Beef Empanadas

Baked Beef Empanadas made with puff pastry, so easy and so delicious. Don’t underestimate puff pastry, it’s quite versatile and makes some delicious empanadas.

Beef Empanadas

Beef Empanadas are  perfect little appetizers and great for any occasion which is why I like to make them as much as possible! The key to a flavorful juicy filling is to use a bit of beef broth and some heat, brought to the dish through chili powder or hot sauce. I wrapped these morsels in puff pastry to achieve flaky buttery layers!

What Are Empanadas?

Empanadas are a baked or fried Latin American savory pastry. They’re even popular in the Philipines too! They’re stuffed full of veggies, cheese, and sometimes beef, so feel free to get creative with this hand held delicacy.

What Is Puff Pastry?

This is a light and flaky pastry that involves placing butter within the dough, rolling out the dough and folding it over itself repeatedly. This achieves thin light layers sandwiched with lots of melty butter once it has cooked. If you like pastry dough that is crisp, flaky, and melt in your mouth good then puff pastry is for you.

Ingredients In Beef Empanadas

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Olive oil – We want a nice neutral tasting oil for this dish.
• Beef – We want extra lean ground beef so that we don’t have to drain the fat out of it.
• Spices – Cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
• Onion – We want an onion that cooks down well such as white or yellow.
• Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
• Oregano – I used dried today as I want something that holds up to heat well and packs a great herby flavor concentrate.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
• Liquid ingredients – Beef broth that is low sodium and any hot sauce of your choice.
• Sugar – Yes we need some sugar in this recipe. I used brown sugar today as the molasses notes cooks down and add complexity to our dish.
• Puff pastry – Believe me you’ll want to use store bought for this recipe, it’ll save you time and energy.
• Egg – We’re using an entire egg for an egg wash to top our Beef Empanadas.

How To Make Beef Empanadas

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Brown the beef: In a medium skillet heat the olive oil and add the ground beef. Saute the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic to it and continue sautéing until the onion is soft and translucent.
• Create the flavor base: Add the oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, pepper, beef broth, brown sugar and hot sauce to the skillet and stir. Cook for a couple more minutes then remove from heat and let the meat mixture cool until it comes to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven: To 425 F degrees.
• Prepare the puff pastry: Working with one puff pastry sheet at a time, roll it out so that it’s long enough to cut 6 circles, 2 on each row, see video. Using a 4 inch cookie cutter or bowl, cut 6 circles, 2 per row.
• Assemble the empanadas: Fill each with about a tablespoon of meat mixture in the middle of each pastry round. Brush half of the pastry round edge with egg wash, then fold the dough over into a half-moon shape so the edges meet and then press them together with your fingers to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edge. Place it onto a baking sheet and repeat with remaining ingredients. You should get around 40 empanadas.
• Finish the empanadas: Poke holes in each empanada using a fork then brush the empanadas with the egg wash and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with salsa or salsa verde.

What Else Can I Fill My Empanadas With?

There’s many things that can go in your delicious empanadas, whether it be traditional or not these Spanish delicacies work great with lots of flavors!

• Ground beef and cooked cubed potato.
• Cooked shredded chicken.
• Browned mushrooms and cheese.
• Argentinian style with ground beef, olives, and hard boiled eggs.
• Beans and corn for a vegetarian style empanada.
• Chocolate, dulce de leche, and cinnamon.
• Blueberries and goat cheese.

Want To Make Your Own Puff Pastry?

For the sake of keeping things easy I used store bought puff pastry for this recipe which tastes just fine. If you’d like to make every element of this recipe from scratch however check out my Blueberry Goat Cheese Empanadas, which details how to make your own for this dish!

How To Make Salsa Verde

This is a perfect bright and acidic accompaniment for our little hand held treats, here’s how to make it!

• Roast veggies: Roast tomatillos (little green tomatoes from Mexico) and jalapeños under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Flip them over with tongs and broil for another 4 – 6 minutes.
• Combine salsa ingredients: Place diced white onion, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice in a food processor and combine. Place the roasted peppers and tomatillos and their juice in the food processor and blend all ingredients together. Place in the fridge to allow to thicken and you have your own salsa verde!

What To Serve With Empanadas

These meaty morsels pair well with lots of side dishes and sauces, although if you’re an empanada purist feel free to eat these treats all on their own!

Salad

• Mexican Chicken And Rice Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Kale And Quinoa Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
• Avocado Salsa Shrimp Salsa

Sauce

• Salsa verde, store bought is fine but the recipe up further is fresh and delicious.
• Queso Dip
• Enchilada Sauce
• Strawberry Salsa
• Homemade Salsa

Want To Make Empanadas Ahead?

Fridge

This dish can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer

If you’d like to make these empanadas a few months ahead of time, arrange them unbaked on a baking sheet and place in the freezer till frozen through. Place them in a freezer bag or in an airtight container and this dish will keep for up to 3 months. When ready to eat just pop these on a baking sheet and bake straight from frozen!

More Delicious Mexican Inspired Dishes To Try:

• Chicken Enchilada Quesadillas
• Taco Lasagna
• Pork Carnitas
• Shrimp Avocado Salsa
• Tres Leche Cake
• Albondigas Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup