Portuguese Shrimp Empanadas (Rissóis de Camarão) (2024)

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Get ready for the best fried dumpling recipe ever! Portuguese Shrimp Empanadas, or Rissóis de Camarão, are a Portuguese delicacy I guarantee you will fall in love with.

Just one bite of these Portuguese shrimp dumplings is all it takes, I promise! Soft, delectable dough, with a creamy shrimp filling.

Just like cooking the perfect Portuguese rice, this is a classic Portuguese recipe that everyone loves.

What are Rissóis de Camarão?

Rissóis de Camarão are breaded, fried pastries. The filling is a lemony, creamy shrimp filling that is just irresistible! If you’re referring to just one, it’s a rissol.

My whole family loves this shrimp dumplings recipe, but my kids especially love when their Vo-Vo (grandma) makes it. No one cooks this Portuguese specialty like Vo-Vo!

Although you can (and should!) enjoy these shrimp empanadas for lunch or dinner, Rissóis de Camarão are one of the most popular Portuguese tapas – or appetizers!

The Best Portuguese Tapas

In Portugal, tapas are called petiscos, or “snacks”. They are meant to be little appetizers you can enjoy before the main dish, and serve as great examples of traditional Portuguese recipes.

These Shrimp Empanadas are my favorite petisco. I love to make these as a surprise for my family or for special occasions. They are creamy and oh-so-delicious!

I promise you will love these shrimp dumplings. They taste incredible, especially with the creamy, lemony empanada sauce. You need to try this Portuguese appetizer!

Portuguese Shrimp Turnovers Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lemon peel
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• Canola oil to fill frying pan

For this shrimp empanadas recipe, you will be making a dough out of butter, water, lemon peel, and flour. This makes an incredibly soft and delicious empanada dough you will love!

It is by far my favorite empanada dough for frying. I know you’ll love it too. The best part is, it’s super easy to make!

The empanada filling is a mixture of cooked, chopped shrimp and a creamy, lemony sauce. Together with the dough, this makes irresistible empanadas with so much flavor!

Try our traditional empanada dough recipe, too!

How to Make Empanadas with Shrimp

1. Boil 1 pound shrimp in water seasoned with salt and pepper for 5 minutes. After boiling, reserve the water from the pot.
2. Peel and chop the shrimp.
   
3. In a pot, combine 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon butter, salt to taste, and the peel from 1 lemon.
4. Bring to a boil. When it boils, remove from the heat. Remove the lemon peel, and add 1 cup flour.
   
   Stir with a wooden spoon to form a ball that does not cling to the pot.
   
   Bring back to a boil only slightly, to dry the dough. Set aside to rest.
   
5. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour to make a Roux.
   
   Cook until the butter melts, then add 1 cup milk and 1 cup of water reserved from the shrimp boil.
   
6. Cook on low, stirring to thicken. Once it thickens, add the juice of 1 lemon and cooked chopped shrimp.
   
   Cook until it reaches a thick but smooth consistency. This will be your empanada filling.
7. Roll out your dough with a rolling pin.
   
   Cut into 4″ by 6″ strips.
   
8. Place a full tablespoon of filling at the bottom of each strip.
   
9. Fold the dough over the filling.
   
   Cut them into half-moons using the top of a glass or a pierogi cutter.
   
10. Beat 2 eggs. Dip the dumplings in the eggs.
    
    Then dip in a bowl filled with 2 cups of breadcrumbs.
    
11. Fry in a pan filled with hot canola oil until a deep golden brown.
    
    Let cool on paper towels to absorb the oil when done frying.
    
    Serve, and enjoy!

I know you and your family are going to love these rissóis de camarão. It is a favorite in my household! I love making it for special occasions like holidays. It’s always a fun treat for everyone – including me!

Making the dough is a lot of fun. Even better if you want to get your kids to help you make them! You can cook up the dough and the kids can help you roll it out.

Cooking empanadas together is a great way to get your family involved in the kitchen with you! Check out more of my favorite empanada recipes below.

Best Empanadas Recipes

In my house, we love making empanadas. They’re easy and fun to make. Plus, there are so many different kinds of empanadas recipes to cook up!

Puerto Rican Beef Empanadas are one of my favorites, but I also find Baked Chicken Empanadas irresistible. And don’t even get me started on the Caramel Apple Hand Pies – they are amazing!

I know you’re going to love this easy empanadas recipe. It is truly so delicious.

If you give it a try, leave a comment and a rating! I love to hear from you. And don’t forget to save it on Pinterest to share and enjoy later!

Seafood Recipes

• Shrimp Tacos Recipe
• Tilapia Tacos
• Shrimp Shumai
• Thai Drunken Noodles

Try more of our best Seafood Appetizers like Air Fryer Shrimp, or any of our Shrimp Recipes for Dinner!

Enjoy this dish as a part of a Tapas Menu!

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Recipe