Medellin: Learn to make Colombian empanadas from scratch

The best part of this Medellin experience is that you do not simply eat an empanada, you make one with your hands in a Colombian family home. The two sisters who host the class share their cooking skills, explain where empanadas come from, and help you turn dough and fillings into a proper meal. I especially like the small group of no more than nine and the chance to choose your own flavors.

I also like the friendly, practical tone. You get a local welcome drink, plenty of time to practice, and another drink with the finished empanadas. The hosts speak English and some Portuguese, and the cooking lesson is designed to keep everyone involved, including families and first-time cooks.

The main consideration is the price: $56 per person is more than you would pay for empanadas from a street stall. You are paying for instruction, food, drinks, and time in a private home, so this makes the most sense if you want a cultural activity rather than just a cheap snack.

Key points at a glance

• Cook in a Colombian family home: Casa 201 gives the class a personal setting instead of a formal cooking school.
• Pick your own filling: Options include meat, chicken, mushrooms, corn, cheese, potato with hogao, and a special filling that changes each month.
• Good for vegetarians and vegans: The hosts can adapt the ingredients to your preference.
• A manageable 150-minute class: You have time to hear the background, prepare the food, cook it, and sit down to eat.
• Small, social group: With no more than nine people, you can get help without feeling lost in a crowd.
• Strong choice for families: A family of four can take part together, and the class leaves room to practice rather than rush through the steps.

Why making empanadas is such a good Medellin activity

Medellin offers plenty of ways to see the city, from urban walks to viewpoints and museums. A cooking class gives you something different: a reason to sit down with local people and learn a food that is part of everyday Colombian life.

Empanadas are familiar to many visitors, but the details change from country to country and often from household to household. The lesson begins with a short explanation of their origin and the different kinds of fillings used in Colombia. That context matters because you are not just following a recipe. You are learning why the food looks and tastes the way it does.

I like this kind of activity for the middle of a trip. By then, you may have tried empanadas in cafés or from food stands, but you might not know what goes into making them. After this class, you will recognize the work behind the crisp shell, the filling, and the careful shaping.

The setting adds most of the character. You meet at Casa 201, and the cooking takes place in the family home of the hosts. It is described as well equipped, while still feeling like a home rather than a restaurant kitchen. That balance is useful: you get enough space and tools to work properly, but the surroundings remain personal.

Starting with a drink and a local welcome

The class opens with a local welcome drink. It is a small touch, but it sets the tone before the work begins. You have a chance to settle in, meet the sisters, and get comfortable in the kitchen.

The hosts’ warmth is one of the strongest parts of the experience. Their role is not limited to demonstrating a recipe. They work together as a family team, with one sister described as the empanada expert and the other helping with the class and conversation.

The language for the activity is English. The hosts also speak some Portuguese, which may help if you are more comfortable using it alongside English. Instructions are explained clearly, and the class is intended to keep the cooking accessible even if your kitchen skills are basic.

This is also where the small group matters. A maximum of nine people is large enough for a social meal but small enough for hands-on help. If your dough is too thick, your filling spills out, or your first fold looks more like a pastry accident, you can ask for guidance. The class is meant to let you improve through practice.

Hearing the story behind Colombian empanadas

Before cooking, you receive a brief history of empanadas and an explanation of their origins and varieties. Do not expect a long academic lecture. The useful part is the connection between the food and the way Colombian families prepare it at home.

The host explains the different types of fillings, then you can decide what you want to use. This choice gives the class a more personal feel than a fixed menu. You are not all making identical empanadas from a single prepared recipe.

The filling list covers several tastes:

• Meat
• Chicken
• A special filling that changes each month
• Mushrooms
• Corn
• Cheese
• Potato with hogao

Vegetarians have several clear choices, and the experience is also suitable for vegans, depending on the ingredients you select. If you have a dietary preference, it is sensible to make it clear when booking or at the start of the class so the hosts can guide your choices.

The changing monthly filling is a nice reason to return. It also means the class is not entirely fixed from one visit to the next. The information provided does not specify what that filling will be, so you should ask when you arrive if you are curious.

Shaping your own empanadas from scratch

The heart of the class is the preparation. You work with the dough, select your ingredients, fill the empanadas, and shape them with help from the hosts. This is where the activity becomes more than a demonstration.

I would expect the first empanada to be a practice round. Getting the right amount of filling and closing the edges neatly takes a little attention. The hosts encourage you to keep trying, and the class allows enough time to practice and improve.

That slower pace is important. Some cooking activities move from demonstration to finished plate so quickly that you barely touch the food. Here, you are involved in the steps that determine the final result. A family taking the class together can divide tasks or let each person create a different filling.

You may also find that your empanadas do not look perfectly uniform. That is part of the fun. The point is not to produce factory-standard pastries. It is to learn a home-style technique and understand how the food is made.

One particularly useful detail is the range of fillings. Someone who prefers savory meat can make meat or chicken empanadas, while a vegetarian can use mushrooms, corn, cheese, or potato with hogao. Having choices keeps the activity comfortable for mixed groups.

Cooking the empanadas and sitting down to eat

After preparation comes the cooking. The hosts guide you through the process and help make sure your empanadas are ready to eat. The exact cooking method and equipment are not specified, so you should expect instruction at the kitchen rather than a formal lesson on commercial food production.

Then comes the best reward: you eat what you made. A second drink is included with the finished empanadas, giving the class a natural ending around the table.

This shared meal is where the cultural exchange becomes most relaxed. You can talk with the sisters, compare fillings, and see how everyone’s shaping technique turned out. The family setting encourages conversation in a way that a quick restaurant meal usually does not.

Some people have even had enough empanadas to take a few home. That is not guaranteed, since it depends on how many you make and how much you eat, but the class clearly gives you time to prepare more than a single sample.

The food itself is likely to be the most satisfying part for anyone who enjoys hands-on cooking. You get to eat empanadas while they are fresh, with the added satisfaction of knowing you made them yourself. Even an imperfect fold tastes good when it is your work.

What the family setting adds

A cooking lesson in a family home can feel more personal than a class in a purpose-built venue. You get a glimpse of how cooking fits into daily life, not just how a professional chef presents a dish to an audience.

That does come with a tradeoff. A home is not the same as a large teaching kitchen. Space may feel more intimate, and the experience has a personal, family-run quality rather than a polished commercial feel. For most people, that is the point, but anyone expecting a formal culinary school should set expectations accordingly.

The hosts’ partnership is part of the appeal. One sister brings the empanada expertise, while the other helps create a welcoming class. Their teamwork gives the session a friendly rhythm and helps keep the focus on participation.

I would choose this experience if your priority is contact with local people. It is especially useful for visitors who want an activity that reveals something about ordinary Colombian life. You are not only learning a dish, you are spending time in the hosts’ home and sharing a meal they care about.

How the 150 minutes are likely to feel

The total duration is 150 minutes, or two and a half hours. That is long enough for the activity to feel complete without taking up an entire day.

The time is divided among four main parts:

• Welcome drink and introductions
• Brief background on empanadas
• Preparation, filling, shaping, and cooking
• Eating the finished food with another drink

The schedule should feel comfortable for most people. You have time to ask questions, make mistakes, and try again. The class is not designed as a rushed stop between major sightseeing appointments.

I would avoid booking it immediately before an important timed attraction. The activity has a set duration, but cooking and conversation can feel less hurried when you are not watching the clock. It also works well as a meal replacement, since you will be eating the empanadas you prepare.

The meeting point is Casa 201. Since no transport is included in the information provided, you should plan your route to the meeting point separately and allow enough time to arrive ready to cook.

Is $56 a fair price?

At $56 per person, this is not the budget choice for sampling Colombian street food. A single empanada costs far less at a local stall. The value comes from the full package: a 150-minute activity, a welcome drink, ingredients, instruction, cooking time, a second drink, and conversation in a local home.

I think the price is fair for someone who values personal contact and a small group. You are paying for access to a family setting and for the chance to make the food yourself, not simply for the finished product.

It is less compelling if your main goal is to eat as cheaply as possible or to pack a long list of sights into your day. In that case, buy an empanada from a neighborhood food stand and spend the remaining money elsewhere.

For families, the value improves because several people can take part in one shared activity. A family of four can cook together, compare results, and leave with a common memory of Medellin that does not depend on everyone enjoying the same museum or walking route.

The high score of 4.9 from 18 ratings supports the idea that the experience delivers on its central promise, but the number is still modest. I would treat it as a strong signal, not a guarantee that every person will love a home-based cooking class.

Who should book this empanada class?

This is a good match for you if:

• You want a personal activity in Medellin rather than a standard sightseeing tour.
• You enjoy eating and cooking with other people.
• You are traveling with family or a small group of friends.
• You want vegetarian or vegan filling choices.
• You like learning through practice instead of watching a chef do everything.
• You are comfortable spending two and a half hours in a family home.
• You want to meet local people and use English during the activity.

It may not suit you if you dislike group cooking, have very limited time, or want a formal professional kitchen. The class is friendly and hands-on, but it is not presented as advanced culinary training.

The experience also makes sense for repeat visitors to Medellin. If you have already seen the main city sights, cooking lets you spend an afternoon in a different setting. You leave with a food memory and a recipe idea rather than another photograph from a viewpoint.

Practical details before you go

The class costs $56 per person and lasts 150 minutes. The group is limited to nine participants, and the instructor language is English.

Bring a good attitude, a smile, and a healthy appetite. That is the practical advice given for the activity, and it fits the format. You will be handling food, trying new shapes, and sharing space with other people, so a relaxed approach will make the class more enjoyable.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Medellin schedule is still changing.

The activity includes a local welcome drink and another drink with the cooked empanadas. Meat, chicken, vegetarian choices, and a monthly special are available, with vegan options also supported. Because the exact monthly filling is not listed, ask the hosts about it if that choice matters to you.

Should you book it?

Book this class if you want to meet local people, work with your hands, and understand Colombian food through a family recipe. The warm hosts, small group, choice of fillings, and generous time for practice make it more than a quick cooking demonstration.

I would especially recommend it to families, first-time cooks, and anyone who prefers a relaxed cultural activity to another scheduled attraction. The price is higher than a simple food stop, but the personal setting and shared meal explain the difference.

Skip it if you only want inexpensive empanadas or if your schedule cannot spare two and a half hours. For everyone else, this is a practical, tasty way to get closer to everyday Medellin, one folded pastry at a time.

FAQ

How long does the Colombian empanada class last?

The activity lasts 150 minutes, or two and a half hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The price is $56 per person.

Where does the class meet?

The meeting point is Casa 201.

What language is the activity conducted in?

The instructor language is English. The hosts also speak some Portuguese.

What fillings are available?

You can choose meat, chicken, or a special filling that changes each month. Vegetarian options include mushrooms, corn, cheese, and potato with hogao. Vegan choices are also available.

Are drinks included?

Yes. The experience includes a local welcome drink and another drink to enjoy with the cooked empanadas.

How many people can join the class?

The group is limited to nine participants.