empanadillas
/empanadiʝas/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'dumplings' is translated into Spanish as empanadillas.
The term empanadillas refers to small pieces of dough wrapped around a filling of meat or vegetables.
Which one should you use?
While empanadillas refers to small filled pastries, it is not used for boiled dough dumplings like those found in Asian or Eastern European cuisine.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia, the term buñuelos is used to refer to small, round dumplings typically made from cheese or cornmeal. In Peru, tamales is the term used for dumplings made with corn dough and filled with various ingredients.
How do you pronounce it?
/empanadiʝas/
Did you know?
- In certain Caribbean Spanish dialects, empanadillas are sometimes called pastelitos, a word that usually means 'little cakes' but refers to the same savory fried snack.
- The word empanada comes from the verb empanar, which means 'to coat in bread' or 'to wrap in bread', rather than referring to the dough itself.
- Despite being a savory snack, some versions of empanadillas in Spain are filled with sweet ingredients like apple or quince, blurring the line between a dumpling and a dessert.
Examples in context
- Me encantan los jiaozi rellenos de verduras.I love dumplings filled with vegetables.
- ¿Quieres probar estas empanadillas de verduras?Do you want to try these vegetable dumplings?
Example conversation
María and Daniel are deciding what to order for dinner.
- MaríaProbemos las empanadillas de pollo.Let's try the chicken dumplings.
- DanielMe parece una buena idea, María.That sounds like a good idea, María.
- María¿Pedimos una ración grande de empanadillas?Shall we order a large portion of dumplings?
- DanielSí, Daniel quiere comer mucho hoy.Yes, Daniel wants to eat a lot today.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
