Description
Golden, flaky empanadas filled with savory seasoned beef and melted cheese. This easy recipe yields authentic Latin-inspired pastries that are perfect for dinner, snacks, or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Whisk egg, cold water, and vinegar together, then stir into flour to form dough. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in skillet. Cook onions 4–5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, cooking 8–10 minutes until browned. Stir in cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Cool filling 10 minutes, then mix in shredded cheese and chopped egg if using.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll dough to ¼-inch thick and cut 5-inch circles.
- Add 2 tablespoons filling in center of each. Fold over into half-moon and seal edges with fork.
- Brush tops with beaten egg and milk. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and crisp.
Notes
Do not overfill empanadas—2 tablespoons filling per pastry prevents bursting. Chill dough at least 30 minutes for tender, flaky results.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 empanada
- Calories: 285
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: beef empanadas, cheese empanadas, baked empanadas, Latin snacks, easy empanada recipe