If you’re looking for a tasty appetizer recipe or dinner recipe for your next party, you need to make these beef empanadas! They are such a wonderful treat as these hand-pies are filled with a hearty beef and vegetable mixture while being wrapped in a crunchy crust. Hand-held appetizers are always a crowd-pleaser – you don’t need a fork and plate to enjoy these homemade empanadas! Need another latin recipe to enjoy? Try my arepas recipe, easy chicken enchiladas, or chicken fajitas recipe.
Traditionally, empanada filling varies greatly. You can fill them with beef, chicken, pork, cheese, and/or vegetables. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite empanada recipes, filled with beef, potatoes, and vegetables! They’re so irresistible that I recommend you make a double batch because everyone will want seconds.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Ground chuck — ground chuck usually has a higher amount of fat than regular ground beef, making it extra flavorful. If you cannot find ground chuck, you can use ground beef.
Potatoes — russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes are great for the filling.
Tomato paste — a bit of tomato paste goes a long way in this empanada recipe as it adds a meaty taste and body to the filling.
Seasoning — you will need chili powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper for the beef empanadas filling. Make sure your spices are fresh as they lose their flavor as time passes.
Flour — while you can use other flours, all-purpose flour yields the best empanada dough.
Butter — the butter must be cold for the empanada dough. When cold, the butter will release steam as it bakes, creating flaky layers in the dough.
How to Make Empanadas
1. Dice the ingredients to similar sizes.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and start cooking the filling. Remove from the heat and let cool while making the dough.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the dough ingredients until the dough forms a ball around the side of the bowl. Transfer to a clean work surface and knead a few times until the dough forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half.
4. Working with one half at a time, roll out dough to a 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 6-inch round cutter, cut out 6 circles. Reroll dough as needed. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each dough circle.
6. Fold circles in half and press the edges together.
7. Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork around the edge to seal. Place empanadas on the lined baking sheet.
8. Brush empanadas with the egg wash and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Depending on how much your vegetables cook down and the size you cut them, you may have a little leftover filling. The leftover filling makes an excellent quesadilla or taco filling. You can also stir it into cooked rice and top with avocado, sour cream, and pickled onions!
- You can also freeze the filling for up to 3 months when the cravings strike for a quick and easy batch of empanadas.
- To make the dough without a food processor, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture is very crumbly and resembles large breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and water together, then pour it into the flour. Stir in with a fork, then knead by hand until it forms a cohesive ball.
- It’s best to use the dough as soon as you make it, as it will crack as it dries. Keep the dough covered when not in use.
- Make sure the potato and beef empanadas filling are diced finely and in similar sizes. This allows the filling in each empanada to have a little bit of everything.
- Don’t skip the egg wash as it gives this empanadas recipe a beautiful golden-brown, crispy exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, just put them in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes until they’re warmed throughout. Microwaving will work in a pinch, but the exterior won’t be as crispy.
Can I freeze this?
You can freeze these beef empanadas before or after baking. After filling them and pressing the edges together, transfer the empanadas to a lined sheet pan and flash freeze them until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge before brushing with egg and baking as instructed.
To freeze baked empanadas, wait for them to cool before freezing them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Is it better to bake or fry these?
You can bake or fry empanadas. However, I bake mine as you can put quite a bit into the oven at once, and you do not have to hover over it as they cook as you do with deep frying.
Why did mine burst in the oven?
If you add too much filling to your empanadas, you risk them bursting open. As they bake, the filling will release steam, and if you’ve put too much into each empanada, then they’ll rip open.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Empanadas recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Empanadas
Video
Equipment
- 6-inch round cookie cutter
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound ground chuck (226g)
- 1 cup peeled diced russet potato, (178g)
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion (93g)
- ⅓ cup diced carrot (45g)
- ⅓ cup diced celery (45g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas (76g)
Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces (170g)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup water (80mL)
Assembly:
- 1 large egg
- water if needed
Instructions
For the Filling:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the beef is browned and vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool while making the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the Dough:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse 3 times. Add butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and the water; pulse until a dough forms a ball around the side of the bowl. Transfer to a clean work surface and knead a few times just until the dough forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half.
For the Assembly:
- Working with one half at a time, roll out dough to a 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 6-inch round cutter, cut out 6 circles. (You can also a round container as a guide and run a sharp knife around it to cut the dough.) Reroll dough as needed. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each dough circle. Fold circles in half and press the edges together. (If the dough doesn’t want to stick together, rub a little bit of water on the edge of the dough before closing.) Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork all around the edge to seal. Place empanadas on the lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, beat 1 egg. Brush empanadas with the egg wash.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftover in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Depending on how much your vegetables cook down and the size you cut them, you may have a little leftover filling. The leftover filling makes an excellent quesadilla or taco filling. You can also stir it into cooked rice and top with avocado, sour cream, and pickled onions!
- You can also freeze the filling for up to 3 months when the cravings strike for a quick and easy batch of empanadas.
- To make the dough without a food processor, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture is very crumbly and resembles large breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and water together, then pour it into the flour. Stir in with a fork, then knead by hand until it forms a cohesive ball.
- It’s best to use the dough as soon as you make it, as it will crack as it dries. Keep the dough covered when not in use.
- Make sure the potato and beef empanadas filling are diced finely and in similar sizes. This allows the filling in each empanada to have a little bit of everything.
- Don’t skip the egg wash as it gives the empanadas a beautiful golden-brown, crispy exterior.
