The Empanada Guide for British Palates: Every Filling Ranked and Explained

The first time I ordered empanadas, I pointed at the menu and said "six, mixed." The woman behind the counter looked at me with genuine pity. "Mixed how?" she asked. I had no idea there were 15 fillings, that each one has a different crimp pattern on the edge (the repulgue), and that choosing the wrong combination marks you as someone who has been in the country for less than 48 hours.

Six years later, I have strong opinions about empanadas. Too strong, probably. My children will only eat carne suave and I have banned jamón y queso from the house. Here is everything a British person needs to know.

The fillings, explained for someone who grew up on Greggs

Carne cortada a cuchillo — The gold standard. Hand-cut beef with onion, hard-boiled egg, olives, and cumin. This is the Cornish pasty of Argentina: the one that defines the category. If you eat only one empanada in your life, eat this one.

Carne suave — Minced beef, milder spice, smoother filling. Less authentic than cortada a cuchillo but more approachable for kids and British palates that find cumin aggressive.

Pollo — Chicken. Usually shredded, mixed with onion and spices. Good, reliable, safe. The chicken tikka of empanada fillings: nobody argues about it.

Jamón y queso — Ham and cheese. The children's default. Not sophisticated, endlessly popular. Think of it as the cheese-and-onion crisp of the empanada world.

Humita — Creamed sweetcorn with onion and cheese. Sounds odd, tastes incredible. The closest British comparison is creamed corn from a tin, but fresh and about 400% better. Vegetarian.

Caprese — Tomato, mozzarella, and basil. The most Italian option. Good quality varies wildly between empanada shops.

Carne picante — Spicy beef. "Spicy" by Argentine standards, which means mild by Indian-takeaway standards. Still the most flavourful option for Brits who like heat.

Verdura — Mixed vegetables, usually chard and onion with cheese. Vegetarian. Honest, filling, and usually the cheapest option.

Roquefort — Blue cheese. Occasionally mixed with ham or walnuts. Strong flavour. Not for everyone but surprisingly good when baked.

Atún — Tuna. Like the filling of a tuna Cornish pasty if that existed. Divisive.

The repulgue: how to identify them

Every empanada maker crimps the edge differently for each filling. This is the repulgue (pronounced reh-POOL-geh) and it is an art form. In a good empanada shop, you should be able to identify the filling without asking, just by reading the crimp pattern.

Common patterns:

• Carne: simple diagonal crimps (the most common pattern)
• Pollo: rounded crimps
• Jamón y queso: folded triangle pattern
• Humita: straight pinched edge
• Caprese: twisted rope pattern

In practice, every shop has its own system. Ask the first time. After that, you will remember.

How to order

Empanadas come in orders of 6 or 12 (media docena or docena). A meal for two adults is a dozen. For a family of four, two dozen. For an asado appetiser, bring three dozen.

Prices (2026): ARS 15,000-25,000 per dozen depending on the shop and neighbourhood. That is roughly £10-16. Cheaper than Deliveroo and infinitely better.

The order for first-timers: "Quiero una docena, surtidas" (I want a dozen, mixed). The shop will give you a balanced selection. After a few orders, you will develop preferences and order specifically.

Baked vs fried: Most empanadas are baked (al horno). Fried (fritas) are crunchier, oilier, and less common. Tucumán-style empanadas are always fried and smaller. Buenos Aires defaults to baked.

Regional styles

Argentine empanadas vary dramatically by region. The big three:

Salteñas (from Salta): The heavyweight champion. Large, juicy, strongly spiced with cumin and paprika. The carne cortada a cuchillo filling is richest here. If you visit Salta, the empanadas alone justify the trip.

Tucumanas (from Tucumán): Small, fried, intensely flavoured. Hand-cut meat, egg, cumin, and a secret ingredient that every family guards jealously. Eaten 6 at a time as a snack, not a meal.

Porteñas (Buenos Aires): Medium-sized, baked, milder spice. The most accessible for international palates. What you find at most empanada shops in BA.

Where to get the best ones

In Buenos Aires:

• El Sanjuanino (Posadas 1515, Recoleta) — the most famous. Queue at lunchtime. Worth it.
• La Cocina (Pasco 951, Once) — local favourite, excellent carne cortada
• El Noble — chain, consistent quality, found everywhere. The Greggs of empanadas.
• Empanadas del Gaucho — delivery app staple, reliable mid-range
• Your neighbourhood empanada shop — every barrio has one. Find yours. Befriend the owner.

Worth reading next

• The Asado Guide for British Palates
• Cafe Culture in Buenos Aires
• Best Restaurants for British Expats