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A snack board with tuna empanadas and several pouches of StarKist E.V.O.O.™ tuna.

Tuna Empanada Bites

Mini tuna empanadas that are perfect for an appetizer snack board. A tender, flaky crust is stuffed with a savory tuna filling then served with two dips that will please everyone.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 20 appetizers
Calories: 114kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1-1/3 cups 160g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cube butter (8 tablespoons) cut into small pieces
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 4-5 tablespoons ice-cold water
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar

Filling:

  • 2 pouches of StarKist E.V.O.O.™ Wild-Caught Yellowfin Tuna with Sun-dried Tomato in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup tapenade
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely snipped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
  • 1 whole egg whisked
  • 2 ounces Manchego cheese grated
  • 1 egg whites whisked with 1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions

For the Crust

  • Add the flour, salt, and butter to a food processor and pulse to combine until crumbly and small pieces of butter are still visible.
  • In a small dish, whisk the egg, water, and vinegar together and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Pulse the mixture until it begins to clump into a ball. 
  • Turn the pastry onto a lightly dusted work surface and gently shape into a round disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

For the filling

  • In a medium size dish, add the tuna, tapenade and green onions.  Whisk the egg with a fork and stir into the mixture.  Add the grated cheese and fold into the filling mixture.  

Roll and Fill the Empanadillas:

  • Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut into 4-inch circles. 
  • Place the circles of pastry on a sheet of parchment as you cut them. Then gather the pastry scraps and lightly press into a disc, roll and cut. 
  • In a small dish, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg and water together. 
  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
  • Working with one pastry circle at a time, brush the edge with some of the egg wash. Pick it up in your hand as shown in the photo and add 1 tablespoons of the meat mixture inside; then pinch the pastry closed around the edges. Lay the closed empanada on the work surface and lightly press the edges together with a fork. 
  • Place the filled empanada on the prepared baking sheet and proceed with filling the remaining pastry circles. 
  • Brush the filled empanadas with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
  • When cool, arrange on an attractive serving plate/board with your choice of one or two dips.

To serve:

  • Serve warm or cold along with romesco sauce and lemon dill aioli sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g