Today’s recipe for fried corn empanadas with cheese is from the State of Tabasco, a gulf-coast state in the south of Mexico. Home to a rich, tropical cuisine, Tabasco has several regions and cities that each have their own specialties, like the oysters from Paraíso, the longaniza sausage from Teapa, or the head cheese from Jalpa de Méndez.
Fried Corn Empanadas with cheese
Commonly found throughout Tabasco are fried empanadas, which can be stuffed with a variety of fillings ranging from fish to plantains. These fried corn empanadas with cheese are some of the simplest, but still very delicious. They’re one of my family’s favorite empanadas, due to the unique flavor you get when you mix the sugar in the cheese.
I know that some of you may be left wondering how good these taste with the sugar, but if you cook them, I’m certain that you won’t be disappointed! You’ll want to make them all over again to share with your friends and family.
So, without further ado, let’s prepare these delicious cheese empanadas.
How to make Fried Corn Masa Empanadas with cheese
NOTES:
- After adding the water, you will need to add a couple more tablespoons of extra water until the dough gets a nice soft texture. The amount needed will depend on the area where you live and the humidity or dryness of the environment.
- Make sure the queso fresco is cold. This will keep it from melting too easily and oozing out of the empanadas.
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix the masa harina, salt, and water in a bowl. Knead well until the dough is soft. Add more water as needed (see note above). Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, and cover with a wet kitchen napkin.
- Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan. In a bowl, mix the Queso fresco with the sugar.
- Place one ball of masa between 2 plastic sheets in your tortilla press. Press down on the tortilla press to form a circle and then remove the top plastic.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the queso-sugar mix in the center of the dough circle. With the help of the bottom plastic sheet, fold the circle in half and seal the edges very well. If you don’t seal the edges well, the filling can ooze out when frying, and cause the oil to splatter.
- Place the formed empanadas into the hot oil and cook, turning them once they have a golden-brown finish. Cook for about 2 minutes per side. When done, remove from the oil and place on a plate that’s covered with paper napkins (to absorb any excess oil).
- Right before serving, mix the shredded cabbage with the lime juice. Serve the empanadas topped with a portion of the cabbage, a drizzle of your favorite salsa, and a sprinkle of some Cotija cheese.
For the salsa use the recipe for Tomato-Habanero Salsa, it pairs really well with this fried corn empanadas with cheese from the Gastronomy of the State of Tabasco.
Receta en español Empanadas de Maíz con queso.
📖 Recipe
Fried Corn Masa Empanadas with cheese
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups of masa harina
- 1¼ cups of warm water*
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups of queso fresco crumbled**
- 4 teaspoons of sugar
- ½ cup of vegetable oil to cook the empanadas
- 2 cups of shredded cabbage
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 4 tablespoons of Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco crumbled (for topping)
- Salsa of your choice
Instructions
- Mix the masa harina, salt, and water in a bowl. Knead well until the dough is soft. Add more water as needed (see note above). Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, and cover with a wet kitchen napkin.
- Heat the oil in a medium-size frying pan. In a bowl, mix the Queso fresco with the sugar.
- Place one ball of masa between 2 plastic sheets in your tortilla press. Press down on the tortilla press to form a circle and then remove the top plastic.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the queso-sugar mix in the center of the dough circle. With the help of the bottom plastic sheet, fold the circle in half and seal the edges very well. If you don’t seal the edges well, the filling can ooze out when frying, and cause the oil to splatter.
- Place the formed empanadas into the hot oil and cook, turning them once they have a golden-brown finish. Cook for about 2 minutes per side. When done, remove from the oil and place on a plate that’s covered with paper napkins (to absorb any excess oil).
- Right before serving, mix the shredded cabbage with the lime juice. Serve the empanadas topped with a portion of the cabbage, a drizzle of your favorite salsa, and a sprinkle of some Cotija cheese.
Notes
- After adding the water, you will need to add a couple more tablespoons of extra water until the dough gets a nice soft texture. The amount needed will depend on the area where you live and the humidity or dryness of the environment.
- Make sure the queso fresco is cold. This will keep it from melting too easily and oozing out of the empanadas.
Marynes
Hola Mely. This recipe was a success, all my family loved them!! I want to do a Latin get-together when we are allowed, lockdown now: ( and I was wondering if there is a way I can prepare the empanadas in advance, just ready to fry when guests are here, to make my life easier, lol. Also, I live in England so I can't find queso fresco, but I make my own, can you recommend me a homemade queso fresco recipe, please? I love your blog and Instagram. Thank you.
Mely Martínez
Hello Marynes,
You can find the recipe for Mexican Queso Fresco here in the blog. You can also use other cheese like mozzarella, or use another type of fillings like Chicken Tinga or picadillo. You can find the recipes here in the blog.
You can make the empanadas early, fry them, and then reheat in the your oven at 350 for about 15 minutes.
Alejandra
Hi!
I was wondering at what temperature should my oil be when frying the quesadillas? I have a thermometer and i rather be safe then have a quesadilla just be soaked in oil and not cooked right.
Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello Alejandra,
The oil should be around 365F degrees.
Louis Rubin
Your recipe shows masa harina which is not corn masa.
Mely Martínez
Hello Louis,
Yes, this recipe uses masa harina, when you add water, it becomes masa.
Liz
Was just looking through recipes for ideas and found this. So glad to see another savory empanada recipe!
One recommendation, if you fry them immersed in oil, it helps prevent the cheese from oozing out as well. My Venezuelan father taught me that way. We also add sugar into the flour mixture instead of the cheese.
Angie
Why do you add sugar to the queso fresco ?
mmartinez
Hello Angie, that is a custom in Tabasco, to add sugar to the queso and mix it. They taste delicious. The first time I heard about it, I thought it was weird, but they do taste great. You can skip the sugar if you want.
nancy
can i use store bought corn tortillas to make fried empanadas? I really like how they look and want to try them.
mmartinez
You can make fry tacos instead.