While most empanadas are made with corn or maize dough and are thus gluten-free, Argentinian empanadas call for the use of flour-based dough that does have gluten in it (with the exception of Northern cassava flour empanadas).
Argentinian empanadas are usually not gluten-free, however, you can modify Argentinian empanada recipes to make them gluten free, including changes to the way you prepare the dough.
In this guide, we’ll be discussing the ingredients most commonly found in Argentine empanadas – from the dough to the filling – and how that excludes them from the gluten free category. We’re also going to share some tips on how to make your Argentine-style empanadas gluten free and touch on the risks you take when eating this dish if you have a gluten intolerance.
Are Argentinian Empanadas Gluten-Free?
Since Argentinian empanadas call for the use of flour-based dough for the exterior, they inevitably contain gluten. Most store-bought baking/cooking flours contain gluten – and that extends beyond whole-wheat flour to include enriched/bleached flour as well.
The only kinds of cooking/baking flours that are gluten-free are those that contain gluten-free grains and ingredients, such as almond flour, oat flour, coconut flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, and sorghum flour.
Furthermore, these filled pockets are often fried or baked, meaning they are prone to cross-contamination.
According to Beyond Celiac, common sources of cross-contamination with gluten include other cooking ingredients and tools that contain gluten or have traces of gluten on them from other cooking projects, such as:
- Dish towels
- Kitchen rags
- Convection oven surfaces
- Stovetop surfaces
- Improperly cleaned cooking utensils
- Cooking equipment
What Are Argentine Empanadas Made Of?
Empanadas are dough pockets commonly filled with a combination of meats, vegetables, greens, cheeses, and/or sauces. In Argentina, empanadas take on a unique style that relies on the use of flour dough for the pockets instead of dough made of corn.
Usually, the dough is made from a simple combination of flour and water, along with some lard to fatten it. The one type of Argentine empanada that often is gluten-free is the Northern Argentine style empanada with a dough made of cassava flour.
Common meats included in Argentine empanadas include:
- Shredded chicken, cubed steak
- Ground beef
- Mondongo (stomach lining from sheep, cows, and pigs usually)
- Spicy beef
- Goat meat
- Llama meat
- Lamb meat
- Seafood
Other filling ingredients include spring onions, cheese, spinach, sweet corn, sauces, peppers, carrots, rice, potatoes, garlic, chili, raisins, olives, and peas. Ingredients depend mostly on the regional style of Argentine empanada and what is available. However, many empanadas share the common style of meat cooked in fat and/or vinegar.
Making Gluten-Free Argentine Empanadas
There are a few ways to achieve gluten-free Argentine empanadas, simply by modifying recipes to eliminate gluten ingredients. The first thing you need to do is establish the type of dough you’re going to make. It can’t have any sort of flour that is derived from wheat.
Once you’ve achieved a gluten-free dough, make sure that none of your filler ingredients contain gluten. You can check to see which common foods and cooking ingredients contain gluten on the Celiac Disease Foundation website.
Be aware that certain sauces and gravies contain gluten if they’re thickened with wheat flour. You should always check an ingredient’s label to check for gluten sources before using them. Even kitchen cross-contamination of factory cross-contamination of ingredients can lead to allergic reactions to gluten when making Argentine empanadas.
Gluten-Free Argentine Empanada Recipes
Check out the following popular Argentine empanada recipes to create a gluten-free option at home:
- “The Best Gluten-Free Empanada Dough” – Gluten Free on a Shoestring
- “Gluten-Free Meat Empanadas from Argentina” – Fun Without Gluten
- “Gluten-Free Empanadas Recipe” – The Nomadic Fitzpatricks
- “The Best Gluten Free Argentinian Beef Empanadas” – Schaer
Final Thoughts
Celiac individuals looking to try out traditional Argentine recipes at home may be surprised to find that Argentinian empanadas aren’t naturally gluten free. Unlike other empanada recipes, Argentine empanadas use a flour-based dough, typically with wheat flour, that renders them unsafe for gluten intolerant individuals (except for Northern cassava flour empanadas).
To make a gluten-free Argentinian empanada, create your dough with gluten-free grain flours and avoid cross-contaminating your recipe with gluten from other ingredients and sources in your kitchen.
