• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Amira's Pantry
  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • About me
  • Subscribe!
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • About me
  • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Beef Recipes » Beef Empanadas

    Beef Empanadas

    Published: Feb 24, 2020 · Modified: Jan 25, 2021 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    2104shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Beef Empanadas are perfect for your parties or dinner table. These little meat pockets appeal to all ages with their juicy filling and flaky crust. Make your own crust or if you are in a hurry like me, use ready-made pie crust which makes these Empanadas a super easy one. Feel free to use puff pastry or to fill them with chicken, cheese, or rice and beans for a vegetarian version.

    This recipe originally published April 2018. Updated for some housekeeping things on February 2020. No change to the recipe
    Beef empanadas on a big green platter with a bowl of guacamole in the middle

    Beef empanadas

    Ground beef empanadas or fatayer, are flaky and crusty turnovers with juicy flavorful ground beef filling. That will sure please everyone around your table. Perfect as an appetizer/ lunch or mid-day snack. Delicious by all means!
    Whether you call them empanadas, fatayer, turnovers, or whatever, these are irresistible pastry pockets world wide. Fill them with whatever filling you like, chicken, shredded meat, cheese or vegetables.
    Today I've filled mine with a succulent ground meat that my mom used to make to fill her fatayer. So it is a filling with a middle eastern twist.

    A closer look on a big serving plate full of easy ground beef empanadas with a bowl of gucamole in the middle

    What can I substitute for empanada dough?

    You can use pie crust as I've done here and also you might consider puff pastry, biscuit dough and sometimes even crescent rolls. Worth noting that this is not an authentic empanadas recipe of course and empanada dough is not as flaky as the pie crust. Not traditional empanadas, of course, but still a perfectly tasty bite.

    What can I make with empanadas?

    Empanadas come in a variety of fillings, sweet or savory. It can be served with a number of dips and sauces like Chipotle sauce, avocado sauce, salsa and chimichurri sauce.

    Where are empanadas most popular?

    Empanadas are wildly popular throughout Latin and South America. It is said to have originated in Spain though. Source.

    Hands holding a big serving plate of easy ground beef empanadas.

    How to make beef empanadas?

    making the juicy ground beef filling for easy empanadas.

    We'll first prepare our filling:

    • In a skillet saute onion and garlic then add ground meat and cook until no longer pink, drain fat.
    • Add loads of spices, cilantro and green onions.
    • Then comes the tomato sauce which gives this filling a tart and irresistible taste.
    Step by step photos for making empanadas
    • Unroll the pie dough and cut circles to make 12 out of each pie crust.
    • Fill, seal edges with some water and press with a fork.
    • Brush with egg and bake.
    • Let it cool down a bit then serve.
    A hand holding one easy ground beef empanadas cut in half.

    Variations of empanadas

    Everyone has his/her own way of making empanadas. Not only people use different dough(s) they also stuff their empanadas differently. When it comes to filling, the sky is the limit. You can use traditional fillings or get creative. Combine any flavors, herbs, ingredients you like or have at home. Empanadas can be filled with beef and potato, chicken, mushroom, beans, cheese, pizza, seafood, fruit pie filling, chocolate, strawberry cheesecake… etc.

    Other baked pockets we love:

    • Feta cheese and mint fatayer.
    • 10 minutes dough with endless variations.
    • Spanakopita puffs.

    I am also keeping this caprese empanada recipe by Layla handy to try soon.

    I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
    Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Amira's Pantry newsletter delivered to your inbox with lots of tips and surprises! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

    Beef Empanadas

    If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

    Beef empanadas on a big green platter with a bowl of guacamole in the middle

    Beef empanadas

    Baked Beef Empanadas, semi-homemade with a juicy filling. Comes together in no time and the first to go in any party. This is how to make empanada filling with a Middle Eastern touch.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, baking
    Cuisine: latin american, Mediterranean, Middle East
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 24 servings
    Calories: 140.6kcal
    Author: Amira

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tablespoons oil.
    • 1 small onion diced.
    • 2 garlic cloves crushed
    • 1 lb ground beef.
    • 3/4 cup chopped green onion from 4 medium ones.
    • 1/4 cup  chopped parsley
    • 1/4 cup  chopped Cilantro.
    • 2  Tablespoon  smoked paprika.
    • 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin.
    • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 cup tomato sauce.
    • 1 box refrigerated pie crusts.

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.
    • Drain the fat then return to stove top.
    • Preheat oven to 400F.
    • Add spices, green onion, parsley, cilantro and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
    • On a lightly floured surface, unroll one pie crust.
    • Using a cookie cutter, cut out rounds of the crust.
    • Re-roll dough and cut rounds, you'll be able to get about 12 circles *.
    • Put about 1 Tablespoon of the meat mixture in the center of each circle.
    • Brush the edges of the circle with water then fold over the filling.
    • Seal edges by pressing with a fork.
    • Repeat with the other pie crust.
    • Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and sprayed with oil.
    • Beat an egg with a dash of ground black pepper.Brush top lightly with the beaten egg.
    • Bake for 11-14 minutes until nicely browned on top.
    • Let it cool down before serving.

    Notes

    * It depends on the size of the cookie cutter you are using, I've used a Manson jar lid as it was bigger.
    Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 140.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 9.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 16.2mg | Sodium: 172.5mg | Potassium: 106.2mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 0.6g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AmirasPantry or tag #AmirasPantry!

    Sign up and learn more about Mediterranean flavors

    2104shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    About Amira

    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

    Previous Post: « Beef Liver and Onions
    Next Post: Moist Turkey Meatloaf »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adeline Martin

      April 08, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      The empanada came out very well I used to make them a long time ago am happy that am able to try it again using your recipe which was a success

      Reply
      • Amira

        April 11, 2021 at 9:28 pm

        Glad you liked it Adeline. Thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
    2. Dalia

      March 19, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      This has been my go to recipe for this week. I've made a big batch over the weekend and now we are consuming them as lunch and dinner. Thank you.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    ABOUT AMIRA'S PANTRY

    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends. Read More…

    LOOKING FOR A RECIPE!

    Sign up and learn more about Mediterranean flavors

    Most Popular!

    • Basbousa (semolina cake)
    • Qatayef (Katayef) Recipe; folded pancakes with nuts
    • Qatayef Asafiri with Ashta
    • Koshari; The National Dish of Egypt
    • No Wine! Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe
    • Kunafa (Knafeh) Recipe

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for our latest recipes

    Contact

    • Contact Us

    Copyright © 2020 - Amira's Pantry

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.