Amazing 10 Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

If you’re like me, hosting means needing snacks that disappear fast but don’t keep you chained to the stove all night. I have found my absolute favorite crowd-pleaser for game days and casual get-togethers, and they are so simple! I’m talking about these amazing little flavor bombs: the Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites. They nail that sweet and savory thing perfectly, and because they are baked, cleanup is a dream. Honestly, I made these last weekend and they were gone before the halftime commercials even started. Trust me, you need this recipe in your rotation!

Why You’ll Love These Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Seriously, these little guys tick every single box when it comes to party food perfection. They are ridiculously easy to whip up, especially since we’re using store-bought dough!

• The flavor contrast is incredible: the earthy sweetness of the potato playing off that spicy, smoky chorizo? Wow!
• They are perfectly portioned—no messy plates needed here! They travel beautifully, too.
• They bake instead of fry, which means way less oil splatter on my nice counters. You can thank me later about that cleanup!
• They look impressive, even though they take almost no time at all.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

This recipe is genius because it relies heavily on components you can grab easily, but the quality you choose really makes the difference here. Don’t skimp on that chorizo; that’s where most of the smoky flavor explosion comes from!

Here’s what you need to gather up for your ten perfect bites:

• One full cup of sweet potato, mashed smooth. Make sure it’s cooked down nicely already!
• Half a pound of ground chorizo sausage. This cooks down beautifully and gives us that spice foundation.
• A quarter cup each of onion and bell pepper, chopped small. They add that little bit of freshness we need.
• For seasoning, we keep it simple: one teaspoon of cumin and half a teaspoon of chili powder.
• The pastry is key! You can grab one package containing ten refrigerated pie crusts, or just use pre-cut empanada discs if you find them.
• Finally, you need just one egg, beaten well, specifically for that beautiful golden wash we put on top before baking.

That’s it! Simple, right? It’s the combination of that sweet potato softening the chorizo heat that makes this filling sing.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Okay, here is the part where we bring it all together. The filling comes together super fast, but we need one key little pause before we start folding them up. Trust me on the cooling step; it saves you from teary dough!

Preparing the Flavorful Sweet Potato Chorizo Filling

First things first, get that chorizo cooking in a skillet over medium heat. You have to break it up really well as it sizzles away. Once it looks cooked through, you absolutely must drain off any excess grease. Soggy pastry is my enemy, so grab a paper towel or use a strainer!

Next, toss in your chopped onion and bell pepper right into that pan with the cooked chorizo. Let them cook until they’re soft and smell amazing, usually about five minutes. Then, kill the heat! Stir in your mashed sweet potato, cumin, and chili powder until everything is combined and looking happy. Spread this mixture out on a plate—let it cool down slightly. It needs to be just warm, not hot, before it goes into the pastry.

Assembling Your Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Now, let’s get ready to bake! You want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F—that’s nice and hot. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper because nobody wants to scrape burnt cheese off a metal sheet, right?

If you are using pie crusts instead of those handy discs, grab a cookie cutter—maybe about 3 or 4 inches wide—and start cutting out your circles. You should get about ten good ones. Place just about one tablespoon of that cooled filling right in the center of each circle. Fold that dough over to make a perfect little half-moon shape. This is important: use a fork to really crimp down those edges! If you don’t seal them tight, all that wonderful chorizo filling will sneak out during baking.

Baking for Golden Perfection of the Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Lay those sealed bites onto your prepared sheets. This next bit gives them that gorgeous, shiny finish. Take your beaten egg and brush the tops lightly—this is crucial for that golden-brown color everyone loves to see!

Pop them into the hot oven for about 12 to 15 minutes. You’re looking for them to be puffed up and gorgeously golden brown all over. If you want to try making your own dough sometime, I found a great recipe for homemade flaky pastry, but the store-bought ones are honestly perfect for this quick appetizer!

Pro Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

You’ve got the recipe down, but want to take these amazing little pockets from really good to downright legendary? I’ve got three tricks I always use that elevate them, especially when my kitchen gets chaotic!

First, when you’re working with refrigerated dough—whether it’s pie crust or those discs—keep it cold! If the dough starts getting warm and sticky while you’re trying to cut shapes, stop what you’re doing. Throw the sheets back in the fridge for just 10 minutes. Cold dough handles way better, seals tighter, and gives you that crisp lift instead of a sad, greasy flat spot.

Second, don’t be afraid to play with the spice blend if you like a real kick. That teaspoon of cumin is classic, but if you’re feeling bold, add a tiny dash of smoked paprika right into the filling mixture along with the chili powder. It just deepens that smoky element from the chorizo even more. If you are feeling extra adventurous and want to try a different shape or method entirely, you might want to check out how I do air fryer recipes because these empanadas are fantastic cooked in there too!

Finally, if you’re making these ahead of time, assemble them completely, brush them with the egg wash, and then freeze them right on the baking sheet. Once they are rock solid (about an hour), transfer them to a freezer bag. When you need them, just pop the frozen bites straight onto a parchment-lined sheet and add about 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time. They come out looking freshly baked, and guests are always amazed!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

I get asked all the time about tweaking recipes, especially when it comes to making things a little lighter or when I run out of a specific item! Luckily, these empanada bites are pretty forgiving, but there are a couple of things you should know before you start swapping things out.

Dealing with the Chorizo Choice

The recipe calls for standard ground chorizo, which is amazing for its fat and flavor, but I know some of you are looking for leaner options. If you want to cut back on fat, try using turkey chorizo sausage instead. It still brings that fantastic spice profile but is usually much lighter. Just make sure you still drain any excess liquid, even if it looks less greasy than pork chorizo.

Sweet Potato Prep Work

You absolutely need that sweet potato to be mashed and relatively smooth. The recipe notes assume you’re using cooked sweet potato, so if you’re starting from raw, make sure you bake or boil them until they are completely tender first. Canned sweet potato puree works in a pinch if you’re desperate, but you must drain off any extra liquid from the can first—we want starchy goodness, not watery filling!

Dough Decisions

For the dough, pre-cut empanada discs are a lifesaver, honestly. If you use the full refrigerated pie crusts, you’ll naturally have scraps left over (it just happens!). Don’t toss those! Just gather them up, quickly roll them into a ball, flatten them slightly, and then cut more circles until you use it all up. We don’t waste dough around here!

Storage and Reheating Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Nobody wants to let leftovers go to waste, especially when they taste this good straight out of the oven! The great news is that these little Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites freeze and reheat like a dream, provided you use the right methods. We are fighting the dreaded microwave sogginess at all costs here.

Storing Your Leftovers Safely

If you just have a couple left over from your party, pop them into any airtight container and stick them in the fridge. They’ll stay perfectly yummy for about three to four days. I always try to sample one the next day just to make sure they survived the night!

For longer storage, the freezer is your best friend. Once the empanadas have cooled completely—this is essential, hot food creates ice crystals and mush—place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pop that sheet in the freezer until the bites are completely solid, maybe an hour or two. Then, you can transfer them into a heavy-duty freezer bag or container. They should keep well for about two months!

Reheating for Maximum Crispness

Okay, forget the microwave; it turns pastry into rubber! If you want that flaky crust back, always go for dry heat. The oven or the air fryer are the only acceptable methods in my kitchen.

For the oven, just preheat it to about 350 degrees F. Lay the cold or room-temperature bites right on a baking sheet and heat them through for about 8 to 10 minutes. They come out hot, flaky, and just like you pulled them out of the oven the first time.

If you have an air fryer, even better! It’s faster and gives a super crispy exterior. Set your air fryer to 325 degrees F and cook for only 4 to 6 minutes, checking halfway through. They get perfectly crispy every time that way. It’s seriously satisfying to bring these back to life!

Serving Suggestions for Your Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

These Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites are designed to be a perfect little appetizer, but they really shine when you give them something cool and creamy to dip into. Because we’ve got that smoky spice from the chorizo playing against the sweet potato, you need dips that balance that out or enhance the smoky notes.

The recipe notes mentioned serving them with sour cream or salsa, and honestly, those are the absolute must-haves right out of the gate! A dollop of cool sour cream just cuts through the richness of the sausage beautifully. And you can’t have little Mexican-inspired bites without a vibrant salsa!

If you want to step up your dip game a notch, I highly recommend pairing them with some great homemade dips. My favorite thing to serve alongside these is a fresh, tangy dipping sauce. You absolutely have to try my recipe for homemade salsa; it really brightens everything up with fresh tomatoes and lime.

And here’s my secret weapon for any gathering: guacamole! The creamy texture and healthy fat of avocado are the perfect foil to these warm, savory pastries. If you’ve never made your own, you won’t believe the difference—my recipe for homemade guacamole is super easy and uses just the right amount of garlic.

If you are serving these alongside a meal, they pair really nicely with something light and slightly acidic, like a crisp green salad with a lime vinaigrette, or even just a cold Mexican lager or a simple limeade to wash it all down! Honestly, they are delicious all by themselves, but a good dip is half the fun, you know?

Frequently Asked Questions About Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Can I use pre-made dough other than pie crusts?

Oh, totally! Using pre-made dough is the whole secret to keeping this recipe fast. If you can find pre-cut empanada discs that are the right size, grab those. They save you the whole step of cutting out circles! Even frozen puff pastry works wonderfully here, but you absolutely must let it thaw completely in the fridge before you try to work with it, or it will crack and be impossible to seal. If you love making things from scratch, I’ve even got a neat easy homemade tortilla recipe, but for these bites, store-bought dough is the real time-saver!

How far ahead of time can I assemble these Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites?

This is a great make-ahead appetizer! You can assemble the Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites completely—filling them, folding them, and crimping them—up to 24 hours in advance. The key, though, is that they must stay covered tightly in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. Don’t brush them with the egg wash until about 15 minutes before they go into the oven, though, because that wash can start to soak into the pastry if it sits too long!

Can I make a vegetarian version of these empanada bites?

You certainly can make these vegetarian, though you’ll lose that signature smoky chorizo flavor, of course! To substitute, I highly recommend using crumbled soy chorizo, which is widely available now and brings a lot of the spice profile without the meat. If you can’t find soy chorizo, another great option is to use sautéed mushrooms mixed with a heavy shake of smoked paprika, black pepper, and maybe a tiny bit of smoked salt to mimic that deep, savory flavor we get from the sausage.

Why does my filling leak out while baking?

Ugh, that’s the worst! It almost always comes down to two culprits, and you have to watch out for both. First, make sure your filling is cooled down—if it’s too hot, it essentially steams the dough and prevents a good seal. Second, and this is the big one: you must crimp those edges really well with a fork! Press down firmly on the tines all the way around to make a strong, tight seal. If the heat is really high (like 400 degrees F), the dough puffs up fast, so that seal has to be secure!

Nutritional Snapshot of Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites

Now, I know most of us aren’t baking these mindful of the calorie count—they are party food, after all! But I do like to keep track, and I wanted to share what the numbers look like for these tasty Sweet Potato Chorizo Empanada Bites. Knowing roughly what you’re eating helps when you’re hovering by the serving platter!

Based on using commercial pie crusts and standard pork chorizo, here is an estimated breakdown for one single empanada bite:

• Serving Size: 1 empanada bite
• Calories: Around 180 calories—not too bad for a little pastry pocket of joy!
• Fat: About 10 grams total, with 4 grams of that being the saturated kind from the sausage and crust.
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 18 grams, mostly coming from the dough and the sweet potato base.
• Protein: You get a nice little punch of about 6 grams of protein per bite, which helps keep you feeling satisfied.
• Sugar: Low, only about 3 grams, which is great confirmation that the sweetness is coming naturally from the potato!
• Sodium: I see about 350mg here, reflecting the saltiness that chorizo brings to the mix.

Please remember, these figures are just estimates! If you opt for turkey chorizo or use a different dough formulation, those numbers will definitely shift around a bit. It all depends on exactly what ingredients you decide to use for your batch. Enjoy them—and don’t stress too much over the final tally!

Print