Beef Empanadas
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
50 mins
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Dough chilling + filling cooling
3 hrs
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Servings
10 - 11 empanadas
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
South American, Brazilian
Beef Empanadas
Description
These Beef Empanadas consist of a flaky shortcrust pastry dough prepared by pulsing cold butter with flour and salt, then integrating egg yolk and warm milk for a tender consistency. The filling combines ground beef and finely blitzed chorizo cooked with onions, garlic, and a mix of spices including thyme, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Tomato paste, chicken stock, and tomato passata form a flavorful sauce that simmers with diced potato until tender.
Once cooled, the filling is combined with chopped green onions, hard boiled eggs, and green olives to add texture and fresh flavors. The dough is rolled out and cut, then filled and sealed using whisked egg yolks for a secure and shiny finish. Baking yields golden empanadas with a crisp pastry shell that contrasts the savory, moist filling inside.
These empanadas are versatile for serving as appetizers, snacks, or a light meal. The recipe notes suggest chilling the filling to ease wrapping and adapting the dough method for hand mixing. The empanadas can be made larger, following South American styles, or smaller as preferred. Serving options include various dipping sauces such as ketchup, salsa, or empanada sauce.
Ingredients
Empanada shortcrust pastry:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour also known as plain flour
- 175g/ 12 tbsp butter cut into 1 cm / 1/2" cubes, cold unsalted
- 1 tsp kosher salt cooking salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup milk full fat (30 sec microwave, warm
Empanada Filling:
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 1 garlic minced, cloves
- 300g/10 oz ground beef ground beef
- 120g/4 oz chorizo
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp thyme finely chopped, fresh
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano each
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt cooking salt
- 3/4 cup chicken stock low sodium, or broth
- 1/2 cup tomato passata (sub US tomato sauce or crushed tomato)
- 150g/5oz potato , peeled, cut into 8mm/ 1/3" cubes (~1 cup)
- 1/3 cup green onion , finely sliced
Other:
- 2 egg 9 minutes using this method, hard boiled
- 1/4 cup green olives , roughly chopped
- 2 egg separated, yolks whisked (for sealing and brushing pastry
Dipping sauces:
- empanada sauce
- Other options - ketchup, ketchup + sriracha, pink sauce, taco sauce, salsa dip
Instructions
Empanada Filling:
- Blitz chorizo - Roughly chop chorizo into 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces. Blitz using a stick blender until it becomes a paste (Note 1)
- Sauté aromatics - Heat oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Cook meat - Add chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until you no longer see raw beef. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add everything else except green onion, then stir.
- Cook 15 min - Bring to a simmer then lower heat so it's simmering gently. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Goal - juicy but not watery filling, with cooked potato.
- Cool - Stir through green onion. Transfer to bowl and fully cool before using (~ 2 hours).
Empanada shortcrust pastry:
- Blitz dough - Whisk milk and yolk in a small jug. Pulse flour, salt and butter in a food processor until the butter becomes fine crumbs - largest lumps no bigger than peas (~ 4 to 6 times). Add egg-milk mixture, then blitz on low until it comes together into a ball of dough - about 10 seconds. (Note 2 for hand method)
- Chill 30 min - Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, then bring together into a smooth log ~20cm/8" long. Cut in half, shape into 2cm / 0/8" thick round discs. Wrap in cling wrap then refrigerate 30 minutes (or overnight - Note 3).
- Cut rounds - Place one chilled disc on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 3 mm / 0.1" thickness. Cut 15 cm/6" rounds (I use a bowl), or other size as desired (Note 3). Keep covered in the fridge, stacked on paper, as you continue to roll and cut. You should get 10 or 11 rounds.
Make empanadas:
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
- Filling - Filling should be cold but spreadable (Note 4). Place 3 tablespoons (55g) of filling on the top half of a round of pastry. Spread flat in a half-moon shape, leaving a 1.5cm / 0.6" border. Sprinkle with olive and egg.
- Seal - Brush edge with egg white, fold to enclose, pressing out air and sealing the edge. Optional: Do empanada pleats - see step photos in post or video at 3 min 30 sec. Alternatively, crimp with fork or leave plain.
- Bake 20 min - Place empanadas on 2 baking trays. Brush with egg yolk. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown all over and crispy on the base.
- Serve hot with dipping sauce of choice - my favourite is the homemade Empanada Sauce!
Notes
- Blitzing chorizo creates a smooth paste that blends better with beef and intensifies the filling's flavor.
- The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; allow it to soften for 30 minutes before use.
- For authentic size, make larger empanadas; smaller ones require the same baking time.
- Ensure filling is cool but pliable when wrapping to prevent melting the butter in the pastry.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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