Avocado, Black Beans, Queso Fresco Empanadas

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When it comes to food for parties, avocados are at the top of my list. Soft, creamy, buttery. Avocados are king for so many reasons: they are evergreen, and can be used in so many recipes from salads to desserts. Desserts? Yes, but that is the subject of anther post. My take on avocados today is Avocado, Black Beans, Queso Fresco Empanadas. Yes, a vegetarian dish. My veggie loving friends will be so happy with me.

Avocado, black beans, queso fresco empanadas are perfect for any celebration, like Las Posadas, a Latin American celebration that takes places the 9 days leading up to Christmas. Growing up, my neighborhood had celebrations that included snacks, beverages, and singing. Children would dress up as Mary, Joseph, and shepherds. I have great memories of those celebrations.

 Avocados From Mexico are available all year long. Avocados are great as a salad topping, or as a salad itself: slice up an avocado, sprinkle with Kosher salt, and drizzle it with balsamic vinegar. Voila! An easy, quick, not to mention nutritious salad. My daughter mashes up an avocado, sprinkles it with salt and pepper, and spreads it on her toast in the morning. The possibilities are endless.

Making avocado, black bean, queso fresco empanadas is super easy, super quick. I use ready made pie crust to cut down on the time. Mix your filling in a bowl, and cut out circles with a 3″ biscuit cutter. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center, fold and crimp with the tines of a fork. Then bake to golden perfection. That’s it!

Avocados From Mexico are always fresh, and delicious. If you want to find nutritional information on avocados make sure you check out this site. You can buy Avocados From Mexico just about anywhere. I got mine at Aldi because it’s close to my house, and I can run in and out. It’s also right next door to the gas station I use. I can kill two birds with one stone. A HUGE PLUS for my busy hurried life.

Serve avocado, black beans, queso fresco empanadas as an appetizer, or you can make bigger ones to have as a simple dinner with a side salad. I kind of like the idea of little ones though. I guess I am in love with bite-size food. This recipe is definitely a twist on a much loved Hispanic food: empanadas.

Finally, share this recipe with your friends and family. They will love the wonderful flavors, and how easy this dish is to prepare.
If you want to bring the flavors of Spain to your home I have several great recipes to share with you.
Prueba de cerdo is a classic tapas dish of thinly sliced marinated pork that is grilled fast and is so easy to make.
Croquetas de jamón y pollo take a little effort but you will be rewarded with a delicious appetizer that is crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.
If you visit bars in Spain one popular tapas dish is mushrooms in sherry sauce served on with nice crusty bread.
Empanadas are savory turnovers filled with meat or cheese. Most are fried but I like to cheat and bake mine using pre-made pie crust.  Enjoy!

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Avocado, Black Beans, Queso Fresco Empanadas

Delicious vegetarian empanadas with avocado, black beans and queso fresco. A nice crunchy Latin pastry with creamy avocado filling! Que Rico!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Latin American

Keyword empanadas, filled dough, pastry, pie dough, turnovers, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings: Change to adjust-> 10 servings

Calories 249 kcal

Author Analida

Ingredients

• 15 oz pie crust refrigerated type, 2 full sized pie crusts
• 1 avocado diced
• 2 tsp lime juice juice, fresh squeezed
• 1/4 cup black beans drained rinced
• 3 Tbsp red onion diced
• 2 Tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1/4 cup queso fresco crumbled
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water (egg wash)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350'F.
2. Unroll pie crust, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl place black beans, red onion, cilantro, queso fresco, salt, and chili powder.
4. Peel the avocado and dice into small pieces, then sprinkle with lime juice.
5. Add the avocado to the black beans mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Using a 3" biscuit cutter cut circles on the pie crust.
7. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each round. Fold over to create a half moon, and crimp around the edges with the tines of a fork. Place empanadas on parchment paper, and brush with egg wash.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Avocado, Black Beans, Queso Fresco Empanadas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 249 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15g 23%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 18mg 6%

Sodium 322mg 13%

Potassium 168mg 5%

Total Carbohydrates 23g 8%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 2.1%

Vitamin C 3.1%

Calcium 3.1%

Iron 7.7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.