy in the best way, while ham and cheese feel nostalgic and familiar.
Pork verde, pork with plantain, Cuban-style roast pork, or pork belly with pineapple all bring that “one more bite” energy. If you’re ordering for a party, pork fillings are your insurance policy.
Seafood Empanada Fillings for When You Want Something Special
Seafood empanadas feel like a flex. They’re perfect for holidays, late-night takeout, or when you want the order to feel elevated without being complicated.
Shrimp in garlic butter, crab and corn, seafood stew-style fillings, or tuna with olive oil will bring richness without heaviness. Salmon and dill taste clean and balanced, while spicy shrimp Diablo or coconut curry shrimp add flair.
Scallop and sweet pepper or lobster-style cream fillings are the kind people talk about after the fact. Seafood works best when paired with something bold and meaty, so the tray feels complete.
Beef Empanada Fillings Beyond the Usual
Yes, beef is classic. But it doesn’t have to stop at one note.
Picadillo, shredded beef, steak and onion, or beef and potato all stay familiar without being boring. Cheesesteak-style fillings are pure comfort. Birria-inspired beef, smoky chipotle beef, or Korean bulgogi-style beef bring richness and depth.
Add beef with black beans or beef with queso, and suddenly the “beef option” becomes the favorite. Beef should feel saucy, seasoned, and generous. When it does, it earns its spot every time.
Veggie Empanada Fillings That Don’t Feel Like “The Backup Option”
Spinach and cheese, corn and cheese, or black bean and cheese feel familiar and satisfying. Roasted vegetable medleys, mushroom and onion, or eggplant caponata bring depth. Sweet potato and poblano, zucchini and queso, plantain and cheese, or spicy chickpea fillings add personality and heat. When veggie empanadas are done right, nobody misses the meat. They’re just great.
Vegan Empanada Fillings That Still Feel Like Comfort Food
The key to vegan empanadas is balance: fat, spice, and starch matter.
Black beans with sofrito, lentil picadillo, potato and pepper, or mushroom “carnitas” bring that hearty, cozy feeling. Jackfruit BBQ, chickpea tikka, coconut curry vegetables, quinoa and corn, calabaza squash, or vegan mole vegetables all deliver warmth and depth.
These fillings are especially clutch for mixed groups where you want everyone eating happily without a separate order.
Cheese-Forward Empanadas for the “Just Give Me Something Gooey” Crowd
Sometimes cheese is the main character. Three-cheese blends, queso with jalapeño, mozzarella and tomato, cheddar and scallion, cheese and onion, feta and spinach, or queso with mushroom all hit that comfort-food nerve.
Sweet-savory cheese fillings can even sneak into dessert territory. If you’re ordering cheese empanadas, order more than you think you need.
Sweet Empanadas for Dessert and Late-Night Cravings
Sweet empanadas are the sleeper hit of any order.
Dulce de leche, chocolate, guava and cheese, apple cinnamon, caramel banana, Nutella-style chocolate, coconut custard, sweet corn pudding, pumpkin spice, or berry jam and cream all bring that final, cozy note.
Even one sweet option can change the whole vibe of the meal.
Global Fusion Fillings That Feel Very NYC
Some of these are classics we love, and some are dream-fillings we’d absolutely eat on the subway. If you’re ordering from us, check the current menu; specials come and go. Empanadas are the perfect canvas for NYC-style remixing. Butter chicken, tikka masala vegetables, shawarma chicken, falafel-spiced chickpeas, Thai basil chicken, ramen-style pork, pesto chicken, Greek spinach-feta, Nashville hot chicken, or breakfast bacon-egg-cheese all make sense inside a crisp pastry.
Build Your Perfect Empanada Lineup
For a crowd, balance is everything. Mix familiar with adventurous. Rich with bright. Meat with veg.
For a Mixed Group: One meat anchor, one chicken, one veg/vegan, one cheese, and one sweet.
For Late-Night: 2 hearty meats, one cheese, one spicy wildcard, and one sweet.
For a Holiday Tray: One “special” (seafood or bold beef), two classics, one veg, and one sweet.
Vegetarian-friendly orders work best when textures vary. Late-night orders should focus on sturdy fillings that reheat well. Holiday trays shine with one or two special fillings, backed by classics, and finished with something sweet.
Build Your Perfect Empanada Mix
Empanadas aren’t a one-filling situation. They’re a full-on filling playground.
When you order with strategy and variety, the table feels abundant, inclusive, and fun. That’s the magic. And that’s precisely how we do it at Empanada Mama. Build a mix, add sides, don’t overthink it, and let the empanadas do the talking.