Beef Empanadas
Beef Empanadas wrapped in buttery, flaky puff pastry, savory spiced beef tucked into golden pockets perfect for parties, snacks, or when dinner just needs to be more fun. My go-to hack for bakery level empanadas with none of the stress of homemade dough.
Servings: 40
Calories: 167kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef extra lean
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon oregano dry
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce I used Sriracha
- 4 sheets puff pastry (2 packages, 2 sheets per package)
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- 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.
- 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 oven to 425℉.
- 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.
- Fill each with a 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. See notes.
- 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.
Video
Notes
- Dough swaps: Pie dough works too, just expect a denser texture. Pizza dough can work but turns out breadier rather than flaky.
- Cool filling: Hot filling will melt the pastry layers, let it cool first.
- Freezing: Freeze assembled, unbaked empanadas on a tray, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes to bake time.
- Yield: You’ll get roughly 10 rounds per pastry sheet if you re-roll scraps.
- Storage: Cooked empanadas keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes to keep them crispy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1empanada | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
