What to drink with empanadas
From beef Mendocinas to spiced Salteñas, cheese and humita — which Argentine wine to drink with every kind of empanada, and why.
The empanada is South America's most successful pastry, and in Argentina it is something close to a national obsession. Almost every province has its own version, every family has its own recipe, and the wine in your glass should change with the filling. Here is how to drink your way through the Argentine empanada — by region, by filling, and by good sense.
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01Beef empanadas & Malbec
When the empanada is savory and meaty, reach for a red Bonarda for everyday, Malbec for the classic match.
Leer el capítulo 1 →Chicken & cheese empanadas
The rule of thumb Match the wine to what is inside, not to the fact that it is an empanada.
Leer el capítulo 2 →Spicy salteñas
Are they baked or fried?
Leer el capítulo 3 →Regional styles
Beef (ground or hand-cut) Bonarda is the friendly weeknight choice soft tannins, juicy red fruit, easy with the meat.
Leer el capítulo 4 →Respuestas rápidas
What wine goes best with empanadas?
It depends on the filling. Beef empanadas pair beautifully with a medium-bodied Bonarda or a fresh Malbec. Cheese, corn, vegetable and seafood empanadas shine with crisp Torrontés. Spicy Salteñas from northern Argentina are the classic match for Salta's own Torrontés.
What wine goes with empanadas Salteñas?
Torrontés. The spiced, slightly sweet filling of Salteñas — with raisins, chili and olive — clashes with the tannins of red wine, while Torrontés's floral aromatics and bright acidity flatter the sweet-spicy mix perfectly. It is the traditional regional pairing in Salta.
Can you drink red wine with beef empanadas?
Absolutely — beef empanadas are one of the best pairings for Argentine red wine. A medium-bodied Bonarda is the easygoing choice; Malbec is the classic. Match a young, unoaked Malbec to ground-beef Mendocinas, and a richer barrel-aged Malbec to hand-cut beef or Uco Valley styles.
What wine pairs with cheese empanadas?
A crisp, aromatic white — Torrontés first and foremost. Its acidity cuts the richness of melted cheese while its floral notes lift the pastry. A young, unoaked Chardonnay or a Uco Valley Sauvignon Blanc are excellent alternatives.
Why does the empanada region matter for the wine?
Every Argentine province cooks its empanada differently — Mendoza's are juicy and beef-forward, Salta's are spiced and sweet, Tucumán's are small and rich. The traditional pairing in each region tends to be the local wine, because what grows together goes together. Ask where the empanada is from and the answer almost picks itself.