Empanadas submitted to the contest

Since 1975, A Bandeira selects the best empanada in the country among the dozens of creations that are presented each year at one of Galicia's oldest and most prestigious gastronomic contests.

Currently, there are three categories:

• Professionals, consisting of empanadas submitted by bakeries and restaurants.
• Amateur, which includes empanadas presented by cooking enthusiasts.
• Children, designed for kids between 6 and 12 years old.

A girl preparing an empanada for the contest

It is important to note that previous registration of the empanadas is NOT required. Instead, they will be delivered to the organizers on the day of the Empanada Festival (Saturday) between 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM.

All the empanadas submitted are scored by a jury composed of professionals from the gastronomy industry, who first evaluate the presentation and then assess the taste through a tasting process.

After the verdict of the professional jury, the prestigious awards of the Empanada Festival are presented:

Professional, amateur, Children's Category (each category):

1. Best empanada in the country
2. Second best empanada in the country
3. Third best empanada in the country

Professional and Amateur Category:

1. Empanada with the best dough in the country
2. Most traditional empanada in the country
3. Most original empanada in the country

Empanadas submitted to the contest

The winning empanadas are auctioned later among the attending audience, with bids reaching up to 2,400€ for a single empanada. The proceeds from the auction are allocated to cultural purposes and non-profit activities.