Argentinian Beef Empanadas Tucumanas (Hand-Cut Beef, Egg, and Green Onion Empanadas)
User Reviews
5
18 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs 15 mins
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Resting/Chilling Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
7 hrs
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Servings
22 empanadas
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Calories
208 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer, Snacks
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Cuisine
South American, Argentinian
Argentinian Beef Empanadas Tucumanas (Hand-Cut Beef, Egg, and Green Onion Empanadas)
Report
Argentinian Beef Empanadas Tucumanas feature diced flank steak cooked with aromatic vegetables and spices, combined with hard-boiled eggs and green onions, encased in a homemade flour dough. The beef is simmered with aromatics and shredded finely for a tender filling with nuanced flavor from paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. The dough is rolled thin and filled for a hand-held savory pie, known for its balance of meaty, eggy, and spiced taste.
Description
This recipe begins by simmering flank steak with onion, carrot, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, and optional parsley until the meat is tender enough to shred. The beef is then finely diced and chilled. The filling is prepared by cooking chopped onions with paprika, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and black pepper before adding beef broth and red wine vinegar to enhance acidity and flavor.
Hard-boiled eggs are chopped and added, along with thinly sliced green onions, lending a fresh contrast. The filling is cooled before being enclosed in a homemade dough made from flour, salt, shortening, and hot water, rolled into circles and formed into empanadas. The result is a flaky, soft dough with rich, savory filling combining tender beef, aromatic spices, and egg.
These empanadas can be frozen individually after freezing solid on a baking sheet and reheated in a moderate oven. The recipe suggests important details like lining a cast-iron press with plastic to prevent sticking when shaping dough, and notes on salt type affecting seasoning levels.
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Ingredients
Flank Steak:
- 1 to 1 ¼ pounds flank steak 455 to 570 grams
- 1 onion small white, quartered
- 1 carrot small, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf large or 2 small
- 2 to 3 thyme sprigs, fresh
- 1 garlic clove large or 3 small
- 10 parsley stems optional, broken in half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups white onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons paprika sweet, Spanish
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 ½ cups beef broth or cooking liquid from the flank
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 egg hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped
- ¾ cup green onion thinly sliced
Bread Dough:
- 5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup shortening melted, or lard
- 1 ¾ cups water hot (140°F
- egg optional, wash made with 1 beaten egg and 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Place the flank steak in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, parsley stems (if using), salt, and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover the steak by about 1 ½ inches. Bring the pot to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours, or until the beef is easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove the steak from the pot, reserving 1 ½ cups of the cooking liquid. Set the broth aside. When the beef is cool enough to handle, remove any fat or sinew and slice it crosswise into thirds. Chop it into a fine dice, then chill, covered until ready to use. If refrigerated, the steak will last, covered for up to 2 days. To freeze it, cover shredded or chopped beef with the cooking liquid just until submerged. Freeze it in containers for up to 3 months.
- Make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add the white onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, stirring well to combine.
- Add the beef and broth, stirring to combine. Bring them to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and continue cooking, uncovered, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes (the beef mixture should still be moist). Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Cover and chill the filling completely, at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Make the bread dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the melted shortening and 1 ¼ cups of the water. Stir well with a spatula, until the dough starts coming together. Switch to your hands and add the remaining ½ cup water, kneading until the dough comes together (it will be soft and sticky).
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 to 2 minutes (adding more flour as needed), until the dough holds together in a ball and no longer sticks to your fingers. Return the dough to the bowl; cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 22 equal pieces (about 2 ounces/55 grams each). Roll each piece into a ball, folding the bottom of the dough onto itself so that the ends are at the bottom and the tops are smooth (the way you’d shape rolls). Place them on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover them with a clean towel. Let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Line a tortilla press with a zip-top freezer or sandwich bag that has been cut open on three sides so that it opens like a book. Place a ball of dough in the middle of the tortilla press, fold over the plastic to cover it, lightly press it by hand into a flat disc, then use the press to flatten it into a 5-inch round, ⅛-inch thick (or roll it out with a rolling pin). Stack the discs with parchment paper in between to avoid sticking.
- Assemble the empanadas: Stir the cooked eggs and green onions into the filling. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling in the center of each empanada disc. Fold the the dough over the filling to form a half-moon, and press the edges together well. Make ½-inch edges by pressing the rims between your fingers to create a rope along the edges. The empanadas can sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking or can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour before baking.
- Bake the empanadas and serve: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the empanadas on the prepared pans and brush them with the egg wash, if using. Bake them for 28 to 30 minutes, until their bottoms are golden (rotate the pans in the oven halfway through baking, back to front and top to bottom, to ensure that all of the empanadas bake evenly). Transfer the empanadas to a cooling rack; let them cool for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Freeze formed empanadas in a single layer first, then store in bags for up to 4 months; reheat in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes until hot.
- Line the tortilla press with plastic when flattening dough to avoid sticking and mess.
- Flank steak shrinks significantly during cooking; a smaller pot is sufficient.
- Use kosher salt for seasoning; if substituting table salt, reduce amount as it is saltier.
- This version is adapted from 'Empanadas: The Hand-Held Pies of Latin America'.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
208kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
27g
(9%)
Protein
8g
(16%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
36mg
(12%)
Sodium
228mg
(10%)
Potassium
111mg
(2%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 22empanadas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 208 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 208kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 228mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 111mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
18 reviews
Excellent
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