Cooking Class Preparing Colombian Empanadas

Empanadas are always a win in Medellín. This hands-on cooking class teaches you how Colombian empanadas are assembled, filled, cooked, and served, with a welcome drink and a short empanada history briefing before you start rolling. You get guidance the whole way, and the experience is designed so you can share a meal with your group without feeling like you missed a step.

I especially like the flexible filling options. You can pick meat or chicken (with a rotating special filling each month), or go vegetarian with mushrooms, maicitos, cheese, and potato with hogao. One thing to consider is that while the group is stated as max 6, your comfort may depend on how many people end up in the kitchen space that day, so check the group size expectation if you hate crowds.

Key Points You’ll Care About

• Hands-on empanadas: you make them yourself, not just watch
• Diet-friendly choices: meat, chicken, rotating monthly filling, plus a vegetarian hogao option
• English support with Spanish instruction: Spanish taught with English translation
• You eat what you make: paired with a drink so your snack turns into a real meal
• Small-group style: max 6 is stated, but it’s worth confirming if you prefer quieter seating
• Clean, organized class setup: multiple participants noted the space was ready and smooth

Medellín Empanadas, Built From Scratch in 2.5 Hours

This is a focused class set in Medellín, starting at 3:00 pm and running about 2 hours 30 minutes. The meeting point is at Cra. 73 #20a-22, Belén, Medellín, Antioquia, and the activity ends back there. If you’re staying around Belén or you want a short, late-afternoon plan that doesn’t require a half-day commitment, this fits well.

The vibe is practical. You’re not doing a sightseeing sprint or a long lecture. You’re showing up, getting a welcome drink, getting instructions, and then working with your hands. That means you can leave with something tangible, not just photos. For solo travelers, that hands-on structure also helps you talk to people naturally while you’re shaping dough.

One practical note: the experience says maximum 6 travelers and is near public transportation. If you’re someone who gets frustrated in tight workspaces, ask beforehand how many people will be in your session. A couple of participants ended up feeling the room could get crowded when more people were present, which matters because empanadas are a hands-on task where you need a clear view and enough counter space.

Welcome Drink and the Empanada Backstory You Actually Use

Before you start rolling dough, the class includes a brief history of empanadas. That part might sound optional, but it helps you connect to what you’re making. In many Latin American food traditions, empanadas are shaped by local preferences, available ingredients, and regional filling styles. When you understand that, the choices you make later in the class feel less random and more intentional.

You’ll also get a warm, organized start. Multiple participants highlighted that the host environment felt clean and ready, which matters because it sets the tone: you can focus on learning the technique instead of fumbling for tools or waiting around. If your Spanish is basic or you’re not confident speaking, the setup helps. You can watch, listen, and do, even if you need the English translation at key moments.

Choosing Your Filling: Meat, Chicken, or Vegetarian Hogao Style

Here’s where this class becomes personal. You don’t have just one filling option. You choose based on your preference, and the ingredients are planned around that choice.

For non-vegetarians, you can do meat, chicken, and a special filling that changes every month. The rotating component is a nice detail because it keeps the class from feeling cookie-cutter. If you’ve had empanadas in the past and want to compare flavors, this monthly change gives you a reason to try again in another season.

For vegetarians, the class offers a clear lineup: mushrooms, maicitos, cheese, and potato with hogao. Hogao is a tomato-onion-based sauce used widely in Colombia, and it’s one of those flavors that makes savory fillings taste cohesive instead of just “stuffed.” It also helps that vegetarian options aren’t treated like a backup plan. The class is structured so vegetarians can participate fully while still eating something hearty and complete.

If you’re vegan, you’ll want to double-check ingredient specifics when you arrive, since the vegetarian menu includes cheese. But even with that caution, the structure is very friendly for people who want plant-forward food. Several participants specifically called out that the class worked well for vegetarian needs and that they could learn the method while staying aligned with their diet.

The Real Skill: Rolling, Filling, and Shaping Without Guesswork

The core of the class is the preparation and cooking of your empanadas. The teaching format is straightforward: Spanish instruction with English translation, plus hands-on guidance as you work.

This is the kind of cooking class that pays off because you’re learning the process, not just ending up with a snack. You’ll practice:

• Handling the dough so it’s workable
• Adding filling so it stays where it should
• Sealing and shaping for the right empanada form
• Cooking so the outside and inside both turn out well

What I like about the way this is set up is that you’re not left alone with a recipe card and a confused look. The group format encourages questions, and the translation support lowers the stress for non-Spanish speakers. If you want to practice Spanish while you cook, this is a solid setting because you can learn practical food words, not just vocab from a textbook.

You’ll also have different flavors available based on your filling choice, so the class doesn’t feel like you’re making one version of empanada for everyone. Instead, it feels like you’re customizing.

Cooking and Tasting: Your Meal Comes With the Lesson

Once the empanadas are prepared, the session moves into cooking and then eating. The experience includes the time to cook your empanadas properly, and you get to enjoy the empanadas right after.

A helpful detail: you can eat all the patties you make, and you’ll have them next to another drink. That turns the class into a real meal rather than a tasting. It also makes the time feel worth it, because even if you mess up one or two shapes, you still eat what you produce as a group.

This part is also where the value shows. A lot of food tours give you a bite and send you on your way. Here, you’re building a full outcome. You’ll likely leave feeling like you learned something repeatable, because empanadas are not mystery food. They’re technique-driven, and the class format gives you enough repetition to remember the steps later.

Who’s This Best For? Solo, Couples, Families, and Food Nerds

This class is designed for solo travelers, couples, families, and groups of friends. The structure helps everyone: you’re doing the same core technique, so it’s easy to chat, trade tips, and laugh when dough does its own thing.

For solo travelers, the social part can be as simple as cooking near others in a shared workflow. People often bond quickly in these classes because you’re busy, but you’re also close together. Multiple participants mentioned making friends through the class, and that’s exactly what I’d expect when you have bilingual support and a hands-on task.

For couples and friends, it’s a fun “we learned together” activity. You can compare how your empanadas turned out and talk about your preferred filling, meat versus vegetarian, or even which version feels most Colombian to you.

Families can work too, especially if kids are comfortable with kitchen tasks. The class is short enough that it doesn’t drag, and the final meal is immediate gratification. Still, it’s best if kids are willing to participate and listen during Spanish instruction plus translation.

If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll likely feel included thanks to the listed menu. If you’re trying to stay strictly vegan, plan to ask about cheese and any other ingredients at the start.

Price and Value: What $54.16 Really Buys You

At $54.16 per person for about 2.5 hours, this isn’t a budget-only snack. But it’s also not overpriced for what’s included.

Here’s what you’re paying for, clearly:

• A welcome drink
• A brief history of empanadas
• Guided prep and cooking
• The empanadas you make, which you eat as your meal
• Spanish teaching with English translation
• Vegetarian filling options planned into the session

If you compare this to buying ingredients and trying to teach yourself empanadas at home, this class has an advantage: you get the technique, timing, and “how much filling should I use” answers. Cooking classes are usually priced for instruction and cleanup, and here you also get the meal result.

Another value factor is convenience. You meet in Belén, it starts at 3:00 pm, and it returns to the meeting point. That saves energy versus planning multiple stops or trying to find the right ingredients and equipment in a new city.

The only value risk is group comfort. If you end up in a crowdier setup than you expected, the hands-on experience can feel tighter. That doesn’t necessarily ruin the class, but it can affect how much personal attention you get while shaping and sealing.

Language Support: Spanish With English Help, Not a Test

The class is taught in Spanish with English translation. That’s a big deal for a cooking class, because it means you can follow the steps even if your Spanish is limited.

This style also supports different learning goals. If you want to improve Spanish, you’ll pick up practical words while you cook. If you just want the technique, translation helps you avoid the common frustration of getting lost in instruction.

A couple of participants mentioned that bilingual support made it easier to feel comfortable and that they could keep the experience fun, even if their Spanish wasn’t perfect. In at least one case, an instructor named Mari was mentioned as helping with English translation on a Saturday class. You can treat that as a positive sign that language support is real, not just implied.

Also, the teaching team includes instructors such as Erika and Natalia, who were highlighted as friendly and skilled. If you care about learning “tips and tricks” to improve technique, that kind of instruction quality matters more than flashier food tours.

Small Group Reality: Max 6, But Confirm If You Hate Crowds

The stated limit is maximum 6 travelers, and that’s ideal for a hands-on kitchen class. With fewer people, you can see what’s happening, access counter space, and get questions answered without waiting.

Still, there were instances where more people ended up in the session than some participants expected, which made the space feel crowded and harder to participate in at times. If you’re paying a premium for a quieter, more private feel, confirm the group size expectation directly when you book.

If you want a very calm experience, also consider when you go. Earlier in the day can sometimes feel more flexible, but this class is fixed at 3:00 pm. So your best lever is group size confirmation.

Should You Book This Colombian Empanada Cooking Class?

I think it’s a strong choice if you want a hands-on meal activity in Medellín that includes real technique, not just eating. The vegetarian hogao option, plus meat and chicken choices with a monthly rotating filling, makes it work for more diets than a typical street-food stop. And the Spanish with English translation format means you’re not locked out if your Spanish is basic.

I’d be more cautious if:

• You strongly prefer a near-private class and hate tight workspaces
• You expect a written recipe sent to you later by message
• You’re very sensitive to crowded seating while cooking

If you’re okay confirming group size and you want to leave with a repeatable skill, book it. This is the kind of class that turns an afternoon into a story you can recreate at home, because you’ll actually know what you did with the dough.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for the empanada cooking class?

The class meets at Cra. 73 #20a-22, Medellín, Belén, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.

What time does the class start?

The start time is 3:00 pm.

How long is the experience?

It runs about 2 hours 30 minutes.

How much does it cost per person?

The price is $54.16 per person.

What languages are used during the class?

The class is taught in Spanish with English translation.

What dietary options are available?

You can choose fillings based on preference. Non-vegetarian options include meat, chicken, and a special filling that changes every month. Vegetarian options include mushrooms, maicitos, cheese, and potato with hogao.

What’s included in the price?

It includes a welcome drink, a brief history of patties, preparation and cooking, and you can eat all the empanadas you make next to another drink.

How many people are in a group?

The experience has a maximum of 6 travelers.

Is free cancellation available?

Yes, you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. If you cancel less than 24 hours before, the amount paid is not refunded.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed.