Empanadas (beef)
Argentine beef empanadas are the ultimate comfort food, born from the melting pot of Spanish, indigenous, and Italian influences that shaped the country's culinary identity. Making them from scratch is a labor of love, but it yields a deeply rewarding result that no supermarket freezer aisle can replicate. When you buy frozen empanadas at the store, you're usually paying around ten dollars for a box of six, only to bite into a thick, doughy, flavorless casing filled with a sad, heavily processed meat mixture that tastes more of preservatives than beef. By making them yourself, you control the quality of the beef, the sweetness of the onions, and the perfect ratio of juicy filling to flaky, hand-folded pastry. The most common pitfall I see is a filling that is too wet, which leads to soggy bottoms and blown-out seams during baking. The secret to a perfect empanada is cooking down your picadillo until it is completely dry and letting it chill thoroughly before stuffing. Another crucial step is the repulgue, the traditional folded edge that not only seals in the juices but also acts as a signature for the specific filling inside. While it takes time to roll the dough and crimp each one, these little half-moons are a batch-cooking dream. You can freeze them raw and bake them straight from the freezer, giving you an incredible, authentic homemade meal in minutes without ever resorting to the overpriced, cardboard-tasting shop-bought versions.
Nutrition
| Per serving | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Sugar | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| beginner | 810kcal | 32g | 48g | 48g | 26g | 3g | 3g | 580mg |
| intermediate | 750kcal | 35g | 65g | 38g | 16g | 4g | 5g | 650mg |
| expert | 690kcal | 42g | 72g | 34g | 16g | 6g | 11g | 850mg |
Per serving · Ava-estimated — a guide, not a clinical figure.
- 500 gground beef— 80/20 blend recommended for juiciness
- 12 unitempanada disc— store-bought wheat or homemade beef tallow dough
- 2 mediumyellow onion— finely diced
- 1 mediumred bell pepper— finely diced
- 3 clovegarlic clove— minced
- 2 largehard-boiled egg— chopped
- 50 ggreen olive— pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 120 mlbeef broth— warm
- 30 mlvegetable oil
- 5 gsalt— adjust to taste
- 2 gblack pepper— freshly ground
- 1 largeegg— beaten, for egg wash
Shop-bought frozen beef empanadas typically cost around $2 to $3 each and are often loaded with cheap vegetable shortenings, preservatives, and a meager, heavily processed filling that lacks depth. Making them from scratch costs a fraction of the price per piece and yields a genuinely flaky, buttery crust wrapped around a rich, fresh beef picadillo. This beginner version focuses on a highly forgiving, simple shortcrust-style dough that doesn't require intricate lamination, and a straightforward filling technique that builds flavor quickly without hours of simmering. You will mix the dough by hand and roll it out simply. The key things to watch for are avoiding overfilling the discs—leave a clear border to ensure a tight seal—and keeping the filling relatively dry so the pastry does not get soggy. Press the edges firmly with a fork if the traditional repulgue fold feels tricky. This approach guarantees a confident first attempt at a classic batch-cooking hero that freezes beautifully for future baking.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan— non-stick or stainless steel for the filling
- Rolling pin— a simple wooden pin works best
- Round cutter— a 10cm bowl or ring works perfectly
- Baking sheets— lined with parchment paper
Method
- 1
Rub cold butter into flour and salt until crumbly, then mix in ice water to form a cohesive dough.
Keep the butter as cold as possible for a flaky crust.
rubbing in~ 5 min - 2
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the filling.
This relaxes the gluten and firms the fat.
resting~ 20 min - 3
Cook diced onion and red bell pepper in olive oil over medium heat until softened.
Do not rush this; you want them sweet and tender.
sweating~ 8 min - 4
Add ground beef and cook until no pink remains, breaking it into small pieces.
Lean beef prevents the filling from becoming too greasy.
browning~ 7 min - 5
Stir in paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper, then simmer until all liquid has completely evaporated.
A dry filling is critical to prevent soggy pastry.
reducing~ 5 minTricky bit - 6
Transfer the filling to a shallow bowl and let it cool completely.
Hot filling will melt the dough during assembly.
cooling~ 10 min - 7
Roll the dough out thin on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12 circles.
Reroll the scraps gently to cut more circles.
rolling~ 10 min - 8
Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal the edges firmly with a fork.
Leave a 1cm border and ensure no filling touches the seal.
crimping~ 10 minTricky bit - 9
Arrange the raw empanadas on a baking sheet and freeze until solid before transferring to airtight bags.
Flash freezing prevents them from sticking together in storage.
flash freezing~ 30 min - 10
Brush the frozen empanadas with beaten egg and bake directly from frozen until golden brown and crisp.
Add 5 to 10 minutes to the standard baking time when cooking from frozen.
baking~ 25 min
Cooking from frozen
Bake directly from frozen at 200C for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp.
Storage times are a guide — always use your judgement and store food safely.