Seeking a deliciously deep dive into Argentina’s empanada culture, I took a hands-on empanada cooking class with Chef Maria at Finca Valentina in Salta, Argentina.

After spending nearly three weeks in Argentina, I can say truthfully that I ate a lot of empanadas, those melt-in-your-mouth hand pies filled with all kinds of yummies. And I do mean a lot. Did I say a lot?

I will also bet that every traveler to Argentina gets hooked on empanadas, exploring all the different types and styles that exist today and even seeking perhaps one last empanada indulgence at the airport on the way out!

Who wants to leave Argentina and just dream of those delicacies until you return? I didn’t. So I jumped at the chance to do a personal cooking class with Chef Maria at the Finca Valentina bed and breakfast where we stayed after finishing our trip through the Puna de Atacama. Of note is that the Finca Valentina is itself a beautiful former ranch house transformed into the best bed and breakfast. Although it is in Salta, you are on the rural edge of town (but near the airport), making it a top retreat with all the amenities. Including Chef Maria’s cooking class!

Now, I only speak the most basic Spanish—think somewhat mangled words expressed with hands and feet, occasionally in a short sentence—and Chef Maria doesn’t really speak English. Yet our cooking class went smoother than ganache sliding down the side of a cake.

Get cooking empanadas at Finca Valentina Salta

This is not a cooking class where you sit and observe. Get ready to throw on an apron, pick up a knife, and get at it – with Chef Maria coaxing, explaining, and sometimes sending things back for you to do “better.” Don’t want to get too cocky now! The carrot at the end of all this, of course, is that you will get to have lunch afterward with your own creations.

But first, the cooking of Empanadas Salteñas: There are, of course, lots of personal choices when it comes to creating empanadas. You will find yourself on any Argentina travels comparing and contrasting every empanada experience you have, since they vary from region to region and cook to cook. The same goes for making them. Chef Maria’s recipe was traditional, but of course leaves room for you to make it sweeter or spicier, meatier or not, smaller (Salta style) or bigger (Buenos Aires style). Luckily, Salta-style empanadas are broadly considered the best in the country. We’ll leave you to judge that on your next trip. We certainly like that they are smaller, leaving you more room to try a few different kinds at a meal!

Empanadas to go, freshly cooked in a wood-fired outdoor oven and don’t forget the salsa!

We spent nearly two hours in the kitchen chopping red peppers and onions, a few green onions, and boiled eggs, as well as mincing asado (beef filet) and cubing cheese. We also made the pastry and kneaded it, then created little balls of dough to roll out and shape. Chef Maria was a stickler. You had to hold a blob of dough in your fist, then squeeze up and out a round blob that you tore off and smoothed out, lining it up on the counter to march along with all the other little dough blobs ready to roll out.

Of course, when you savor empanadas and their flaky crust in a restaurant, they don’t tell you about the beef lard traditionally used in the filling and dough. Honestly, this is not something that is in my pantry, but we were making traditional empanadas, so beef fat it was. I hate to say it, but this is what probably helps make them so mouth-wateringly and melt-in-your-mouth good.

Do you think pastry is easy?

After we had everything chopped, mixed, and cooked, we were on to the really tricky part. Don’t you dare just fold over the little empanada dough envelope and give it a squeeze to close. Oh no. There is a traditional method called “repulgue” to close up and seal every empanada. And the way the edge is pressed or turned represents what’s inside! Since we were making both beef and cheese, I had to learn two repulgue styles: Meat is twisted and folded, ending up looking a bit like a rope around the edge. Cheese is kind of pinched from the bottom to create little “ears” poking out. After closing an empanada, you give the empanada packet a little bend to make it look more like a half-moon.

In the end, mine looked pretty good. At least that’s what Chef Maria told me, although I think she may tell everybody that.

I show off my empanadas — meat on the top with the twisted closure and cheese on the bottom with little “ears” on the closed end.

After all your little babies are prepped, brush the tops with a bit of egg white so they will glisten and brown properly. And that’s it! Depending on your oven, you bake them for 20-30 minutes.

Then you can just enjoy them. I must say that when a big basket of empanadas was brought to our table, they looked impressive. Add a little salad, a glass of wine (this is Argentina after all), and chow down.

Finca Valentina serves intimate home-cooked meals nightly. Check out the board to find that day’s menu.

This empanada cooking experience was downright delightful, and Chef Maria was a superb and patient instructor. Of course, biting into a steamy packet of goodness made it all worth the effort.

Now, I don’t have to go back to Argentina to enjoy empanadas. Just kidding. I love the Puna de Atacama in Argentina, so I’ll be back soon. And I’ll be gearing up to try more empanadas while there.

Want to make your own amazing empanadas? We were given permission to share the empanada recipe from Maria’s Finca Valentina cooking class exclusively with our HI Travel Tales Subscriber Club members. If you are not a subscriber yet, you will be invited to take advantage of 7 days of FREE unlimited access to our premium content, granting you full access to our full premium travel and recipe library. Just cancel before 7 days and you will owe us nothing.