Easy Yuca Empanadas
User Reviews
5
30 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
24 Empanadas
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Calories
287 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Paraguayan
Easy Yuca Empanadas
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Easy Yuca Empanadas combine a seasoned beef chuck filling with a soft yuca-based dough made from mashed yuca, cornmeal, and egg. They are traditionally fried to a golden crisp and served with a fresh salsa verde made from cilantro, green onions, lime juice, and honey, offering a balance of hearty, savory, and bright flavors.
Description
The Easy Yuca Empanadas recipe features a beef filling cooked with a combination of diced onions, colorful bell peppers, scallions, garlic, spices like paprika and cumin, beef bouillon, and red pepper flakes for a flavorful and mildly spicy mix. The filling is enriched with chopped hard-boiled eggs, adding texture and richness.
The dough is prepared by blending mashed yuca with cornmeal, a touch of kosher salt, softened butter or lard, and egg to bind. Cornmeal and all-purpose flour are used for dusting to prevent sticking during assembly. The empanadas are filled and then fried in hot oil until the exterior becomes crisp and golden, contrasting the tender filling inside.
The accompanying salsa verde combines fresh herbs, lime juice, garlic, and honey to provide a bright, slightly sweet and tangy complement to the rich empanadas. The recipe includes instructions for refrigerating assembled empanadas before frying and suggests storage and reheating tips to maintain quality.
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Ingredients
for the Beef filling:
- 1 kg beef chuck boneless, trimmed, cubed, 2.2 lbs
- 3 medium yellow onion , small diced
- 1 poblano pepper small diced, or green bell peppers
- 1 red bell pepper , small diced
- 1 bell pepper small diced, orange or yellow
- 2 scallion finely chopped ( white and green part separated, or green onion
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper adjust to taste, ground
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes , adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon paprika regular or smoked
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon adjust to taste, knorr brand, 2 teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin to taste (optional, or coriander
- kosher salt , to needed
- 1 Italian parsley finely chopped ( stem removed) or green onion, bunch, fresh, or cilantro
- 4 large egg minced, hard-boiled
For the Yuca dough:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter lard, or oil, softened
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 100 to 200 g yellow cornmeal plus for dusting, Quaker or Maseca Instant Yellow Corn Masa Flour, plus for dusting
- 1 kg yuca puree, fresh or frozen
- 1 large egg
- water as needed
For the Salsa Verde
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped, leaves or Italian parsley
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 1 garlic Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, then mash with the flat side of the knife until puree.
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- ¼ cup lime juice or lemon juice, fresh
- 3 tablespoons neutral flavored oil e.g. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons honey , adjust to taste
- kosher salt , to taste
For the Cornmeal & Flour Dusting
- 100 g cornmeal for dusting, ½ cup
- 100 g all-purpose flour for dusting, 62g
Instructions
Make the Salsa Verde:
- Combine all salsa verde ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Prepare the Eggs:
- Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer and cover them with cold water about an inch above the eggs. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then start timing for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water. Drain the hot water, and transfer the eggs to the ice water to cool for about 10 minutes. Gently crack each egg by tapping it on the counter and peel it under running water.
- Pat the eggs dry, mince them with a fork, cover with plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge until needed.
Make the Beef Filling:
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, beef bouillon, and black pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until browned all over.
- Add the garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
- Uncover and increase the heat to high, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes to reduce the liquid to a juicy but dry consistency. Add the paprika, white part of the scallions, onions, and bell peppers, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley and green parts of the scallions, sautéing for another 10 minutes to eliminate any excess liquid. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. In batches, pulse the meat mixture in a food processor or blender until coarsely shredded, being careful not to over-process it.
- Transfer each batch to a large mixing bowl and mix in the minced eggs. Let the filling cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook the Yuca:
- Place the peeled and quartered yuca in a large pot of boiling salted water, ensuring the water covers the yuca completely. Cook over high heat until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the yuca in a colander for 2 minutes.
Prepare the Yuca Empanada Dough:
- Use a stand mixer with a medium-sized grinder attachment to process the cooked yuca. Once mashed and still hot, transfer the yuca to the stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment or to a clean flat working surface.
- Add cornmeal, salt, butter, and egg, and beat until it forms a smooth, homogeneous dough (slightly sticky but manageable), about 5 minutes. If too sticky, add more cornmeal, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Assemble the Yuca Empanadas:
- Generously dust a clean surface with cornmeal. Take a fist-sized portion of dough, shape it into a ball, and place it on the cornmeal-dusted surface. Sprinkle the dough and rolling pin with cornmeal, then roll the dough to ¼ inch thick.
- Use a 6-inch round cutter (or a 6'' glass lid) to cut out circles. Gather the scraps and repeat. Separate the disks with parchment paper and cover with cling film. Set aside on cornmeal-dusted baking sheets.
- Once the beef filling has cooled, add 2 spoonfuls to the center of each dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the dough over, seal the edges, and crimp with a fork to remove air pockets. Fry immediately or refrigerate for a few hours until ready to fry.
Fry Yuca Empanadas:
- In a 2-quart pot, heat peanut oil to 350°F. Fry 2-3 empanadas at a time for 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve hot with salsa verde.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Store cooked empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days; reheat in the microwave but expect some loss of crispiness.
- Assemble and crimp empanadas before refrigerating up to 24 hours; fry in peanut oil at 350°F (175°C) until golden brown when ready to cook.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
30 reviews
Excellent
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