The empanada de espinaca is not a dish that asks much of you. A golden pastry case, spinach cooked down with garlic and seasoning, a generous layer of melting cheese, and a crust that snaps when you bite through it. That’s the premise. The gap between a version that delivers on it and one that disappointingly doesn’t, though, is considerable and it explains why so many people are actively hunting out the best empanada de espinaca near me rather than settling for whatever Latin American spot happens to be closest.
The UK’s appetite for this specific pastry has grown sharply in recent years. The global empanada market was valued at $3.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $6.7 billion by 2034, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5%, driven by surging consumer interest in authentic Latin American cuisine and the proliferation of food delivery platforms. That growth is very much playing out on British high streets, in food markets, and on Deliveroo. The challenge is knowing where to look, and what to look for once you get there.
What Empanada de Espinaca Actually Is?
The phrase translates simply as “spinach empanada” a pastry pocket, either baked or fried, filled with seasoned spinach and typically at least one variety of cheese. That’s the base. In practice, the filling varies considerably by region and by cook.
Spinach has been a popular filling in empanadas for centuries, particularly in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Its use dates back to the 19th century, when Spanish immigrants introduced the pastry to the region, and spinach was a readily available and affordable ingredient, making it a staple in many Latin American households.
Empanadas trace back to Spain and Portugal as a staple of Latin American cuisine, with regional variations across Argentina reflecting the country’s diverse culture. Spinach empanadas offer a particularly popular vegetarian option at any gathering.
The cheese used changes everything. Ricotta gives a lighter, slightly sweet creaminess. Mozzarella brings that familiar, stretchy pull. Parmesan adds a salty, nutty edge. Many respected versions layer two or three together. A classic Colombian preparation fills the pastry with garlic, spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese, and Parmesan, sealed using the traditional rope-edged “repulgue” technique before baking or frying.
What you’re looking for is spinach that has been properly wilted and seasoned not waterlogged, not raw, not just thrown in as an afterthought. The spinach should be soft, seasoned, and mixed evenly with cheese or cream. The pastry should have a light crunch on the outside and a tender layer inside. The best versions use onion, garlic, black pepper, and herbs to bring out the natural flavour, with some bakeries adding a little lemon zest for brightness. And There must try about Best Lebkuchen Near Me.
Baked or Fried? It Actually Matters
This is not a trivial distinction. The two methods produce meaningfully different results, and your preference for one over the other should partly guide where you eat.
Baked empanadas the more common style in Argentine tradition tend to have a buttery, layered crust with a slight snap. When made well, they’re light enough to eat three without discomfort, which is often exactly what happens. The filling stays moist and the cheese doesn’t turn greasy.
Fried empanadas deliver a different kind of pleasure. The exterior is crunchier, darker, and richer. The fat in the crust amplifies flavour and gives the pastry a substantial, almost crackled texture. It’s a heavier eat, but for many people that’s the point.
Freshly baked or freshly fried empanadas generally offer superior taste compared to those that have been sitting under heat lamps for extended periods. This is the single most consistent piece of advice across reviews and food writing on the subject: timing matters more than the cooking method. A baked empanada that sat on a counter for an hour will lose to a fried one that came out of the oil two minutes ago, every time.
Where to Find the Best Empanada de Espinaca in the UK
Chango Empanadas, London (Multiple Locations)
If you’re in London and you want a spinach empanada you can actually trust, Chango is the most reliable answer. The group operates across multiple sites with shops in Wimbledon, Richmond, Highgate, and at other London locations as well as via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
Their spinach and ricotta option consists of three hot empanadas, ready to eat, filled with spinach and ricotta. All locations consistently carry it. The group also operates a mail-order service for frozen versions. Their empanadas are precooked and come frozen, with recommended heating at 230°C for eight to twelve minutes depending on whether they’re defrosted or straight from the freezer.
Reviewers on Tripadvisor have praised the vegetarian options specifically, with one noting they tried three veggie fillings spinach and ricotta, pumpkin and goat cheese, and sweetcorn describing them as “an explosion of flavours.” Google users have given the Chango locations a score of 4.6, with multiple reviews highlighting variety of vegetarian fillings and affordable prices.
Porteña, Borough Market, London SE1
Porteña operates from a permanent stall at Borough Market and is arguably the most well-known empanada destination in the UK. The name means “girl from Buenos Aires,” and the menu is built around traditional Argentine street food empanadas with fillings including spinach and ricotta, ham and cheese, mozzarella and tomato, and beef, alongside yerba mate and homemade alfajores with dulce de leche.
Yelp reviewers highlight that the stall offers several flavours, with the spinach and ricotta specifically called out among the options. The Infatuation has noted the spinach and ricotta alongside provolone and caramelised onion as the two vegetarian offerings, pricing three pasties at around £6.60.
Reviews are consistent in praising freshness and authenticity, though some note that pastry thickness can be variable. One reviewer described the spinach and cheese as the best of the fillings at Porteña, though noted the pastry could feel slightly thick on off-peak visits. Worth bearing in mind that Borough Market is busiest on Fridays and Saturdays, when turnover is highest and empanadas are likeliest to be fresh out of the oven.
Zoilo, Mayfair, London W1
For a sit-down Argentine meal where empanadas are part of a fuller menu, Zoilo on Duke Street, Mayfair, is the most critically recognised option in the capital. Mayfair’s Zoilo is an Argentine restaurant that prides itself on the authenticity of its cuisine. TheFork users have rated Zoilo at 9.8 out of 10, making it one of the highest-rated Argentine restaurants in London for dining experience. Prices here are higher than market stalls or takeaway spots, but the product quality matches.
Chimichurris, Southwark, London SE1
Chimichurris in Southwark is helmed by Nico Modad, a chef with roots in Argentina, and the restaurant is frequently cited as among the best Argentine spots in London. Diners highlight the empanadas specifically alongside the steaks. It’s a proper sit-down restaurant rather than a takeaway good if you want your spinach empanada as part of an evening rather than a street snack.
Casa Argentina (Online, UK Delivery)
For those outside London, or anyone who wants the experience at home, Casa Argentina sells authentic Argentine empanadas for national delivery. They offer homemade empanadas, premium meat cuts, Argentinian wines, alfajores, and other products and were shortlisted for Consumer Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2026 Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Ordering ahead takes the hunting out of the process entirely.
How to Search for Empanada de Espinaca Near You
If you’re not in London or near a known venue, the search requires a slightly different approach.
Use Google Maps with specific terms. Searching “empanada espinaca” or “spinach empanada” alongside your location pulls more specific results than a generic “Latin American restaurant” search. Filter by rating and look for places with at least fifty reviews enough to form a reliable picture of consistency.
Food delivery apps like Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo now feature many Latin American kitchens. Entering your location and searching for “empanadas” shows what’s available for delivery in your area.
Look for Argentine bakeries specifically. Argentine bakeries are frequently among the best places to find authentic empanadas de espinaca. Many family-owned bakeries prepare empanadas daily using traditional recipes passed down through generations, prioritising quality ingredients and handmade preparation.
Markets such as Camden Market or Borough Market frequently host Latin food vendors and are good spots for finding spinach empanadas while enjoying the atmosphere. Outside London, most major UK cities with a food market scene Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol will have at least one Latin American vendor appearing on rotation.
What Separates a Good Spinach Empanada from a Forgettable One
Not all venues that say they serve empanada de espinaca are worth your time or money. A few markers separate a properly made version from one that will disappoint.
The dough should be thin and even. Too thick, and the pastry overwhelms the filling; you’re essentially eating bread with a spinach afterthought. The correct ratio puts dough and filling in balance, with each bite containing both in every mouthful. This is the most common error in mediocre versions and the one that reviewers most frequently notice.
Cheese-to-spinach ratio matters. A well-balanced cheese-to-spinach ratio creates the gooey, melty texture that makes each bite satisfying, without letting either ingredient take over. If a venue is heavy on the ricotta and light on seasoning, the result tastes bland. If the spinach dominates without enough cheese to bind it, the texture can feel dry and loose.
Freshness is not optional. Empanadas deteriorate quickly. A version that was excellent at noon can be unremarkable by 3pm. If you’re visiting a market stall or takeaway, ask when the next batch is coming out rather than eating whatever has been sitting in the warmer.
Smell and colour tell you a lot. Fresh empanadas give off a warm, buttery aroma with hints of herbs and baked dough. If it smells stale or overly greasy, it may not be freshly prepared. The crust should be genuinely golden, not pale yellow from underbaking or dark brown from prolonged heat exposure.
Nutritional Profile: What You’re Actually Eating
For anyone making an active choice to eat spinach empanadas over meat-filled ones, it’s worth understanding what’s in them.
Spinach is high in iron, folate, and vitamins A, C, and K. It’s also a source of antioxidants including lutein and zeaxanthin, which support eye health. Combined with cheese a source of calcium and protein a spinach empanada delivers a reasonably balanced nutritional hit for a street food or snack item.
The dough is the variable. Traditional Argentine empanada pastry is made with flour and fat, often including butter or lard. Baked versions are typically lower in total fat than fried ones, though neither should be considered a diet food. A portion of three baked spinach empanadas will generally sit in the 400–550 calorie range, though this varies by size and filling density.
For vegetarians, the spinach and ricotta version is a reliable option at most Argentine venues. Vegan eaters should check individually Chango’s spinach and ricotta empanada contains dairy, though they do offer a separate vegan humita option made with sweet corn and pumpkin.
Why the UK’s Empanada Scene Is Growing Fast
This isn’t just personal taste shifting. The structural conditions for Argentine and Latin American food in the UK are more favourable than they’ve ever been, and empanadas are benefiting directly.
The empanada market has seen accelerated growth across 2025 and 2026, as foodservice operators pivoted to high-margin specialty formats and consumers increasingly sought affordable premium experiences. The digital transformation of foodservice mobile ordering, loyalty programmes, and third-party delivery aggregator partnerships has enabled even small independent empanada shops to reach new customer segments.
Franchise models are also spreading. Chango, which started as a market stall concept, now operates multiple permanent sites and a direct-to-consumer frozen product line. That kind of scaling wasn’t on the cards for most independent Latin American food businesses five years ago.
The vegetarian angle is also driving interest. Meat-heavy Latin cuisine hasn’t always been easy to navigate for non-meat eaters, but the empanada de espinaca sits comfortably outside that problem. It’s a dish that requires no compromise, no substitution, and no explanation it’s just good food that happens not to contain meat.
Making Them at Home: A Brief Guide
If you can’t find a good version nearby, making your own is genuinely achievable. The key is in the dough preparation and the filling technique.
A solid home recipe calls for two cups of all-purpose flour, a teaspoon of salt, half a cup of cold butter, and a third of a cup of ice water for the dough. The spinach filling uses olive oil, diced onion, fresh spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and seasoning.
The secret to a good home crust is rolling the dough thin, and placing the assembled empanadas in the freezer for at least thirty minutes before baking this step helps the structure hold and prevents the filling from bursting through the seam.
Bake at 200°C for around twenty minutes, until the pastry is golden and puffed. Serve warm.
Pre-made empanada discs are also sold online and in some South American food shops in the UK, which takes the pastry-making entirely out of the equation and lets you focus on nailing the filling.
FAQ’S About Empanada de Espinaca Near Me
1. What does empanada de espinaca mean?
It’s Spanish for “spinach empanada” a baked or fried pastry filled with spinach, usually combined with cheese such as ricotta, mozzarella, or Parmesan.
2. Is empanada de espinaca vegetarian?
Yes, the classic version contains no meat. Most versions use spinach, cheese, and seasonings. Vegan versions require dairy-free substitutes and are less common but do exist Chango’s humita option is their dedicated vegan choice.
3. Where can I find empanadas de espinaca delivered in the UK?
Chango Empanadas, based in London, delivers via Uber Eats. Casa Argentina ships frozen empanadas nationally. Deliveroo and Just Eat also list multiple Latin American kitchens in major cities that carry spinach empanadas.
4. What cheese is typically used in empanada de espinaca?
Ricotta is the most common choice, usually alongside mozzarella or Parmesan. Some recipes combine all three. The cheese provides binding for the spinach filling as well as the creaminess that makes the filling work.
5. How do I know if a spinach empanada is good before buying?
Look for a golden, even crust with no pale or burned patches. Ask when it was made. Fresh-smelling, warm pastry is a good sign. Read Google reviews specifically mentioning the vegetarian or spinach option not all menu items at a restaurant are made equally well.
6. Can I freeze spinach empanadas at home?
Yes. Empanadas can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, or in the fridge for up to five days. For best results, heat from frozen at 230°C for up to twelve minutes.
7. Are baked or fried spinach empanadas better?
It comes down to preference. Baked versions are lighter and have a buttery crust. Fried ones are crunchier and richer. Both are good when freshly made. Freshness is a more reliable quality marker than cooking method.