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Homemade Empanadas

Delicious homemade empanadas with a savory beef filling and flaky pastry. Perfect for any occasion!
Prep : 10 Total : 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the Dough:

  • 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 0.5 cup ice water

For the Filling:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 teaspoon cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon paprika
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.25 cup beef broth
  • 0.5 cup peas, frozen

For Assembly and Baking:

  • 1 egg, beaten egg wash

Instructions
 

Make the Dough:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  • Gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
  • Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Filling:

  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease.
  • Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Stir in the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Pour in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce slightly.
  • Stir in the frozen peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely.

Assemble and Bake Empanadas:

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 5-6 inch round cutter to cut out circles.
  • Place a spoonful of the cooled filling onto one half of each dough circle, leaving a small border.
  • Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the other half over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
  • Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with the beaten egg wash.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
  • Let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

These empanadas can be made ahead of time and frozen before baking. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.