Consomee

Empanada

⏱ ~70 min (est.)MediumBeef
Empanada

A satisfying beef built around ground beef and green olives β€” roughly 70 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.

You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.

What you'll need

Servings4

Shopping list (2)

Pantry staples (you likely have these)

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How to make it

  1. Make the dough by mixing the flour, cornstarch, and a teaspoon of salt, cutting in the cold butter until crumbly, then adding the egg and just enough cold water to bring it together into a smooth dough; wrap and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the finely chopped onion until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
  3. Season the filling with cumin, paprika, and salt, stir in the chopped olives, then remove from the heat and let it cool completely before stirring in the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
  4. Roll the rested dough thin on a floured surface and cut out rounds about 12 cm across, re-rolling scraps as needed.
  5. Place a spoonful of cooled filling on each round, brush the edge with water, fold into a half-moon, and seal by pressing and crimping the edge with a fork or your fingers.
  6. Arrange the empanadas on a lined baking sheet, brush the tops with beaten egg, and bake in an oven preheated to 200C for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crisp.
  7. Let the empanadas cool for a few minutes before serving warm.

You'll use: Oven Β· Frying pan / skillet Β· Pan Β· Saucepan Β· Baking sheet

Ingredient substitutions

Cornstarch
2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
Butter
olive oil (ΒΎ the amount) Β· coconut oil Β· margarine
Eggs
ΒΌ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) Β· 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg

Tips & common questions

How long does Empanada take to make?

About 70 minutes from start to finish β€” an estimate based on the 7 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of cornstarch?

Try 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes β€” use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.

Empanada is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Empanada - Stu Spivack.jpg by stu_spivack, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β€” how we source recipes.