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Spicy Beef Empanadas Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 39 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Dough chilling and filling cooling time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 10 empanadas
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Brazilian, South American

Description

These Beef Empanadas feature a flaky homemade shortcrust pastry filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, chorizo, potatoes, and aromatic spices. Originating from South America, especially popular in Brazil, these empanadas are baked to golden perfection and served hot with a variety of dipping sauces, making them an irresistible appetizer or main course for gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Empanada Shortcrust Pastry

  • 2 1/2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
  • 175 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup warm full-fat milk

Empanada Filling

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 300 g beef mince (ground beef)
  • 120 g chorizo
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock/broth
  • 1/2 cup tomato passata
  • 150 g potato, peeled and cut into 8 mm cubes (about 1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup green onion, finely sliced

Other Ingredients

  • 2 hard boiled eggs (cooked 9 minutes)
  • 1/4 cup green olives, roughly chopped
  • 2 eggs, separated, yolks whisked (for sealing and brushing pastry)

Dipping Sauces

  • Empanada sauce (homemade recommended)
  • Ketchup
  • Ketchup mixed with sriracha
  • Pink sauce
  • Taco sauce
  • Salsa dip

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Filling: Roughly chop the chorizo into 1.5 cm pieces and blitz using a stick blender until it forms a paste. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat, then sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes until translucent.
  2. Cook the Meat: Add the chorizo paste and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute.
  3. Add Seasonings and Simmer: Mix in fresh thyme, dried oregano, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, chicken stock, tomato passata, and diced potatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the filling is juicy but not watery and potatoes are cooked.
  4. Finish Filling: Stir in chopped green onions, then transfer the filling to a bowl and allow it to cool completely, about 2 hours, to ensure it is spreadable for assembly.
  5. Make the Dough: Whisk warm milk and egg yolk together. Pulse flour, salt, and cold butter cubes in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg-milk mixture and pulse until a dough ball forms, approximately 10 seconds.
  6. Chill the Dough: Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, shape into a smooth 20 cm log, cut in half, and form two discs about 2 cm thick. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  7. Roll and Cut Pastry: Roll one disc on a floured surface to 3 mm thickness and cut 15 cm rounds using a bowl or cutter. Keep rounds covered and chilled as you work, aiming for about 10 to 11 discs.
  8. Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 220°C (425°F) or 200°C (fan).
  9. Assemble Empanadas: Place 3 tablespoons (55 g) of cold but spreadable filling on one half of each pastry round, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Sprinkle chopped green olives and chopped hard boiled eggs over the filling. Brush edges with egg white, then fold pastry over to enclose filling. Seal edges by pressing out air, by pleating, crimping with a fork, or leaving plain.
  10. Bake: Arrange empanadas on two baking trays, brush the tops with whisked egg yolks, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy on the base.
  11. Serve: Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauces, such as homemade empanada sauce, ketchup, or salsa.

Notes

  • Blitzing the chorizo into a paste intensely melds its flavor with the beef for a richer filling.
  • If making dough by hand, rub cold butter into flour with fingers, then mix in milk and yolk and knead to a smooth dough.
  • Dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and kept refrigerated; let it soften at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
  • The empanadas are traditionally large (about 15 cm rounds) for an authentic South American experience; smaller size is possible but adjust baking time accordingly.
  • Filling should be cold but pliable; allow to come to room temperature briefly if too hard to wrap to prevent breaking pastry from melted butter.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 empanada
  • Calories: 320 kcal
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 350 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 15 g
  • Cholesterol: 75 mg

Find it online: https://creamypot.com/spicy-beef-empanadas-recipe/