Flaky Beef Empanadas

Don’t be afraid of making these delicious beef empanadas. The recipe is super easy, can be doubled for a crowd, and full of delicious filling. Baked in a flaky empanada dough, they are perfect with chimichurri sauce!

Empanadas are found in countries all over the world and the fillings are just as different as the people. Empanadas Mendocinas (Argentinian Empandas) traditionally contain beef, spices, olives, and sometimes hard-boiled eggs.

Some people can be picky about cooked eggs, especially the kids, so I left them out and I think they are even better this way.

The empanada dough is sturdy enough to hold in all the yummy filling and can be baked, deep fried, or air-fried.

There are a ton of recipes out there but the best empanadas are:

• Budget-friendly (just like this chipped beef cheese ball, and this chipped beef dip)
• Easy to make
• Make a filling meal
• Fun to eat and customize
• Can be made ahead of time

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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Beef – I like to use a 93/7 lean beef but use your favorite. You can also substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even pork sausage.

Olives – This recipe uses green olives but use your favorite olives or substitute beans instead.

Fresh Herbs – I like the way the fresh parsley and cilantro add some color along with their flavor.

Empanada dough – Make your own homemade empanada dough or discs, but I love to use empanada discs from Goya. Makes this semi-homemade and keeps the prep down to a minimum. You can also use pie crust in a pinch.

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How To Make Beef Empanadas

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Serving Suggestions

They are a meal in themselves but I like to add a simple green salad when serving for dinner. If I’m serving as an appetizer, I like an easy salsa recipe, chimichurri, or sour cream.

Favorite Dipping Sauces

• Chimichurri – a bright green, pesto like sauce with parsley and garlic. Native to Argentina it’s perfect to cut through the rich filling.
• Comeback sauce – a delicious mix of mayo, ketchup, and sweet chili sauce.
• Arrabbiata sauce – a spicy tomato that is similar to a traditional Hagao sauce.
• Spicy aioli – delicious with more delicate fillings.
• Tzatziki – cool and pairs well with Mediterranean fillings.
• Bang Bang sauce – creamy, sweet, and spicy, I love this with spicy sausage empanadas.

Empanadas are from South America and Latin America, and the fillings are just as unique as the country you get them in. You can even find sweet ones too like these caramel apple empanadas. Better yet, you can air fry, deep fry, or deep fry them.

Storage & Reheating

If you have any leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Reheat in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

How To Prep Ahead & Freeze

You can make the filling up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. You can freeze the prepared filling for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.

To freeze, place unbaked empanadas on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen empanadas them overnight in the refrigerator before baking or frying.

Best Dough To Use For Empanadas

The dough is similar to pie crust, in fact you can use pie dough in a pinch, but it is a little sturdier to hold the empanada fillings.

You can easily make homemade dough or take a shortcut and buy the Goya brand discs in the freezer section. This recipe makes 20 empanadas which is 2 packages of 10 discs.

More Empanada Recipes

These yummy and portable hand pies are easy to make with your favorite filling. Sometimes I just want a lighter vegetarian filling like in my caprese empanadas, street corn empanadas, and these sweet caramel apple empanadas.

But sometimes I want a hearty meal or something spicy like my taco empanadas, chicken tinga empanadas, or these spicy sausage empanadas.

Common Mistakes When Making Empanadas

• Filling is too wet: Be sure to drain all cooked meats, and cook the vegetables to help them release any extra moisture. This will keep the insides from getting too wet and making the dough soggy.
• Filling is hot when used: It’s important that the filling is completely cooled before you assemble the empanadas. If it’s too hot, it will start to steam and cook the dough before you can get them in the oven. Then the dough will tear or stick to the baking sheet.
• Seal them completely: If you are not rolling (or pleating) the edges of the discs, then you need to run a little water or egg wash between the edges and then crimp them together with a fork. This will keep all the filling and flavor inside!

How To Deep Fry Empanadas

I love that these are baked but if you want to deep fry them, here are some tips.

• Refrigerate the assembled empanadas for 15 minutes firm up the dough before frying.
• Heat a few inches of oil to 365F in a large skillet.
• Fry only 1-2 empanadas at a time so the oil temperature stays hot.
• Flip once while cooking
• Place on a paper towel lined plate when done frying to drain of excess oil.

You can also air fry these at 325F for 15 – 20 minutes.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• Use homemade or store-bought empanada dough. Don’t turn down a great shortcut in my opinion.
• Sweet paprika (or Hungarian Paprika) is slightly sweeter and more flavorful or you can use smoked paprika if you like a hint of smokiness. Spice them up with cayenne pepper.
• Drain the cooked ground beef well so the filling isn’t too wet. Remove the meat mixture from the pan before adding the olives and fresh herbs to avoid over cooking them.
• Defrost the empanada dough according to package instructions. I like to take mine out of the freezer the night before.
• Keep the plastic wrapper on each disc while filling, it makes it easier to hold them.
• Roll the edges over or crimp with a fork to seal the beef empanadas. I like to crimp twice to make sure they don’t leak.
• Use an egg wash to help achieve that golden brown pastry. A simple mixture of 1 beaten egg and 2 tablespoons water.

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This easy beef empanada recipe uses pre-made empanada dough and ground beef to create a delicious appetizer or dinner. Ready in roughly 30 minutes, they are a fun and budget friendly way to try new dishes from other countries.

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{Originally published 7/21/21 – photos and notes updated 01/29/24}

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