Empanada Evolution

Celebrating Modern South American Empanadas

At Griffith Foods, our FlavorIQ® Food & Flavor Outlook Program dives deep into global culinary trends, spotlighting themes that shape the future of food innovation. This year’s theme, “Taste the Plate, South America,” captures the colorful and diverse culinary traditions that are making waves in the food industry with modern South American Empanadas.

The empanada is a dish that embodies the fusion, versatility, and rich heritage of South American cuisine. We are excited to highlight the versatility of empanadas of Chef Emily’s traditional Bolivian Salteñas and Chef Sabrina’s alternative protein empanadas, in bringing a modern twist to this timeless dish.  

Imagination in Chef Emily’s Kitchen 

Originally from Spain, the term “empanada” translates to “wrapped in bread.” The empanada’s versatility—whether it features a dough made of wheat, corn, or plantain, and whether it’s fried or baked—mirrors the diverse cultures and ingredients of South America.

South America is a melting pot of culinary tradition and the birthplace of many ingredients that we know and love today.

Chef Emily Schlag

Flavor innovation with Chef Emily Schlag’s featured creation, traditional Bolivian Salteñas:

• Using Griffith Foods’ True Foundations Chicken Base, she crafts a rich and flavorful stew.
• To ensure the filling sets perfectly within the dough, she employs Griffith Foods’ Salteñas Seasoning—a smart blend that includes gelatin to set the liquid, alongside cumin, sweet peppers, and hot chilies.
• The inclusion of golden raisins in the filling and sugar in the dough introduces an underlying sweetness that balances with the heat.

This combination captures the complex and harmonious flavors that define South American cuisine. Chef Emily’s approach encapsulates the notion of blending familiar tastes with exotic influences, creating a memorable culinary experience.

To achieve the Salteñas’ vivid visual appeal, Chef Emily uses achiote, also known as annatto, imparting a bright yellow-orange hue to the crust. By utilizing the hot water crust method, she creates a dough that is easy to work with yet strong enough to hold the filling once it liquefies. Paired with her take on yawa—a traditional Bolivian hot sauce featuring manzano peppers, habanero, and aji amarillo—the Salteñas offer a rich, savory bite balanced with sweet and spicy notes, creating a dish that truly reflects South America’s dynamic culinary heritage.

FlavorIQ® Food & Flavor Outlook Program 

At Griffith Foods, we turn insights and culinary creativity into new opportunities with our FlavorIQ® Food & Flavor Outlook Program. Through our annual culinary theme program, we curated a list of key culinary themes that reflect the food industry’s current state and our prediction for what’s next. Learn more about our program and themes here.