How To Make Easy Empanadas
First time making empanadas? You’re in the right place! Learn how to make easy empanadas: A SUPER simple recipe with a traditional meat filling.
Empanadas sound a bit intimidating to make.
But trust me, they’re not.
Especially when you use ready-made, frozen empanada dough rounds. This recipe really is foolproof.
What Are Empanadas?
Empanadas are pockets of dough with various fillings.
I ate a lot of empanadas when I lived in Argentina. There, they are a very popular food item that can be found in most restaurants, food carts, and walk-up windows.
Empanadas can be filled with all sorts of different fillings – from cheese to seafood to beef to scrambled eggs and bacon.
But probably the most traditional filling for Argentine empanadas is ground beef. These empanadas can also include other ingredients like onion, corn, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and various spices.
I used ground beef, sweet corn, black olives, onion, garlic, paprika, and mozzarella cheese.
Empanada dough: I used Goya Empanada Dough Tapas (12 pack)
The Simple Way To Make Homemade Empanadas
While you certainly can make your own empanada dough, I find it MUCH easier to use ready-made empanada dough. I found this at a local Mexican grocery store, but many traditional supermarkets are beginning to stock empanada dough rounds.
Here’s the process:
- Brown ground beef, onion, and add other ingredients
- Lay empanada dough rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Place a hefty tablespoon of filling on the dough round
- Fold over to make a half circle and seal edges with a fork
- Brush with egg wash
- Bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes
What Are Some Different Types Of Fillings?
This recipe is for a more traditional, Argentina-style beef empanada.
But there are so many different fillings that work in empanadas.
Now that you’ve got the hang of making simple empanadas, try one of these different fillings:
- Breakfast Empanadas
- Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes: Turkey Empanadas
- Tuna and cheese
- Shredded chicken
- Buffalo chicken
- Potato and cheese
- Spinach and cheese
- Pizza (pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, etc.)
How To Make Easy Empanadas
Look for Goya empanada dough in the freezer section of a Mexican or South American grocery store.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
- 4.25 ounce can chopped black olives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 package empanada wrappers (12 pack)
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, saute onion in a bit of olive oil. Add ground beef and begin breaking up the meat to a scramble.
- Add sweet corn, black olives, and spices. Remove from heat.
- Place empanada dough wrappers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place a tablespoon (approximately) of filling in the middle of the dough round. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Fold the dough over and seal edges with a fork.
- Brush dough with egg wash.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 375F, until dough is toasted or browned.