Spiced Beef Empanadas (Printable)

Flaky pockets packed with spiced beef, raisins, and savory onions, perfect for an appetizer or snack.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/3 cup ice water
06 - 1 tablespoon white vinegar

→ Filling

07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 pound ground beef
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - 1/3 cup raisins
18 - 1/4 cup green olives, chopped (optional)
19 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
20 - 2 tablespoons beef or chicken broth
21 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Assembly

22 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk egg, ice water, and vinegar. Add to flour mixture and mix until dough forms. Shape into disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in cumin, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute to release aromas.
06 - Add raisins, olives if using, tomato paste, and broth. Cook until moist but not wet, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature.
07 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
08 - Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 5-inch circles. Place 2 tablespoons filling in center of each circle and fold over to form half-moon. Crimp edges with fork.
09 - Arrange empanadas on baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg.
10 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The spice-and-sweet balance feels sophisticated but tastes like pure comfort.
  • You can make the filling ahead and assemble empanadas whenever you want a warm snack.
  • Everyone's impressed by them, even though they're honestly easier than they look.
02 -
  • Don't overfill your empanadas or they'll burst open in the oven and leak precious filling everywhere.
  • Chilling the dough really matters; a warm dough will shrink and lose those flaky layers.
  • The filling must cool before assembly, or the heat will make your dough soggy and difficult to work with.
03 -
  • Keep your butter cubes truly cold by cutting them and returning them to the freezer for 10 minutes before mixing into the flour.
  • If your dough cracks while rolling, just pinch it back together; a small tear will seal itself in the oven.

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