You may not believe me, but there’s more to Purim than hamantaschen cookies. Queen Esther, the main character of the Purim story, was known to be a vegetarian—and beans are often found at the Purim table. The tradition of eating stuffed foods that are “hidden,” like kreplach (dumplings) or hamantaschen, also play into the story of Purim, from Queen Esther having to hide her identity to the tradition of dressing up for the occasion.  

I’ve taken these two pieces of the Purim story and created a spiced lentil empanada, packed with hearty lentils, sweet raisins and warm spices, baked in a flaky dough.  These empanadas celebrate Purim with Spanish cuisine. Another way we’re celebrating Jewish Spanish families is with stories like this one about an inclusive Jewish Mexican wedding. If you’re looking for more support around wedding planning, read about how this couple planned a beautiful Jewish Catholic Spanish wedding.

Feel free to use your favorite pie or empanada dough in this recipe, or if you’re short on time, add pre-rolled pie crust or empanada dough to your shopping cart for a quick and easy plant-based recipe.