Pastechi is a Dutch Caribbean fried half-moon pastry, especially associated with Aruba, that can be filled with meat or cheese.
The dough is rolled, filled, folded, sealed, and deep-fried until golden. Common savory fillings include seasoned ground beef, chicken, cheese, or fish. Pastechi is often eaten for breakfast or as a snack, and it is a familiar item at bakeries, cafés, and family gatherings across the Dutch Caribbean.
The pastry belongs to a wider family of filled turnovers found throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Its exact seasoning and filling vary by island and household, reflecting the region’s blended culinary influences.
Pastechi is sometimes compared with an empanada, but the names and local traditions are not interchangeable. Aruba is particularly identified with pastechi, while Curaçao and Bonaire also have their own versions. The defining format is a small, fried, folded pastry rather than a baked pie.