These puff pastry empanadas are filled with spicy ground beef and baked to golden perfection in the oven, making a delicious and easy snack or meal.
These puff pastry empanadas are perfect for celebrating Cinco de Mayo, but theyโre also great for any party or gathering. With a flaky crust and a savory filling, they make a delicious snack, appetizer, or meal. Easy to make and so tasty, you wonโt be able to stop at just one!
These Cucumber Wraps or Sandwich Pinwheels are just as nice!
Ingredients: 7 + spices and oil
Prep time: 10-15 minutes using ready-rolled pastry, and about 25 minutes using frozen pastry, plus thawing time.
Bake time: 20-25 minutes
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Recipe ingredients
Ready-rolled puff pastry from the refrigerated section of the store. Each sheet is rolled thin and weighs around 10 oz (275 g) and measures about 10 x 16 inches (25 x 40 cm). From one sheet, you can cut 7โ8 empanadas, with 2โ3 more if you reroll the scraps. Make these delicious Tomato Puff Pastry Pinwheels next.
Frozen puff pastry needs to be thawed before use. It usually comes in folded sheets, weighing about 8.6 oz (245 g) each, and measures approximately 9.75 x 10.5 inches (25 x 27 cm) when unfolded. Be sure to fully thaw the sheets before unfolding to avoid cracking, and roll them lightly to achieve thinner sheets of about 10 x 16 inches (25 x 40 cm).
Filling: Ground beef, onion, garlic, a bit of oil, tomato paste, and lots of spices. Alternatively, you can use a mixture of ground beef and pork, or just ground turkey.
Seasoning: You can use store-bought taco or empanada seasoning instead of all the spices Iโve listed; 1โ2 tablespoons, depending on your taste. Add salt to taste; some brands already contain salt.
See the recipe card for detailed instructions and full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make puff pastry empanadas?
Preparations: Thaw the pastry if using frozen. Ready-rolled pastry only needs 5-10 minutes at room temperature to prevent cracking when unrolling.
Step #1: Sautรฉ the onions until softer. Stir in the garlic.
Step #2: Cook beef and spices briefly. Add tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Let cool.
Step #3: Unroll the ready-rolled pastry or roll out the thawed pastry thinly. Cut 7โ8 discs from each sheet, then cut more discs (4-6) from the rolled scraps.
Step #4: Fill and fold the dough circles. Press the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork.
Step #5: Place them on the baking sheets and brush them with egg wash.
Step #6: Bake at 400ยฐF (200ยฐ) for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 375ยฐF (180ยฐC) and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Make ahead, store, or freeze
Make ahead: Prepare them (donโt bake them), then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
To freeze, place the assembled empanadas on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Store leftover empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake in the oven at 350ยฐF (175ยฐC) for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. They are also great eaten unreheated.
How to serve them?
You can serve them fresh from the oven, warm, or at room temperature. They transport easily, making them perfect for potlucks, picnics, and more.
Serve them with guacamole, sour cream, yogurt dip, Cottage Cheese Dip, or a simple side salad. They also pair well with pickled vegetables, a fresh slaw like Purple Cabbage Slaw, or a simple squeeze of lime.
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๐ Recipe
Puff Pastry Empanadas
Equipment
- Pan
- 2 Baking sheets
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 2 packets ready-rolled puff pastry each weighing about 10 oz (275 g) Notes 1, 2
Filling:
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 9 oz ground beef Note 3
- ยฝ teaspoon sweet paprika Note 4
- ยฝ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Egg wash:
- 1 small egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Pastry: Leave refrigerated puff pastry at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before unrolling it, but not longer, or it will get too soft. If using frozen, thaw it completely.2 packets ready-rolled puff pastry
Make the filling:
- Saute onions: Heat the oil in the pan and cook the finely diced onions for 2-3 minutes or until softer. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute.1 tablespoon oil + 1 small onion + 2 garlic cloves
- Add ground beef and all the spices. Cook for 2 minutes, breaking the lumps of meat with a wooden spoon.9 oz ground beef + ยฝ teaspoon sweet paprika + ยฝ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon cumin + 1 teaspoon coriander + 1 pinch of red pepper flakes + ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cook the filling: Add tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. Let cool slightly. In the meantime, preheat the oven and cut the puff pastry into discs.1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. If you are using a convection oven, you can bake two trays simultaneously. In this case, preheat the convection oven to 375ยฐF/ 180ยฐC.
Cut the puff pastry discs:
- Cut the pastry: If the pastry is already rolled, simply unroll it and cut out the discs. If it's not rolled, gently roll it out to about โ inch (3 mm) thick to get a sheet roughly 10 x 16 inches (25 x 40 cm). You should be able to cut 7-8 discs out of each pastry sheet. Cut the discs using a cookie cutter or a small bowl of appropriate size.
- Handle the scraps: Gather the scraps and stack them lightly, then roll them out gently. Try not to roll too much to keep the texture. You should get 2โ3 more empanadas from each sheet, for a total of 4โ6 extra empanadas.
- Tip: If your dough feels warm or soft, place the discs on a baking sheet and chill them for 10โ15 minutes. This helps the layers stay intact when baking.
Fill and bake the empanadas
- Fill the empanadas: Place about 1 ยฝ to 2 teaspoons of ground beef filling in the center of each disc. Fold the pastry over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together gently to seal, then crimp with a fork or pinch the edges with your fingers to ensure they stay closed while baking.
- Egg wash: Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Mix the egg and the milk in a small bowl. Use this mixture to brush the empanadas.1 small egg + 1 tablespoon milk
- Bake them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ยฐF/ 180ยฐC and bake the empanadas for 10-15 more minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
- Puff pastry: You can use ready-rolled puff pastry from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Each sheet weighs about 10 oz (275 g) and is rolled thin to approximately 10 x 16 inches (25 x 40 cm). You can cut 7โ8 empanadas from one sheet, and 2โ3 more if you reroll the scraps.
- Frozen puff pastry should be thawed before using. Frozen puff pastry typically comes in folded sheets, about 8.6 oz/ 245 g each, and measures roughly 9.75 x 10.5 inches/ 25 x 27 cm when unfolded. Thaw the sheets fully before unfolding to prevent cracking and roll them lightly to get thinner sheets of about 10 x 16 inches/ 25 x 40 cm.
- Ground meat: I also made these empanadas using a mixture of ground beef and ground pork, or just ground turkey.
- Seasoning: You can use store-bought taco or empanada seasoning. For 9 oz (250 g) of ground beef, use 1โ2 tablespoons, depending on your taste. Add salt if needed, as some brands already contain salt, while others donโt.
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