Favorite beef recipes from The Modern Proper
Empanadas = Little Pockets of Joy
Golden pastry—an easy homemade version that we’ll walk you through—wrapped around a hearty beef filling, these easy empanadas are pure hand-held perfection. They’re one of our favorite party foods, as in we like to make a party out of the process of making empanadas! Filling and folding these lovely little pockets is fun! You can even make the dough ahead of time. For more wrapped party apps try our Pigs In A Blanket or our Sausage Rolls.
What Is An Empanada?
Empanadas are crescent-shaped, savory pastries made of dough and filled with a variety of ingredients. Empanada filling varies greatly, and can include anything from beef, chicken, pork, tuna, shellfish, cheese, and / or vegetables, seasoned vibrantly, then baked or fried to perfection. If you like chicken, be sure to try our Chicken Empanadas. What Country Are Empanadas From? Empanadas (which means “to wrap in bread” in Spanish) are handheld versions of traditional Spanish meat pies. While their fillings, size, and cooking techniques vary from one Latin American country to the next, they all begin by filling pastry dough with savory ingredients and then cooking—either baking or frying—to flaky, golden-brown perfection. This beef empanada recipe is most closely related to Chilean empanadas, because they are baked rather than fried and use ground beef instead of shredded or cubed.
Beef Empanadas Ingredients.
What Are Empanadas Made Of? Empanada ingredients really run the gamut from country to country—in Puerto Rico you might have one with sofrito-laced ground beef, whereas in Mexico your empanada might be filled with shredded chicken and corn. Our Beef Empanada Recipe is Loaded with a Hearty Mixture Of:
Ground beef and boiled potatoes.
Veggies galore: onion, celery, peas, and carrots.
Garlic and plenty of warm spices.
A touch of beef stock to make the ground beef empanada filling from drying out.
What Is Empanada Dough Made Of?
The internet claims that you can use store-bought pizza dough as a stand-in for homemade empanada dough. We’re all for shortcuts, but in this case we’re firmly in favor of making your own empanada dough—there is no substitute for the real thing. Homemade empanada crust is really just a simple pastry dough—if you can make pie crust, you can make empanada dough. You’ll need just:
Flour
Ice water
Salt
Chilled butter
Egg
We use chilled butter for this homemade empanada dough recipe because the steam it releases while baking creates gorgeous, flaky layers—just what we crave in our empanadas. Working with room temperature or melted butter results is an unforgiving, tough crust.
Can You Make Empanadas in Advance?
To make these potato and beef empanadas in advance, cover the tray of unbaked empanadas and refrigerate for up to two days. When you’re ready to eat, bake them at 400° for 40 minutes. They’ll emerge perfectly golden and steaming from the oven just as if you had baked them the same day.
Need more time? You can easily freeze these homemade beef empanadas! Once you’re done filling the dough and making your empanadas, lay them on a baking sheet like you’re about to bake them, but instead of putting the sheet in your oven, pop it in your freezer. Freeze overnight, then transfer to an airtight, zipper-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat the empanadas, just lay the frozen empanada directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes at 400°F.
What Country Are Empanadas From?
Empanadas (which means “to wrap in bread” in Spanish) are handheld versions of traditional Spanish meat pies. While their fillings, size, and cooking techniques vary from one Latin American country to the next, they all begin by filling pastry dough with savory ingredients and then cooking—either baking or frying—to flaky, golden-brown perfection. This beef empanada recipe is most closely related to Argentinian empanadas, because they are baked rather than fried and use ground beef instead of shredded or cubed.
How to Make Beef Empanadas:
- Make the pastry dough. We like to use a food processor to mix up the dough. Shape the dough into a ball, tightly cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling. Boil the potatoes until tender, brown the beef in a large skillet along with the onions, celery and carrots. Add the potatoes and ground beef mixture to the pan and cook until browned and tender.
- Season the filling. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and beef broth. Then add the peas and cook, stirring until everything is well incorporated and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the dough. Divide it into 10 equal parts. Roll each piece out into a circle roughly 7” wide. Add a heaping ⅓ cup of filling onto one side of each of the doughs. Brush with egg wash along the exposed edges, fold the dough over, then using a fork, firmly press the edges together. Repeat this process with remaining dough and filling and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush each empanada with egg wash then bake for 35 min or until golden brown.
How to Store Homemade Beef Empanadas + Tips
Use an egg wash to help you seal your empanadas and to brush on the outside once filled. A little egg wash will give them a pretty golden-brown crust.
You can easily freeze these homemade beef empanadas! Once you’re done filling the dough and making your empanadas, lay them on a baking sheet like you’re about to bake them, but instead of putting the sheet in your oven, pop it in your freezer. Freeze overnight, then transfer to an airtight, zipper-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat the empanadas, just lay the frozen empanada directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes at 400°F.
Can You Make Empanadas in Advance? To make these potato and beef empanadas in advance, cover the tray of unbaked empanadas and refrigerate for up to two days. When you’re ready to eat, bake them at 400° for 40 minutes. They’ll emerge perfectly golden and steaming from the oven just as if you had baked them the same day.
Leftovers will keep, stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
More of Our Favorite Beef Filled Party Foods
The Best Beef Empanada Recipe, Hands Down
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