Empanada
A satisfying beef built around ground beef and green olives — 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
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Roll the rested dough thin on a floured surface and cut out rounds about 12 cm across, re-rolling scraps as needed.
- 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.
- 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.
- Let the empanadas cool for a few minutes before serving warm.
You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan · Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 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 — 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 — 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.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Empanada is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. 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 — how we source recipes.