Empanadas
These homemade beef Empanadas are filling, flavorful, and so easy to make from scratch. Baked to golden perfection, you'll be making this again and again.
Servings 9 servings
Calories 405kcal
Equipment
- Skillet
- Food Processor
- 6-inch round cookie cutter
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound ground chuck (226g)
- 1 cup peeled diced russet potato, (178g)
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion (93g)
- ⅓ cup diced carrot (45g)
- ⅓ cup diced celery (45g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas (76g)
Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces (170g)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup water (80mL)
Assembly:
- 1 large egg
- water if needed
Instructions
For the Filling:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the beef is browned and vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool while making the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the Dough:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse 3 times. Add butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and the water; pulse until a dough forms a ball around the side of the bowl. Transfer to a clean work surface and knead a few times just until the dough forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half.
For the Assembly:
- Working with one half at a time, roll out dough to a 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 6-inch round cutter, cut out 6 circles. (You can also a round container as a guide and run a sharp knife around it to cut the dough.) Reroll dough as needed. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each dough circle. Fold circles in half and press the edges together. (If the dough doesn’t want to stick together, rub a little bit of water on the edge of the dough before closing.) Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork all around the edge to seal. Place empanadas on the lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, beat 1 egg. Brush empanadas with the egg wash.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftover in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
Notes
- Depending on how much your vegetables cook down and the size you cut them, you may have a little leftover filling. The leftover filling makes an excellent quesadilla or taco filling. You can also stir it into cooked rice and top with avocado, sour cream, and pickled onions!
- You can also freeze the filling for up to 3 months when the cravings strike for a quick and easy batch of empanadas.
- To make the dough without a food processor, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture is very crumbly and resembles large breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and water together, then pour it into the flour. Stir in with a fork, then knead by hand until it forms a cohesive ball.
- It’s best to use the dough as soon as you make it, as it will crack as it dries. Keep the dough covered when not in use.
- Make sure the potato and beef empanadas filling are diced finely and in similar sizes. This allows the filling in each empanada to have a little bit of everything.
- Don’t skip the egg wash as it gives the empanadas a beautiful golden-brown, crispy exterior.
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1531IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg