Description
Warm, golden beef and cheese empanadas straight from my kitchen remind me of family gatherings in Argentina. Crispy pastry pockets packed with seasoned ground beef and melted cheese make perfect handheld snacks for sharing with friends or enjoying as a quick meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- ½ pound ground beef
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup shredded cheese
Filling and Seasoning Ingredients:
- ½ small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup beef broth
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cold butter
- ⅓ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, creating a smooth dry base for your dough.
- Incorporate cold butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Whisk egg, water, and vinegar together, then pour into the flour mixture to form a soft dough.
- Knead the dough gently for 2-3 minutes until it becomes cohesive and smooth.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest and firm up.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then sauté finely chopped onions until translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, releasing its aromatic flavors.
- Introduce ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart with a spatula and cooking until completely browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, creating a rich and flavorful filling.
- Remove the meat mixture from heat and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Fold shredded cheese into the cooled beef mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough to ⅛-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut 4-5 inch circles from the rolled dough using a round cutter.
- Place 1 tablespoon of beef and cheese filling in the center of each dough circle.
- Carefully fold the dough over the filling, creating a half-moon shape and sealing edges with a fork.
- Brush the empanadas with beaten egg to achieve a golden, glossy finish.
- Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown and crisp.
- Alternatively, heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and deep-fry empanadas for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
- Let empanadas rest for 5 minutes before serving with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle and prevent shrinking during baking.
- Use cold butter and work quickly to keep the pastry flaky and tender.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the wheat flour with a combination of almond and rice flour.
- Experiment with different cheeses like queso fresco or manchego for unique flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes (baking) or 2-3 minutes (frying)
- Category: Beef
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg