Beef Empanadas
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Crispy, cheesy beef empanadas: perfect for a snack or a meal, and loved by both kids and grown-ups alike!
Empanadas! Just their name sounds celebratory. These savory turnovers, a staple at parties and festivals from Spain to Latin America, are made with various fillings, from beef and cheese to chicken and veggies. Baked or fried until golden, they are the ultimate finger food. The name comes from the Spanish verb “empanar,” which means “to wrap or coat in bread.” Making traditional empanadas with homemade dough can be a labor of love, but I’ve got a shortcut for you: store-bought empanada wrappers, available in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets. With them, you can whip up my easy beef empanadas with a savory, cheesy filling in under an hour.
If you’re cooking with kids, let them help with the wrapping—it’s fun! This recipe yields 10 to 12 empanadas, ideal for a quick dinner or appetizer. If you’ve got a house full of hungry guests, definitely double the recipe!
“OMG, just made these for some hikers coming down from the mountain and they were devoured!”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Empanadas
- Ground Beef: The base of the filling; 85% lean ensures the meat is tender but not overly greasy.
- Shallot and Garlic: The aromatic base of the filling.
- Tomato Paste: Concentrates the filling’s flavor, adding richness and a slight tanginess.
- Cumin and Chili Powder: Lend warmth and a smoky spice.
- Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese: A great melting cheese, ideal for quesadillas, nachos, tacos, and, of course, empanadas.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds fresh herbal flavor.
- Egg: Beaten, acts as a glue to seal the empanadas before baking.
- Empanada Dough: Forms the exterior, encasing the filling (see photo and note below).
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
When making empanadas, it’s important to choose the right type of wrapper for your preferred cooking method. Goya sells three different kinds of empanada wrappers: Empanada Dough for Frying, Empanada Dough for Baking, and Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking. Be sure to get the puff pastry version for baking, as pictured below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13×18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef, shallot, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and salt.
Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until the beef is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the water and cook for 1 minute more.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes (speed this up in the refrigerator if necessary).
Once the filling is cooled, stir in the cheese and cilantro.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, place about 1½ tablespoons of the filling in the center of the dough and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.
Fold over to seal. Starting at one end of the pastry, use your fingers to pinch the pastry.
Twist the edge of the pastry into a small rope-like shape. Work your way around the empanada until you reach the other end.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until puffed, golden brown, and flaky. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Empanadas can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time before baking. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze before baking, first assemble the empanadas and then lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet without overlapping. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to freezer bags and store for up to three months. When ready to bake, you can cook them straight from the freezer, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Yes, you can freeze unbaked or baked empanadas for up to 3 months. To freeze before baking, first assemble the empanadas and then lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet without overlapping. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to freezer bags and store for up to three months. When ready to bake, you can cook them straight from the freezer, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time. To freeze after baking, ensure they’re fully cooled, then follow the same freezing process. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat them in the oven until warmed through; no need to thaw.
I would use frozen puff pastry, like Pepperidge Farm, if you can’t find the puff pastry empanada wrappers. You could also use standard pie dough, but puff pastry will be flakier.
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Beef Empanadas
Crispy, cheesy beef empanadas: perfect for a snack or a meal, and loved by both kids and grown-ups alike!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces 85% lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons minced shallot, from 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 package Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking, thawed but cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef, shallot, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until the beef is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the water and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes (speed this up in the refrigerator if necessary).
- Once the filling is cooled, stir in the cheese and cilantro.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, place about 1½ tablespoons of the filling in the center of the dough. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg, and then fold over to seal. Starting at one end of the pastry, use your fingers to pinch and twist the edge of the pastry into a small rope-like shape. Continue to pinch and twist the edge of the pastry, working your way around the empanada until you reach the other end. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until puffed, golden brown, and flaky. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The empanadas can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of time before baking. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze empanadas before baking, first assemble the empanadas and then lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet without overlapping. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to freezer bags and store for up to three months. When ready to bake, you can cook them straight from the freezer, just add a few extra minutes to the baking time. If you're freezing already baked empanadas, ensure they're fully cooled, then follow the same freezing process. When you're ready to enjoy, reheat them in the oven until warmed through; no need to thaw.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 empanada
- Calories: 185
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 125 mg
- Cholesterol: 32 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I want to make this but I don’t eat beef. Do you think using shredded chicken instead of beef would turn out ok? I love empanadas and your recipes are great. Thanks!
So glad you like the recipes! Yes, I think these would also be good with shredded chicken. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
The shredded chicken was great! Served them with a chimichurri sauce. Thank you!
So glad they came out well — thanks for taking the time to report back! 🙂
Will regular puff pastry work if the empanada puff pastry is unavailable?
Yep!
Thank you Jenn for the substitution of regular puff pastry. I tried Target, Safeway and Lucky markets to no avail. I don’t see the Goya brand in my area so perhaps it isn’t available on the west coast. Will make these for harvest – a warm, savory treat.
OMG, just made these for some hikers coming down from the mountain and they were devoured! Crispy dough, savory filling, they were perfect, not too wet not too dry!
I’m excited about this recipe because I was just thinking about making empanadas last month. It looks like my local Target and grocery store don’t carry empanada dough. Any recommendations on a dough recipe I could use to DIY? Thank you!
Hi Val, I would use puff pastry if you can’t find empanada wrappers. You could also use standard pie dough, but puff pastry will be flakier.
I used pie dough and it turned out great! I’m definitely planning to make again!
If using puff pastry, how big should you cut the circles?
They should be 5 inches in diameter. Enjoy!
I grew up in Anaheim, CA in the ‘50’s and we had a wonderful Mexican restaurant called La Comida. They served the most wonderful dessert empanadas filled with mincemeat and dusted with powdered sugar! I am now going to make them knowing I can buy the dough.. thank you for the info. I’ll also try making your meat ones.
This looks great, Jenn, thanks!
If I wanted to do chicken empanadas instead of beef, what substitutions if any would you suggest (besides the obvious one)?
Hi Gregg, I think the only thing you’d need to do is swap out the beef for chicken. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Where are you finding those empanadas puff pastry boxes?
Hi Nancy, you can find them in the international frozen section (near the latin food). If they’re not there, they’ll be near the frozen pie crusts. And just so you’re looking for the right thing, although it looks like a box in the pic, it’s actually a blister pack. Hope you enjoy the empanadas!
Would regular puff pastry work for these empanadas? Empanada specific pastry is unavailable in Ontario.
Yep!
On my way to get the empanada dough – puff pastry!! Can’t wait to make these! Thank you, Jenn, for making this so easy!
Oh Jenn, these look really good. I will have to keep an eye out for empanada puff pastry. I was just in the puff pastry aisle yesterday and never noticed anything like that. Which grocery store did you find yours? I will definitely make these if I can find them!
Hi Colleen, You have to look closely at the label, but it should be pretty easy to find. I’ve seen it at different supermarkets, such as Giant, Publix, Target, and Walmart. I would check on Instacart to see who carries it in your area. Hope that helps!