Ahh Empanadas 🥟—crispy, golden, and stuffed with delicious fillings. Here’s a classic beef empanada recipe that’s easy and super flavorful.
Beef Empanadas
Makes: 10–12 empanadas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20–25 min
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup cold water
(Shortcut: use store-bought empanada discs or pie dough)
Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped olives (optional)
- 2 tbsp raisins (optional, traditional in some regions)
- Optional: diced boiled egg
Instructions
- Make the dough
- Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Add egg and water; mix until dough forms.
- Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Cook the filling
- Brown ground beef in a skillet.
- Add onion and garlic; cook until soft.
- Stir in spices, salt, and pepper.
- Let filling cool completely.
- Assemble empanadas
- Roll dough and cut into 4–5 inch circles.
- Place filling in center. Add olives, raisins, or egg if using.
- Fold over, seal edges, and crimp with a fork.
- Bake or fry
- Bake: Brush with egg wash, bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 min.
- Fry: Fry in 350°F oil until golden (2–3 min per side).
- Serve
- Serve warm with salsa, chimichurri, or spicy sauce.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Cool filling = no soggy dough
- Don’t overfill or they’ll burst
- Freeze unbaked empanadas for later
- Try fillings like chicken, cheese, spinach, or ham & cheese
Want a cheesy empanada, chicken empanada, or air fryer version next?
