I am Argentine born, Greenwich resident with a business in Stamford, and mom of five,” says Jackie Krac. She leaves out the detail that she is the creative force behind Jackie’s Empanadas on the Go (empanadasonthego.com). She sells the satisfying meat-filled pastry either parbaked, for a quick dinner, or frozen, to have something on hand. “I have an online store with a commercial kitchen in Stamford for take-out, pickup and delivery,” she says. “We make empanadas and authentic Argentine comfort food frozen, with easy baking instructions, or ready baked.”
Again, she leaves out a detail: They’re amazing. These pockets of dough, or turnovers, are stuffed with filling, usually beef, but sometimes chicken or pork. Everyone puts their own spin on them. An egg wash gives the baked empanadas a warm glow on the crust, making them eye-pleasing, savory and filling crowd-pleasers.
“Our business started off as a fundraiser for a charity in Argentina that fights infant malnutrition,” says Jackie. This was back in late 2016, and she has supported them over the years. Within a few months of starting the fundraiser, she realized that she also had the start of her new business. “In that opportunity, I decided to crimp and freeze empanadas, and then sold them for a month. When people kept calling to order, we turned it into a business in a few weeks—it was January 2017. We still donate a portion of proceeds to the charity, and we started our fifth year in business and have expanded our menu over the years.”
The current menu includes tuna, steak, ham-and-cheese, spinach, onion and caprese. She also makes gluten-free options. To appeal to those with a sweet tooth, she offers baked medialunas, dulce de leche empanadas and flan, among other treats.
Of course, 2020–21 was a challenge for most small businesses, but Jackie found that she was well setup for what people needed. “Particularly over Covid times,” she says, “we were busy delivering to keep people home, and adding new empanada assortments and savory dishes. We deliver to Fairfield and Westchester counties, and Manhattan and Brooklyn on set days.”
Find her at 75 3rd Street in Stamford, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and farmers markets in Old Greenwich and Westport in spring and summer, Sam Bridge Farmers Market in winter; also on GrubHub or UberEats for same-day, quick delivery. To place a curbside order, call 917-602-5850.