Finished empanadas with flaky crusts and visible beef and pea filling, folded in rustic crimped style.

Empanadas Recipe

Crispy, golden empanadas made from scratch with homemade dough and savory beef or chicken filling. Step-by-step guide for baking or frying these Latin favorites.

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Colombian, Latin American, Spanish

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 25

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 55

Servings: empanadas

Calories: 270kcal

Cost: $10

Equipment

1 Rolling pin For flattening dough
1 Mixing bowl Large, for combining dough ingredients
1 Fork For sealing edges
1 Pastry brush To apply egg wash
1 Baking tray If baking empanadas
1 Frying pan If frying instead
1 Round cutter 4–5 inch wide, or use a small plate

Ingredients

Empanada Dough

3 cups All-purpose flour Sifted
1 teaspoon Salt
0.5 cup Butter or lard Cold, cubed
1 Egg Beaten
⅓ cup Cold water Or milk, add gradually
1 tablespoon White vinegar Optional, for tenderness

Beef Filling

1 lb Ground beef
1 Onion Finely diced
1 Bell pepper Diced
2 Garlic cloves Minced
2 tablespoon Tomato paste Or sauce
0.25 cup Green olives Chopped, optional
1 Hard-boiled egg Diced, optional
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Paprika
0.5 teaspoon Oregano
Salt and pepper To taste
2 tablespoon Raisins Optional, for regional twist

Chicken Filling (Optional)

2 cups Cooked chicken Shredded
1 Onion Diced
1 Garlic clove Minced
1 Bell pepper Diced
Cumin, oregano To taste
0.5 cup Potatoes or peas Optional

Instructions

Make Dough
Chill Dough
Cook Filling
Roll Dough
Add Filling
Seal Edges
Egg Wash
Bake or Fry
Serve Warm

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition