An empanada is a stuffed turnover or hot pocket. Its name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which means to wrap or coat in bread. However, empanadas are not exclusive to Spain. Practically every country in the world has its own empanada style.

In Argentinean empanadas, the dough is made from wheat flour, and the fillings differ from province to province. In some it is mainly chicken, in others beef (cubed or ground), accompanied by boiled eggs, olives, raisins, peppers, onions, and spiced with chili peppers and paprika. Empanadas can be baked or fried. They may also contain ham, fish, sweet-corn or spinach, and to make a dessert empanada, fruit filling is used.

The repulgue, the pattern by which the empanada is closed, indicates the type of filling it has.