I love a good breakfast that’s easily prepped a few days before and these are a great option if you want to switch things up from breakfast burritos or simple bowls of cereal, especially if you’re feeding a crowd and don’t want to do much work on a daily basis. Just spend some time making a batch of these ahead of time and then freeze them for future breakfasts. Easy peasy!

And don’t worry about the ingredients when it comes to substituting what you like. Want to omit the ham and use turkey or sausage instead? Go for it. Want to make it vegetarian? Sure thing! Just sauté some vegetables and you’ll be good to go when it comes to mixing them in with the eggs. Think of this as more of a guide than a strict recipe, so have fun with it. Let’s get to assembling and cooking!

Breakfast Empanadas

Yield: 10 empanadas

Cook time: 35 minutes

1 package of empanada dough discs, thawed

1/2 cup cubed ham pieces

2 tbsp butter, unsalted

8 large eggs, beaten

2 tbsp freeze-dried chives

Splash of milk or water

Pinch kosher salt

Pinch black pepper

5 slices colby-jack cheese, cut in half diagonally

Vegetable oil, for frying

Hot sauce, for serving

In a large frying pan, add a drizzle of vegetable oil and sauté the cubed ham over medium heat until crisp, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, chives, splash of milk, kosher salt, and black pepper until well-combined and no whites or yolks are separated. Set aside. Once the ham is crispy, add the pat of butter and stir around, making sure the butter melts.

Then, turn the heat down to low and add the beaten egg mixture. Using a spatula, fold the eggs over onto themselves from the outside of the pan and into the center, stirring occasionally. You don’t want to cook the eggs too much because they’ll finish cooking and getting fluffy inside of the empanada. Once the eggs are barely set, turn the heat off, and set aside on a plate.

Preheat the cooking oil over medium heat in a separate pot or pan while assembling the empanadas. While the oil preheats, start assembling the empanadas by spooning a heaping tablespoon of the scrambled eggs into the center of the dough disc, then place a half slice of cheese over the eggs, and fold over into a half moon shape, pressing down on the edges with your finger.

Then, using a fork, crimp the edges all the way around the empanada. Set aside and repeat process for the rest of the discs. Once the oil is hot enough, you can test this by putting the edge of a wooden spoon into the oil to see if bubbles form around it.

Fry the empanadas until they’re golden brown and float. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and serve with your favorite hot sauce. I fried four for two people and froze the rest for another day. If you’re going to cook them later, make sure to thaw out the empanadas in the fridge overnight to fry them when the dough is thawed.

¡Buen provecho!