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Latin American

Beef Empanadas

A cumin beef filling with onion and olives is sealed in pastry rounds and baked until the crust is golden. The filling tastes savory and a little briny, and the dough tastes flaky.

Prep
35 min
Cook
30 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Medium
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Golden baked beef empanadas on a sheet pan with one broken open to show the filling

Why you’ll love it

  • The beef is cooked to 160°F before it goes into the dough.
  • A cool filling seals more cleanly than a hot one.
  • Egg wash browns the tops in a hot oven.
  • Olives and cumin make the filling taste like empanadas, not plain taco meat.

Ingredients

Servings6

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.

  2. 2

    Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Cook the onion for 4 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.

  3. 3

    Add the ground beef, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, about 7 minutes.

  4. 4

    Stir in the green olives and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute. Spread the filling on a plate to cool for 10 minutes.

  5. 5

    Place a spoon of filling in the center of each dough disc. Brush the edge with a little of the beaten egg, fold, and crimp with a fork.

  6. 6

    Brush the tops with the remaining egg. Bake until deep golden, about 20 minutes. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Pro tips

  • Do not overfill or the seams will open in the oven.
  • Cool the filling so the dough does not get greasy and tear.
  • If the discs crack, pinch the seam firmly and bake them seam-side up.

Easy substitutions

green olives
raisins for a sweeter filling
empanada dough discs
pie dough rounds
ground beef
ground turkey cooked to 165°F

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate baked empanadas in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat on a sheet pan at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until hot in the center.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
362
Protein
22 g
Carbs
28 g
Fat
18 g
Fiber
2 g

Moderate · Oven, Stovetop

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients