Description
Warm, flaky beef and cheese empanadas bring South American comfort right to your kitchen table. Crispy pastry pockets packed with seasoned ground beef and melty cheese make perfect handheld treats for your next gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 store-bought empanada wrappers
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Sauté the half-chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves until they become soft and translucent.
- Add 1 pound ground beef to the skillet. Break the meat into small pieces while cooking for 6-7 minutes, ensuring the beef browns completely and loses its pink color.
- Season the beef with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and optional ½ teaspoon chili powder. Sprinkle salt and pepper to your taste preference.
- Pour ½ cup tomato sauce into the skillet. Stir the mixture thoroughly and let it simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Remove from heat and let the filling cool slightly.
- Fold 1 cup shredded cheese into the warm beef mixture, creating a rich and creamy filling.
- Arrange your empanada wrappers on a clean surface. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of filling directly into the center of each wrapper.
- Carefully fold the dough over to create a half-moon shape. Use a fork to firmly press and seal the edges, preventing the filling from leaking.
- Transfer the assembled empanadas onto a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops generously with 1 beaten egg to help achieve a golden finish.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the empanadas for 20-22 minutes, watching for a crisp, golden-brown exterior that signals they’re perfectly cooked.
Notes
- Check the beef mixture seasoning by tasting before filling the empanadas, adjusting salt and spices as needed for perfect flavor balance.
- When sealing empanadas, ensure edges are firmly pressed to prevent filling from leaking during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, swap traditional dough with gluten-free pastry or use corn-based empanada wrappers.
- Prep empanadas ahead of time and freeze uncooked, then bake directly from frozen, adding 5-7 extra minutes to cooking time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg