Argentine Beef Empanadas
Golden baked Argentine beef empanadas filled with spiced beef, onion, green olives, and hard-boiled egg.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Empanada Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 cup cold water plus more as needed
Beef Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef 85 to 90 percent lean
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/3 cup green olives pitted and chopped
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 1/4 cup beef broth
Assembly
- 1 large egg beaten for egg wash
- 1 tbsp water for egg wash
- chimichurri for serving, optional
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Whisk the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks crumbly with pea-size pieces.
- Stir in the beaten egg and cold water until a shaggy dough forms, adding another tablespoon of water only if needed.
- Knead briefly, flatten into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Cook the filling:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the beef, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper, then cook until the beef is browned and no longer pink.
- Stir in the olives and beef broth, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is moist but not soupy.
- Remove from the heat, fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs, and cool completely.
Shape and bake:
- Heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut twelve 5-inch rounds.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round.
- Fold the dough over the filling, press the edges to seal, and crimp with a fork or fold the edge into a rope pattern.
- Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water, brush over the empanadas, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving with chimichurri if desired.
Notes
- Cool the filling before assembling so the pastry stays firm and easy to seal.
- For a shortcut, use store-bought empanada discs and follow the same filling and baking directions.
- Freeze shaped unbaked empanadas on a tray, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 740mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2g