COLOMBIAN EMPANADAS IN THE INSTANT POT AND AJI VERDE/ GREEN SAUCE

corn flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner while ground pork is often less expensive.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Nutritional yeast adds flavor without dairy.

Cut up 8 large potatoes into pieces.

Use a food processor to chop a bunch of cilantro and a bunch of green onions.

Set the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus to sauté and let it heat for 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the heated pot and let it heat for another 2 minutes.

Add the chopped cilantro and green onions to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.

Add 1 pound of ground beef to the pot and mix everything together.

Move the meat to the side and add the cut potatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of water to the pot.

Cover the Instant Pot and set it to pressure cook for 25 minutes.

After cooking, release the steam and open the pot to check the contents.

Prepare the aji sauce by chopping a bunch of cilantro, a quarter bunch of green onions, and 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles in the food processor.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 1 cup of water to the chopped mixture and mix well.

Pulse the cooked meat in the food processor three times to chop it up, draining any excess water if necessary.

Mix the chopped meat with the cooked potatoes and let it cool down.

Prepare the dough by mixing 3 cups of precooked yellow corn flour, 0.5 tablespoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of oil in a mixer for about 5 minutes while gradually adding 3 cups of warm water.

Grease your hands with oil and form the dough into small balls.

Use a tortilla press to flatten the dough balls, placing a piece of plastic on top and bottom before pressing.

Add 1.5 tablespoons of the meat and potato filling to the center of the flattened dough, fold it over, and cut the excess dough with a bowl.

Repeat the filling and folding process for all dough balls.

Heat oil in a pan to 300°F.

Fry the empanadas in the heated oil for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens