An empanada is a small pastry parcel folded around a filling and baked — deceptively simple, infinitely variable, and the single most popular food in Argentina at every income level. You eat them at offices, at weddings, in stadiums during soccer matches, in the back seat of taxis, at three in the morning after the asado is over. A good empanada is one of the small daily luxuries of Argentine life.
Empanadas in Dubai exist but are quieter than they should be. The best in the city — at La Cabaña, a small Argentine-run counter on the back of Alserkal Avenue — sell out by 8pm most days. Asado at The Palace serves a trio plate that any Buenos Aires expat will tell you is genuinely above the line. And Spinneys and Carrefour both sell empanada discs in the Latin section, which means a tray of authentic Argentinian empanadas is a 60-minute kitchen project from any Dubai supermarket trip.
The Best Argentinian Empanadas in Dubai (Ranked)
La Cabaña (Al Quoz)
Alserkal Avenue back row · AED 14–18 eachThe single best Argentinian empanada experience in Dubai. Hand-folded with proper repulgue (the woven seal), baked through the day in small batches, sold from a 6-seat counter. Three permanent fillings — criolla (beef-onion-egg-olive, AED 18), chicken-and-spring-onion (AED 16), ham-and-cheese (AED 14) — plus a Tuesday humita (corn) special and an occasional bondiola (slow-cooked pork) at AED 22. The dough is thinner and crisper than most Dubai versions. Pairs perfectly with their house chimichurri (AED 35 for a jar to take home). No reservations; often sold out by 8pm.
Asado at The Palace Downtown
Lakeside Downtown · AED 75 for a trioThe empanada starter is one of the best plates at Asado — three large empanadas (beef, chicken, three-cheese) with house chimichurri and a salsa criolla. The dough is slightly thicker and more buttery than La Cabaña's, which suits the steakhouse context. Best ordered as the first course before going into the full asado spread. Genuinely good empanadas, even if the per-piece price (effectively AED 25 each) is roughly 60% above La Cabaña.
Read full Asado review →Café Bastille (DIFC)
Gate Village · AED 38 for 3A French-Argentine bistro that does Buenos Aires-style empanadas on its lunch menu. Three pieces for AED 38 — beef, chicken, or vegetable. The dough is somewhere between Argentinian and French pastry — flakier and richer than traditional. Best context: a DIFC lunch meeting where you want Argentinian flavour without committing to a full steak experience.
Buenos Aires Grill (JLT)
Cluster F · AED 48 for 4 piecesA solid mid-range Argentinian empanada selection: beef, chicken, ham-and-cheese, vegetable. 4 pieces for AED 48 (AED 12 per piece). The dough is slightly thicker than La Cabaña and the seasoning slightly softer; perfectly enjoyable but not transcendent. Best context: dinner at the same table.
El Asador (Frozen, multi-supermarket)
Spinneys / Carrefour Latin section · AED 38 for 6 frozenFrozen empanadas from El Asador brand — sold at Spinneys MOE and Carrefour MOE in the Latin section. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 20 minutes. They are not nearly as good as anything else on this list, but they are 24/7 freezer-stable and AED 6.30 per piece. Useful for a quick at-home empanada moment when nothing else is open.
How to Make Argentinian Empanadas at Home in Dubai
Argentinian Beef Empanadas (Salteño Style) — Makes 24
Total time 60 minutes (40 min prep + 20 min bake) + 30 min chill
Ingredients
- 24 empanada discs (La Salteña brand, Carrefour Latin section, AED 28–36 for 2 packs)
- 600g beef mince, 15–20% fat
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 80g pitted green olives, chopped
- 1 tsp salt + black pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten (for glazing tops)
Method
- Defrost empanada discs at room temperature for 20 minutes (they tear if folded cold).
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onions, bell pepper and spring onions. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden.
- Add garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli flakes. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the beef mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8–10 minutes until fully cooked through and just lightly browned. Season generously with salt and pepper. The filling should look juicy but not soupy.
- Remove from heat. Stir in chopped boiled eggs and chopped olives. Transfer to a wide bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — the filling MUST be cold before assembly, otherwise the dough will tear and the empanadas will leak during baking.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
- Place a disc of dough on a clean surface. Add 1.5–2 tablespoons of cold filling to the centre (do not overfill — this is the most common mistake). Wet the edge of the disc with water using your finger.
- Fold the disc in half over the filling to form a half-moon. Press the edge firmly with your fingers to seal completely. Then, working from one corner of the seal, fold the edge over itself in small overlapping pleats around the curve. This is the traditional repulgue seal. It is decorative and structural — it prevents leaks during baking.
- Place sealed empanadas on the trays with 2cm spacing. Brush tops with beaten egg.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes until golden brown and the bases sound hollow when tapped. Serve warm with chimichurri.
A few notes from making this dozens of times. First, the filling really must be cold before you assemble — if it's even slightly warm, the steam will tear the dough during baking and you'll lose juice. Second, the repulgue seal is what separates an Argentinian empanada from any other empanada in the world — spend 5 minutes watching a YouTube video on "repulgue empanada" before your first attempt and the rest of your life of empanada-making will be better. Third, the empanadas freeze beautifully before baking: freeze on the tray, then transfer to a bag, and bake from frozen with 6 extra minutes. A double batch on Sunday gives you a freezer's worth of weekday lunch.
The Classic Empanada Fillings, Explained
Explore More Argentinian Food in Dubai
Frequently Asked Questions
Are empanadas at La Cabaña halal?
The beef and chicken empanadas use halal-certified meat from Spinneys. The ham-and-cheese version uses standard pork ham and is not halal — however, La Cabaña offers a halal alternative made with turkey ham on request (just ask when ordering). The cheese, corn (humita) and vegetable empanadas are all halal-friendly. The bondiola (slow-cooked pork shoulder) special when on the menu is not halal.
Can I make empanada dough from scratch instead of buying discs?
Yes, and it is roughly 30% better — the homemade dough has more butter, less preservatives and a flakier finish. Recipe: 500g plain flour, 250g cold butter cubed, 1 tsp salt, 1 large egg, 100–150ml ice-cold water. Process flour-butter-salt to coarse breadcrumb texture. Mix in egg, then add water gradually until dough just comes together. Wrap and chill 1 hour. Roll to 3mm thickness and cut 12cm discs. But honestly, the La Salteña discs from Carrefour are 90% as good for 5% of the effort.
Why do my empanadas leak filling during baking?
Three causes, in order of likelihood: (1) The filling was warm when you sealed the empanadas. The steam pressure built up during baking and burst the seal. Always chill filling for 30+ minutes before assembly. (2) The seal was incomplete — pinch firmly, then do the repulgue fold on top for double security. (3) You overfilled — 1.5–2 tablespoons is the limit per 12cm disc. More than that and the seal cannot close properly.
Can I freeze empanadas?
Yes, and this is the great empanada move. Freeze the sealed-but-unbaked empanadas on a parchment-lined tray for 2 hours until solid, then transfer to a ziploc bag. They keep for 3 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 26–28 minutes (instead of 18–22). The texture is essentially identical to fresh. Bake-from-frozen empanadas are the single best home-cooking convenience food I know.
