My first experience with these flakey morsels happened one year on a hiking trip out to Colorado. We stopped at a small strip mall near the condo we were staying at to grab a bite to eat. I had seen them in pictures and tried something similar at an Indian restaurant back home, but never quite experienced the authentic Argentinian style before. They were warm, and packed full of meat filling that almost erupted into your mouth when you took a bit. I was in pure heaven.
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Fast forward a few years and I still failed to try this dish on my own. One of my coworkers mentioned making them for his wife and I asked if he could share the recipe with me. José is from Spain and has quite the knack for cooking and all things food. His recipe was quite simple and didn’t require me to make my own dough.
One onion, two bell peppers, a serrano or two, and a few pounds of beef was all it took to get started. I stopped off at the Mexican market near my house a few days before preparing this recipe to grab a few packs of frozen empanada discs for the dough (Goya brand).
Once I had my main ingredients sautéed in the pan, I added a healthy amount of Cajun seasoning and some Garam Masala my other friend had brought with him for our empanada party. (okay, we were playing video games, but I was also providing some awesome food, so I’ll call it what I want).
One thing I will say about this recipe is that you don’t have to make them pretty for the same taste. You’ll see that I made four really pretty ones where I tried to pinch the edges neatly to look like I was Julia Childs or something, but the rest I simply used the tines of a fork to squish the two folds together. Bottom line, this should be a simple, easy to make recipe and doesn’t have to be photo-ready when it comes out of the oven in order to satisfy. I also made a delicious chimichurri sauce to compliment these beauties, which you can find here.
Yum
Beef Empanadas
A simple beef and veggie empanada that you can make at home, no need for takeout!
Ingredients
- 1 Small yellow onion (Diced)
- 2 Serrano peppers (Diced)
- 2 Green bell peppers (Diced)
- 2 lbs ground beef 70/30
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala (optional)
- 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 packages Goya brand frozen empanada disks (10 each)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°f
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In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tbsp olive oil, chopped onion and peppers. Sauté until onions are translucent.
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To the skillet, add the ground beef and cook until browned. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning, Garam Masala, and cayenne over top, stir to combine. Taste test and add salt/pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
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Remove dough discs from wax paper and arrange them on a flat surface. Using a slotted spoon, scoop about 1/4 cup filling onto each disc and fold in half creating a pocket in the middle. Use a fork to press the edges together, sealing the pocket.
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Arrange empanadas about 1in apart on a greased baking sheet and cover with a thin layer of beaten eggs using a basting brush. Bake for about 20min uncovered until golden brown. Done!
Recipe Notes
If you aren’t into spicy food like I am, you can always omit the Cayenne and Serrano peppers to your liking.