National Dish El Salvador: Empanadas de Frijol (Recipe)
In this article
Discover Empanadas de Frijol, one of El Salvador’s most cherished sweet-savoury snacks! Rather than a wheat pastry, these little parcels wrap a creamy black bean filling inside a soft casing made from mashed ripe plantains. Fried until golden, they turn wonderfully crisp on the outside while staying tender within, with a gentle natural sweetness. Simple, comforting and irresistible, they bring a taste of a Salvadoran street stall straight to your kitchen.
About Empanadas de Frijol
Empanadas de Frijol are a traditional Salvadoran speciality that stand apart thanks to their unusual casing: instead of flour, the outer shell is classically made from puréed cooking plantains (plátanos). This gives the empanadas their signature, faintly sweet note and a tender yet crisp texture once fried. They are stuffed with a creamy bean filling that varies a little from family to family and region to region. Enjoyed most often as a snack or a sweet between-meals treat, they are hugely popular throughout El Salvador and a fine introduction to the country’s home cooking.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 2 ripe cooking plantains (plátanos, yellow to yellow-brown), boiled and mashed
- 1 cup black beans (cooked and puréed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for the plantain dough)
- Oil, for frying
- Optional: a little sugar for dusting (to taste)
Shopping for the ingredients
To make Empanadas de Frijol, the most important thing to get right is the plantains. Usually sold as “plátanos” or “cooking bananas”, they turn up in many supermarkets (often in the international aisle) and in Latin American or Asian grocers. Look for plantains that are already yellow and ideally showing their first brown spots — these mash easily and develop a rounder flavour. Black beans can be bought dried or tinned; what matters is that they end up smoothly puréed. Choose a heat-stable oil for frying, such as sunflower or rapeseed oil.
Preparing the dish
Before you start shaping the Empanadas de Frijol, prepare the two components: the plantain dough and the bean filling. Peel the plantains, cut them into pieces and boil in water until they are soft enough to crush easily. Mash them into a smooth, mouldable dough and season lightly with salt. The beans should also be well cooked (or thoroughly heated, if using tinned) and then finely puréed, so the empanadas are easy to fill and seal later on.
Step-by-step instructions
- Peel the plantains, cut into pieces and boil in lightly salted water for 12–20 minutes until soft.
- Drain and, while still warm, mash or purée them very finely into a smooth, mouldable dough.
- Purée the beans until creamy (add a small splash of water if needed to make them spreadable).
- Take small portions of the plantain dough and shape them into flat discs.
- Place a spoonful of bean purée in the centre of each, fold over and press the edges firmly so nothing leaks out.
- Heat the oil in a pan or deep fryer and fry the empanadas in batches until golden brown.
- Drain on kitchen paper and, if you like, dust lightly with sugar.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
In their traditional form, Empanadas de Frijol are usually gluten-free, since the outer casing is made from plantains and no flour is needed. They are normally lactose-free as well, as no dairy is involved. Just double-check that every product you use — tinned beans, for example — contains no unexpected additives. That makes this recipe a great fit for anyone with a gluten or lactose intolerance.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
This recipe for Empanadas de Frijol is already vegan, as it contains no animal products at all. For an especially rounded filling, season the beans with a pinch of salt or purée them very finely so the empanadas do not split while you shape them. Fresh fruit or a light salad makes a lovely side — depending on whether you serve the empanadas as a sweet snack or as part of a larger meal. Like the beans in Frijoles Negros, they are naturally plant-based and endlessly versatile.
More tips and tricks
For your Empanadas de Frijol to turn out well, consistency is everything: the plantain dough should be soft but mouldable. If it is too wet it will stick badly — in that case, let it cool briefly and lightly oil your hands as you shape it. The bean filling should be creamy and not too runny, so it does not escape during frying. Fry over medium to medium-high heat so the empanadas colour golden on the outside without darkening too quickly.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Empanadas de Frijol are easy to tailor to your own palate. If you like things sweeter, pick very ripe plantains (yellow with brown spots) and dust the finished empanadas lightly with sugar. For a milder result, use plainer yellow plantains without many brown patches. You can vary the filling too: some prefer very finely puréed beans, while others leave them slightly chunky for a bit more texture.
Ingredient substitutions
If you have no black beans to hand, swap in other beans that purée nicely, such as red beans. The key is that the filling does not end up too watery. With the plantains, though, hold firm: for that characteristic casing you really do need cooking plantains (plátanos) — ordinary dessert bananas are far softer and sweeter and behave quite differently when boiled and shaped. For the frying oil, rapeseed or sunflower oil are the usual neutral choices.
Drink pairing ideas
A refreshing drink rounds off a plate of Empanadas de Frijol beautifully. Try traditional options such as an agua fresca or fruity juices to complement the flavours — a chilled Horchata is a classic Salvadoran match. Water with a squeeze of lime is a simple, fresh alternative. If you serve the empanadas as a dessert, coffee or a mild tea works very well too.
Serving and presentation ideas
How you present your Empanadas de Frijol can lift the whole experience. Serve them on a plate with a small dish of sugar for dusting, or with fresh fruit alongside. You can slice the empanadas halfway open to reveal the bean filling. A simple arrangement often works best here, as the golden crust and the filling already speak for themselves.
A bit of history
Empanadas de Frijol are among the classic snacks of El Salvador. Beans and plantains are staple ingredients across much of Central America and feature in countless dishes. The pairing of a lightly sweet plantain casing with a creamy bean filling is a fine example of how a distinctive, traditional flavour can be built from a handful of simple ingredients — and why it remains so popular, much like the beloved Pupusas that define Salvadoran cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Empanadas de Frijol
In the end, Empanadas de Frijol are a delicious way to get to know the cooking of El Salvador. Traditionally they are made with a casing of puréed plantains, filled with creamy beans and fried until golden. With just a few ingredients and a straightforward method, they are perfect as a snack or a sweet between-meals treat. Give them a go and enjoy this Salvadoran speciality in your own kitchen!
