This authentic Argentine Empanadas recipe is so approachable, anyone can make them! The filling ingredients include ground beef, onion, spices, green olives and hard boiled eggs in an easy homemade empanada dough.
If you enjoy making recipes from South America, don’t miss my Arroz Chaufa, Pupusas, and Curtido.
My husband fell in love with Argentine empanadas while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and we have worked to perfect this recipe over the years to make them just like the ones he loved there.
Empanadas are popular in countries all around the world and the filling options are just as varied. Enjoy them for breakfast, lunch or dinner, served as an appetizer or main dish. We prefer baked empanadas to fried (less calories and mess), but I’ve given directions for both.
About the dough:
You may notice that empanada dough and pie dough have similar ingredients (flour, salt, butter, water, egg) and both are rolled out and filled. The main difference between the two types of dough is that empanada dough is sturdier and less flaky than pie crust.
Some grocery stores carry Goya pre-made empanada dough, although it’s very easy to make the dough from scratch, and I obviously I think it tastes better. Homemade empanada dough can even be made one day in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months.
What filling is best for empanadas?
The great thing about empanadas is you can fill them with whatever you like, so take advantage of leftover meats, vegetables and cheese in your fridge that need to be used. Popular fillings include ground beef, ham and cheese, potato, eggs and bacon, chicken, tuna, and vegetable. You could even make dessert empanadas with apple pie filling, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar on the outside.
Store leftover filling in the fridge for up to 3 days (depending on freshness of ingredients), or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
How to Make Empanadas:
For the Filling:
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, season with a little salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and diced red pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium and add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and cook, crumbling into small pieces, until browned. Stir in beef boullion. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in green onion, olives, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs. Cover mixture and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (depending on freshness of ingredients). It’s important that the mixture is chilled before filling the empanadas.
For the empanada dough: (makes about 20 regular size empanadas)
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add egg and butter and stir well. Add oil and warm water and stir until the mixture starts to come together into a dough ball. Add more water if it’s too dry.
- Place dough in a clean greased bowl and cover tightly. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (Or refrigerate for up to 1 day, removing from the fridge 20 minutes before using).
- Divide the dough into two pieces. On a greased counter-top roll each piece into a very large circle, about 1/8in thick (but not so thin that it might break when filling or baking). Use a small bowl or round cookie cutters to cut the dough into circles about 6in in diameter for regular size empanadas or 3 inch for mini empanadas (empanaditas).
- Remove the excess dough from around the cut circles and keep the circles where they are for filling them (so they hold their perfect shape). Leftover scraps can be re-rolled to make more dough to cut out.
- Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle (leave plenty of space around the border, to seal the empanadas).
- Moisten the edges of the dough circle with water, then fold the dough over the filling and match the ends together to form a semi-circle. Pinch the edges together and then Seal the ends by crimping them with a fork or pinching and twisting/folding it over.
Bake or Fry:
Baked Empanadas: Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little bit of egg wash and bake at 375 degrees For 25-30 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
Fried Empanadas: (I’ve found it best to refrigerate the empanadas for 20 minutes before frying to help the dough firm up and hold its shape before placing in the hot oil). Add several inches of hot oil to a pot and heat to about 365 degrees. Fry one or two empanadas at a time, flipping once, until golden on both sides (1-2 minutes per side). Place on a paper-towel lined plate.
Other filling ideas:
- Walnuts
- Raisins
- Diced potatoes
- Chicken or ground turkey
- Carrots, Peas or other vegetables
- Tuna
- Ham and cheese empanadas
- Egg and bacon breakfast empanadas
What to serve with empanadas?
Empanadas are basically a meal in one, but you could serve them with a green salad and fresh fruit, or a side of rice and beans, for a heartier meal.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: Filling can be made up to 3 days in advance (depending on freshness of ingredients used), stored in the fridge. The dough can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge.
To freeze: Place unbaked empanadas on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months, Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Empanada filling can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer safe container. Empanada dough can be frozen, wrapped tightly and stored in a freezer container, for up to 3 months.
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Recipe
Argentine Empanadas
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 white onions , chopped (about 4 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ of a red bell pepper , diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon beef boullion
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch green onions , just the green part, finely chopped
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 3 hard boiled eggs , peeled and finely chopped
For the dough:* (makes about 20 regular size empanadas)
- 4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 egg , beaten
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- ¾ - 1 cup warm water
- Egg wash ( 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water)
Instructions
For the filling:
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic and diced red pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Add chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium and add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and cook, crumbling into small pieces, until browned. Stir in beef boullion.
- Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Then, stir in green onion, olives, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs.
- Cover and chill mixture for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (depending on freshness of ingredients). It’s important that the mixture is chilled before filling the empanadas.
For the empanada dough:
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add egg and butter and stir well to combine. Add oil and warm water and stir until the mixture starts to come together into a dough ball. Add more water if it’s too dry.
- Place dough in clean greased bowl and cover tightly. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (Or, refrigerate for up to 1 day, removing from the fridge 20 minutes before using.)
Assembly:
- Divide the dough into two pieces. On a greased countertop roll each piece into a very large circle, about 1/8in thick (not so thin that it might break when filling or baking).
- Use a small bowl or round cookie cutters to cut the dough into circles about 6in in diameter for regular size empanadas or 3 inch for mini empanadas (empanaditas).
- Remove the excess dough from around the cut circles and keep the circles where they are for filling them (so they hold their perfect circle shape). Leftover scraps can be re-rolled to make more dough to cut out.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of filling (for regular size empanadas) in the center of each circle, leaving plenty of space around the border. Moisten the edges of the circle with water, then fold the dough over and match the ends together to form a semi-circle.
- Pinch the edges together and then seal the ends by crimping them with a fork or pinching and twisting/folding it over.
- Baked Empanadas: Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little bit of egg wash and bake at 375° For 25-30 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked.
- Fried Empanadas: (I’ve found it best to refrigerate the empanadas for 20 minutes before frying to help the dough firm up and hold its shape before placing in the hot oil). Add several inches of hot oil to a pot and heat to about 365° F. Fry one or two empanadas at a time, flipping once, until golden on both sides (1-2 minutes per side). Place on a paper-towel lined plate.
Notes
Empanada filling can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer safe container. Empanada dough can be frozen, wrapped tightly and stored in a freezer container, for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience
This post contains affiliate links.
Riquisma esta receta!.. La segui tal cual los pasos e ingredietnes y salio riquisima.
-EL pastry lo compre hecho- Gracias!
I tried so hard to make these empanadas and I just can’t do the dough right. I have tried other empanadas recipes also, and I can not get the dough right no matter what I do!! I try and try and I fail at the dough every single time. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing wrong, but, I’m doing something not right. My first husband’s mom and dad came from Argentina and his mom made the best empanadas ever, I mean, they were so good, I could of lived on those the rest of my life if I had to and unfortunately she died a couple years back and she took her recipe with her, she was the greatest ever!!! She was the best cook ever!!! Can you help me please, thank you – sincerely, Julie Contino
I’m not the author of this recipe but here are a few things that might help you and could be similar to what she did.
Replace the butter with equal parts lard or Crisco. I have noticed that the majority of authentic Hispanic recipes do this. It gives the dough a different texture.
Replace the water with broth of any kind you like and omit at least 1 teaspoon of salt.
Do not knead the dough.
If you have a stand mixer, use it. They make it easy to create a smooth lovely dough.
Roll your dough out a little thinner than you normally would.
Excellent recipe. I prepared this plate for my family last Christmas. They loved them! Thanks for sharing.
Delicious. My Argentine daughter in law approved.😁
Loved the filling flavor. We used store bought dough for convenience, but someday I’d like to try your dough recipe. Will try some of your suggested variations for filling in the future.
Love these! I personally prefer shredded steak seasoned in carne Asada instead of using ground beef but everything else I followed and they turned out amazing! I also used puff pastry too and cooked for only 20 mins at 375.
Very good, well-explained recipe. However, I’ve never heard of usinf butter in empanada dough. My friends from Argentina and Chile always use olive oil.
I lived a year in Argentina and empanadas were my favorite. I’ve been making them since I was a senior in high school. This recipe is just like a recipe I found on an Argentina website but haven’t been able to find since. This recipe is just like it! I love that it calls for chopping up the eggs and the olives. Thank you!
Have you tried making these empanadas with PAN flour? Is that more for Venezulan Arepas?