An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Western Europe, Latin America, and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding dough or bread^{[citation needed]} around stuffing, which usually consists of a variety of meat, cheese, huitlacoche, vegetables or fruits, among others.

Empanadas trace their origins to Galicia and Portugal. They first appeared in mediaeval Iberia during the time of the Moorish invasions. A cookbook published in Catalan in 1520, the Libre del Coch by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood among its recipes of Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food. In turn, it is believed that empanadas and the similar calzones are both derived from the Indian meat-filled pies, samosas.

In Galicia and Portugal, an empanada is prepared similarly to a large pie which is then cut in pieces, making it a portable and hearty meal for working people. The filling of Galician and Portuguese empanada usually includes either tuna, sardines, or chorizo, but can instead contain cod or pork loin. The meat or fish is commonly in a tomato, garlic, and onion sauce inside the bread or pastry casing. Due to the large number of Galician immigrants in Latin America, the empanada gallega has also become popular in that region.