Authentic Beef Empanadas Recipe

How to Make Authentic Beef Empanadas

There's nothing quite like a fresh, homemade empanada. The combination of buttery, flaky pastry and a savory, spiced beef filling is comfort food at its finest. In this guide, we'll walk you through every step of making authentic beef empanadas that taste just like they came from a traditional bakery.

The Secret to Flaky Dough

The key to perfect empanada dough is keeping your ingredients cold, especially the butter. Just like pie crust, you want small pockets of butter to remain in the dough—these melt during baking to create those irresistible flaky layers.

The Filling

Our filling uses a classic blend of ground beef, onions, and simple spices like cumin and paprika. The addition of green olives adds a lovely briney contrast to the rich meat. Pro Tip: Ensure your filling is completely cool before assembling your empanadas to prevent the dough from getting soggy.

Baking vs. Frying

While traditional empanadas can be fried, this recipe is designed for baking. It yields a lighter, golden crust that's just as delicious but slightly healthier and less messy to prepare.

Ready to start baking? Grab your rolling pin and let's get started!