Empanadas

Argentine Beef Empanadas

Classic baked Argentine empanadas with a savory minced beef filling, hard-boiled egg, and olives, sealed with a decorative crimp. This recipe uses a homemade wheat pastry for an authentic result.

Prep

60 min

Cook

30 min

Total

90 min

Serves

12

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 1¾ oz) all-purpose flour
• •150 g (5¼ oz) chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• •1 tsp salt
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) cold water, approximately, as needed
• •1 tbsp white vinegar, optional, for tender dough
• •500 g (1 lb 1¾ oz) ground beef, minced beef, 20% fat
• •2 medium onions, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp sweet paprika, or smoked paprika for extra flavor
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) dried oregano
• •0.25 tsp (¼ tsp) cayenne pepper, optional, for heat
• •150 ml (¾ cup) beef broth, or water
• •3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• •100 g (3½ oz) green olives, pitted and chopped, or whole, sliced
• •1 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying filling
• •1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to rub it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vinegar and most of the cold water, mixing until the dough just comes together. Add more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. 2 Cook the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Season with cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, and salt to taste. Pour in the beef broth and simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. 3 When the filling is cool, stir in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and olives. Adjust seasoning if needed.
4. 4 Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. 5 On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Use a round cutter (about 12 cm / 4¾ inches in diameter) to cut out circles. Gather and re-roll scraps.
6. 6 Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold the dough over to make a half-moon. Press the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork or twist the edges to create the repulgue (decorative braid).
7. 7 Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with the beaten egg.
8. 8 Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. The internal temperature of the filling should reach at least 74°C (165°F) if checked. Serve hot, optionally with chimichurri.