Ground Beef empanadas

A green platter with empanadas and a small bowl of guacamole.

4.86 from 14 votes

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.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Appetizer, baking

Cuisine: latin american, Mediterranean, Middle East

Diet: Halal

Servings: servings

Calories: 140.6kcal

Author: Amira

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons oil
1 small onion diced
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 lb ground beef
¾ cup chopped green onion from 4 medium ones
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoon smoked paprika
½ Tablespoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 cup tomato sauce
1 box refrigerated pie crusts
1 egg beaten

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 400°F.
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.

Video

Notes

The number of rounds you will get, depends on the size of the cookie cutter you are using. You can make empanadas bite sized like I do or you can make them fit perfectly in the palm of your hand.
You can use any meat you want such as ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken.
If you don't like cilantro, you can leave it out of the recipe.
If the pie crusts are frozen, they should be thawed according to the package directions.
Storage
- Leftover beef empanadas can be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Serve With

Serve empanadas with your favorite side like rice, salad, corn on the cob or roasted veggies.
They can be also served with a number of dips and sauces like Chipotle sauce, avocado sauce, salsa and chimichurri sauce.

Variations

There are so many ideas for making meat filled empanadas. Really the sky is the limit. You can use traditional fillings or get a little creative by adding beans, cheese or a variety of spices.
Add diced sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, corn or potatoes
Add diced olives, nuts or raisins.
Use a variety of fresh herbs or your favorite spices.

Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

Nutrition