My husband fell in love with Argentine empanadas while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and we have worked to perfect this recipe over the years to make them just like the ones he loved there.
About the Dough
You may notice that empanada dough and pie dough have similar ingredients (flour, salt, butter, water, egg) and both are rolled out and filled. The main difference between the two types of dough is that empanada dough is sturdier and less flaky than pie crust.What Filling Is Best for Empanadas?
The great thing about empanadas is you can fill them with whatever you like, so take advantage of leftover meats, vegetables and cheese in your fridge that need to be used. Popular fillings include ground beef, ham and cheese, potato, eggs and bacon, chicken, tuna, and vegetable. You could even make dessert empanadas with apple pie filling, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar on the outside.How to Make Empanadas
For the Filling- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, season with a little salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and diced red pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium and add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and cook, crumbling into small pieces, until browned. Stir in beef boullion. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in green onion, olives, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs. Cover mixture and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (depending on freshness of ingredients). It’s important that the mixture is chilled before filling the empanadas.
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add egg and butter and stir well. Add oil and warm water and stir until the mixture starts to come together into a dough ball. Add more water if it’s too dry.
- Place dough in a clean greased bowl and cover tightly. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (Or refrigerate for up to 1 day, removing from the fridge 20 minutes before using).
- Divide the dough into two pieces. On a greased counter-top roll each piece into a very large circle, about 1/8in thick (but not so thin that it might break when filling or baking). Use a small bowl or round cookie cutters to cut the dough into circles about 6in in diameter for regular size empanadas or 3 inch for mini empanadas (empanaditas).
- Remove the excess dough from around the cut circles and keep the circles where they are for filling them (so they hold their perfect shape). Leftover scraps can be re-rolled to make more dough to cut out.
- Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle (leave plenty of space around the border, to seal the empanadas).
- Moisten the edges of the dough circle with water, then fold the dough over the filling and match the ends together to form a semi-circle. Pinch the edges together and then Seal the ends by crimping them with a fork or pinching and twisting/folding it over.
Bake or Fry
Baked Empanadas: Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little bit of egg wash and bake at 375 degrees For 25-30 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
Other Filling Ideas
- Walnuts
- Raisins
- Diced potatoes
- Chicken or ground turkey
- Carrots, Peas or other vegetables
- Tuna
- Ham and cheese empanadas
- Egg and bacon breakfast empanadas
What to Serve With Empanadas?
Empanadas are basically a meal in one, but you could serve them with a green salad and fresh fruit, or a side of rice and beans, for a heartier meal.Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
To Make AheadFilling can be made up to 3 days in advance (depending on freshness of ingredients used), stored in the fridge. The dough can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge.
Place unbaked empanadas on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months, Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Argentine Empanadas
Author: Lauren Allen Servings: 20 Calories: 209 Prep 15 Mins Cook 30 Mins Refrigerate 1 Hr Total 1 Hr 45 Mins- Pastry Brush
- Rolling Pin
- Meat Chopper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 white onions , chopped (about 4 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ of a red bell pepper , diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon beef boullion
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch green onions , just the green part, finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 hard boiled eggs , peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 egg , beaten
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- ¾ - 1 cup warm water
- Egg wash ( 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water)
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add garlic and diced red pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.
Increase heat to medium and add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and cook, crumbling into small pieces, until browned. Stir in beef boullion.
Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Then, stir in green onion, olives, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs.
Cover and chill mixture for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (depending on freshness of ingredients). It’s important that the mixture is chilled before filling the empanadas.
Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add egg and butter and stir well to combine. Add oil and warm water and stir until the mixture starts to come together into a dough ball. Add more water if it’s too dry.
Place dough in clean greased bowl and cover tightly. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (Or, refrigerate for up to 1 day, removing from the fridge 20 minutes before using.)
Divide the dough into two pieces. On a greased countertop roll each piece into a very large circle, about 1/8in thick (not so thin that it might break when filling or baking).
Use a small bowl or round cookie cutters to cut the dough into circles about 6in in diameter for regular size empanadas or 3 inch for mini empanadas (empanaditas).
Remove the excess dough from around the cut circles and keep the circles where they are for filling them (so they hold their perfect circle shape). Leftover scraps can be re-rolled to make more dough to cut out.
Place about 2 tablespoons of filling (for regular size empanadas) in the center of each circle, leaving plenty of space around the border. Moisten the edges of the circle with water, then fold the dough over and match the ends together to form a semi-circle.
Pinch the edges together and then seal the ends by crimping them with a fork or pinching and twisting/folding it over.
Notes
Other Filling OptionsWalnuts, Raisins, Diced potatoes, Chicken or ground turkey, Carrots, Peas, Ham and cheese empanadas
If you don’t want to make the dough from scratch you can buy puff pastry dough for empanadas from the grocery store.
Filling can be made up to 3 days in advance (depending on freshness of ingredients used), stored in the fridge. The dough can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge.
Place unbaked empanadas on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months, Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Empanada filling can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer safe container. Empanada dough can be frozen, wrapped tightly and stored in a freezer container, for up to 3 months.
Calories: 209kcal Carbohydrates: 20g Protein: 10g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 62mg Sodium: 344mg Potassium: 238mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 830IU Vitamin C: 7mg Calcium: 31mg Iron: 2mg
