Make these 30-minute Cuban beef empanadas with store-bought discs: easy, crisp, golden, and packed with sofrito-style beef filling. Perfect at parties.
These Cuban beef empanadas deliver big flavor without the big effort. The filling cooks into a rich, savory sofrito-style mixture, then gets tucked into convenient empanada discs so you can bake a batch fast for appetizers, game day, or an easy dinner.
Why this recipe works
- Store-bought empanada discs keep it fast while still baking up crisp and golden.
- Sofrito-style base (onion + peppers + garlic) builds deep flavor quickly.
- Simmering the tomato-spice mixture thickens the filling so it doesn’t leak or sog the dough.
- Cooling the filling before assembling helps prevent holes and tearing.
- Egg wash encourages browning for that bakery-style finish.
Ingredients (& what each one does)
Filling
- Olive oil – starts the sauté and carries flavor through the vegetables.
- Ground beef – the hearty, savory base of the filling.
- Yellow onion (diced fine) – sweetens as it cooks, creating a flavorful foundation.
- Green bell pepper (diced fine) – classic savory “sofrito” flavor; adds depth.
- Red bell pepper (diced fine) – adds a touch of natural sweetness to the filling.
- Jalapeños (optional) – adds fresh heat; easy to adjust up or down.
- Chipotle in adobo (optional) – smoky heat and a deeper chile flavor.
- Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes form the saucy binder that holds the filling together.
- Cumin – warm, earthy backbone spice.
- Ground cayenne – background heat; easy to customize for your spice level.
- Sliced green olives (optional) – salty bite that cuts through the richness.
- Garlic (minced) – aromatic punch that rounds out the filling.
- Dried oregano – an herbal note that makes the filling taste “finished.”
- Salt + black pepper – brings everything into focus.
For the empanadas
- Empanada dough discs (10) – the shortcut that makes this a true 30-minute win.
- Egg (lightly beaten) – egg wash for shine and browning (optional if you need egg-free).
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray (silicone mat, parchment, or foil).
- Brown the beef in olive oil over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks (about 10 minutes).
- Add onion and peppers and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Season + simmer: stir in tomato sauce/crushed tomatoes, chipotle in adobo (if using), cumin, cayenne, garlic, oregano, olives (if using), salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium-low until thickened (about 15 minutes).
- Cool the filling until it’s comfortable to handle (hot filling can cause holes).
- Fill and seal: place about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center of each disc, fold into a half-moon, moisten edges with water, then pinch or crimp with a fork.
- Egg wash: brush tops lightly with beaten egg to encourage browning (optional).
- Bake on a prepared sheet pan [paid link] until crisp and golden, 20–30 minutes.
Pro tips
- Let the filling cool before assembling to reduce tearing and leaks.
- Seal like you mean it: moisten edges, then crimp firmly with a fork for a tighter seal.
- Adjust heat gradually: cayenne and jalapeños can be increased for more kick; start conservative and taste.
- If a disc tears, repair it by lightly wetting the tear, pinching it closed, and then filling.
Recipe variations
- Switch the protein: use ground chicken, pork, or lamb instead of beef.
- Make it smokier: increase chipotle in adobo or add a little extra for deeper chile flavor.
- Olive-free version: skip the green olives for a cleaner, kid-friendlier filling.
- Different crust shortcut: use pre-rolled pie crust, canned biscuits, or crescent dough if you can’t find empanada discs.
Serving suggestions (side dishes and dips)
- Dips: salsa, sour cream, or a creamy sauce for dunking.
- Make it a meal: serve with rice and a fresh cucumber–avocado–tomato salad with citrus.
- Party spread idea: add beans, a crunchy slaw, and a simple herb sauce like chimichurri alongside.
New life for leftovers
- Empanada bowls: chop 1–2 empanadas and serve over rice with salsa and shredded lettuce.
- Crispy empanada nachos: dice, bake 5 minutes to re-crisp, then top with cheese and broil briefly.
- Breakfast upgrade: reheat, chop, and fold into scrambled eggs or an omelet.
Storage
- Refrigerate until completely cool, then store airtight (best within 3–4 days for texture).
- Freezer: freeze baked empanadas up to 3 months.
- Reheat from frozen: bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until hot and crisp.
People often ask (FAQs)
Can I freeze these empanadas?
Yes. Cool completely, flash-freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag.
How do I reheat frozen empanadas so they stay crisp?
Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
What if I can’t find empanada dough discs?
Use a shortcut dough, such as pre-rolled pie crust, canned biscuits, or crescent dough.
How do I fix a torn empanada disc?
Lightly wet the tear with water and pinch/press it closed before filling and sealing.
Can I make them smaller for a crowd?
Yes—cut smaller rounds and use less filling per empanada; bake time/temp stays about the same since the filling is already cooked.
Final thought
If you want a reliable, crowd-pleasing appetizer that tastes like you worked all day (but didn’t), these 30-minute Cuban beef empanadas are the one to pin and keep on repeat.
Easy Shortcut Beef Empanadas [ Empanadas de Carne]
Make these 30 minute Cuban beef empanadas with store-bought discs: easy, crisp golden, and packed with sofrito-style beef filling. Perfect at parties.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion , diced fine
- 1/2 medium green pepper , diced fine [See Note 6]
- 1/2 medium red pepper , diced fine
- 2 Jalapenos diced [Optional]
- 1 tbsp Chipolte in Adobo Sauce more or less to taste, [Optional]
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes , or more if you prefer a saucier filling.
- 1/4 tsp cumin more or less, to taste
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper , more or less depending on your spice level
- 1/4 cup sliced green olives , optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and ground black pepper , more or less to taste
For the Empanada Dough:
- 10 (1 pkg) Empanada Dough Discs [See Note 5]
- 1 egg , lightly beaten
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking tray with a silicone mat, parchment paper [paid link], or aluminum foil and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it us with a spoon or rubber spatula, about 10 minutes.
- Add onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more.
- Stir in tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes), chipolte in adobo (if adding), cumin, cayenne, garlic, oregano, sliced olives, salt, and black pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust spice level to your tastes.
- Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of meat mixture into the middle of the empanada wrapper, fold in half to form a half-moon; moisten the edges with water and pinch to seal or crimp edges with a fork.
- With a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over the top side of the empanada dough. This encourages browning, but may be omitted for egg-free empanadas.
- Place empanadas on a foil-lined sheet pan [paid link] sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake Empanadas until crisp and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Notes
- This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
- To Freeze Empanadas:
- Prepare the recipe as instructed. After the empanadas come out of the oven, allow them to cool completely.
- Flash freeze the empanadas on a rimmed baking tray in the freezer to prevent them from sticking together.
- Transfer the empanadas to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag.
- To reheat, place frozen empanadas in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Empanadas may be frozen for up to 3 months.
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What kind of dough should I use to make Empanadas?
- Homemade Empanada Dough: similar to pie dough, empanada dough is rolled out and cut by hand into small, typically 4-inch, circles. If you prefer to make your own dough, Laylita has a great Empanada Dough recipe.
- Pre-Rolled Pie Crust: You could also opt for a pre-rolled pie crust sold in the refrigerated section. This will turn out sweeter than traditional empanada dough.
- Canned biscuits or crescent rolls: pressed and rolled thin for a flakier empanada.
- Empanada Dough Discs: If the grocery store near you carries them, they are in the frozen food aisle near the international foods section of the freezer case. Smaller Asian, Hispanic, and international food stores may also carry them if you are having trouble finding them.
- For a spicier filling, increase the amount of cayenne to taste. I like the hint of background heat that this dish brings to the party. It’s subtle and delicious. In addition to the cayenne pepper, you may also choose to omit the bell pepper and replace it with diced jalapenos. If you are not afraid of the heat, leave in the seeds and white interior veins of the jalapeno pepper. This is where the majority of the heat comes from. For a milder amount of spice, remove the seeds and white veins inside the jalapeno.
Nutrition
Serving: 1EmpanadaCalories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 164mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 0gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 275IUVitamin C: 13.3mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2.1mg
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I make the beef empanadas and freeze them for my grandsons to take to college. They absolutely love them! They just take out how many they want to eat and heat them up. I have not tried to make the shells but I buy them already to go. I make the meat mixture one day and assemble and bake the next. This has been such a hit! Thank you
Mary Jo
I made this last night and it is delicious! Just wondering what is considered one serving for the nutritional information? Is that 1 prepared empanada?
Hi Harold,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Yes, the nutritional information is per 1 prepared empanada.
I made these last night with premade pie crust… They turned out okay… 1) I think the premade pie crust was too thin 2) I think I prefer a bit more spicy taco-ish flavor… this filling was more sweet… still good though (considering I kept eating spoonfuls of the stuffing while preparing the rest). My 15 yo loved it! I also served it with brown rice, cucumber, avocado, tomato salad with lime and lemon, and homemade chimichurri and avocado cilantro for dipping. I also used crushed tomatoes because I didn’t have tomato sauce. Otherwise, great recipe!
Never had an empanada before but was intrigued enough to try them. Maybe it was just me but they were just OK. They turned out well & the crust was easy to work with but not what I expected.
Can I make these smaller? I intent to make some for a big crowd. Would it be possible to make them smaller? And how will it affect cook temperature and cooking time? Thank you!
Absolutely, cut smaller rounds. The smaller version will have no affect on cooking time or temp since the filling is already cooked.
Turned out good! Added adobo, jalapeño pepper chopped fine and extra garlic. At the end of cooking time broiled on low for 5 minutes to get a nice brown color.. Did take about 2 hours from start to finish,
can you use premade flaky dougth for empanadas
I have not tried this but if you don’t mind philo dough you can but it wouldnt be exactly the same as the pie dough, biscuits, or puff pastry.
Delish and surprisingly easy to make.
If you can’t find empanada wrappers, substitute crescent rolls. It tasted amazing in the end.
Filling was really good, 1 added 1 tbsp adobo sauce to spice it up a bit.
Easy – will make again.
Made these for a party and they were a hit. They were the first food to disappear and everyone was asking for more.
I made these tonight. Had to omit the red pepper simply because I didn’t have one available. We used ground turkey. My boyfriend liked them so much, he ate 4 of the 9 I made tonight. Thank you for this recipe! We will be making these again.
I made your easy beef empanadas. The recipe was awesome, so much better than any others I’ve made in the past. Thank you!
Where did you get a big enough cutter to make these?.
Hi Jean,
I used pre-cut empanada circles. If you are using homemade dough you could use an extra large cookie cutter, freehand cut around a small plate, or use the circle of an egg ring or something like that. Alternatively, you could cut 4-inch squares and just alter the shape using a pastry cutter. You can also cut them smaller and use less filling per empanada. The bake time would still be the same since its for solely cooking the dough.
I used a bowl to cut out the empanada circles from premade pie crust.
What did you use to cut dough in circles I can’t find a round cutter big enough to make these
Hi Jean,
I used pre-cut empanada circles. If you are using homemade dough you could use an extra large cookie cutter, freehand cut around a small plate, or use the circle of an egg ring or something like that. Alternatively, you could cut 4-inch squares and just alter the shape using a pastry cutter.
Try using a pizza cutter around a small plate…which is what I did since I needed circles a bit larger. Worked great.
Great recipe and easy to make. Made it for a Mexican themed party last night. Received rave reviews! Will definitely make again.
Thanks Joanne! That’s the highest compliment. We love them, too.
My first time and (Yay) I mastered it. My husband and I really enjoyed This recipe which was very easy to follow, however I did tweak it just a bit by adding diced potatoes, a dash of curry power & a few Caribbean spices. They came out delicious Thank you!
I always say any recipe is just a starting point for you to dress up to your tastes. I would never have thought curry but now that you say it, I bet that’s amazing. We do curry in our Jamaican beef patties.
It’s very straightforward and easy recipe. thanks
Fantastic food =- easy to prepare.
Best empanadas. I really enjoyed them.
Thanks, Earle. So glad you enjoyed them.
So easy! I didnt have empanada wrappers so I used pie dough I cut into smaller rounds with a glass.
Hi Celinda! Sounds great – so glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe is on point with our family recipe!
Thanks, Terry !
Everyone loves these. Easy to make too
PErfect. my guests gobbled them up.
Your site is so fantastic. I loved these empanadas!
Some Asian markets, multi-ethnic/cultural markets have them & are generally where phyllo dough, puff pastry, wonton/spring roll wrappers. The brand name is Goya. Good luck to all!
There are more than one brand of empanada discs in the markets, but I would agree that Goya is the brand I reach for first. My Asian market only just started carrying these wrappers. Publix sells out of them quite frequently. The Mexican market does carry them as well.
Yummy recipe! I have tried it with both Pillsbury dough and empenada wrappers. The dough gives a softer, flakier, buttery taste but the empenada wrappers are also a lot easier to use! Rolling the dough out is time consuming and also difficult because it easily shrinks.
I would agree with that. I prefer the empanada wrappers just for the ease of preparation.
Cant find the wraps can I just use pie crust instead ?
Hi Mary, you can use pie crusts but traditional pie crust is not the same texture, flavor or consistency of an empanadas wrapper. I’m sure, though, that it would taste great!
It’s look awesome and yummy , you make my stomach crying ,
I’m really appreciate thanks for your sharing !!!!!
daniel,
My favorite dip for empanadas and also any raw veggie, and tortilla chips, and….well everything! Is homemade sofrito mixed with sour cream. I also add a sazon packet. SOOOOO good.
I do that with salsa and sour cream. I can’t do much sazon because of the MSG. It is very yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Yes gotta have the Sazon which I incorporated as well
How long do you thaw these wrappers? I bought frozen Goya brand wrappers at my local Mexican market and they have no instructions for thawing prior to use.
Hi Lucia, Mine did not have a thaw time either. I wait only long enough until I can peel them apart. I’ve waited until they were fully defrosted and they were quite warm and tore easily and wound up out of round. I’d say about 45 minutes defrosting on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator overnight.
Coming back by to tell you these were amazing. My store carries the frozen wrappers you described which made assembling these a breeze. They tasted great (added a touch more salt) and freeze well, too.
Angelo, that is so kind of you to say. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. I am usually light handed with the salt in my recipes allowing you to adjust it to your own palette. I am so glad you enjoyed these!
Love empanadas.
We do, too! Thanks for stopping in today to post.
Can I freeze these and reheat them?
Yes! I have updated the recipe to reflect this. Freeze a sheet of unbaked empanadas until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag. Frozen empanadas will keep for up to three months and can be baked straight from the freezer. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Fully baked empanadas can also be frozen, though they lose a bit of their flaky texture. To reheat, unwrap as many empanadas as you want and warm in a low oven or toaster oven.
I liked the shortcut method for the shells which made them SO easy to prepare..
Thanks!
Sounds great. My Mom makes similar ones and we love them.
Thanks, Selene! That’s a wonderful testament. Thanks for popping in today to tell me!
Bookmarking your site and joining the RSS feed! I look forward to new updates.
Welcome!
I used some canned biscuits and rolled them out and then filled them. We fried them in the air fryer and they were amazing.
Yummy! Just like my Auntie makes.
Thanks, Olive. I’m so glad you stopped by to comment.
Can I use ground Turkey instead?
Yes, though you may need to increase the seasonings to compensate for the ground turkey.
Seeing the picture of your empanadas make me miss my friend because we often ate these together when we were in college, thanks for this recipe.
Awwww, Abigail. That’s so sweet. Thanks for stopping in and sharing your memory.
I have never seen these wrappers. Where do I find them?
I buy them at my local grocery store in the ethnic section of the freezer section. If not there, a local ethnic store specializing in Mexican or Spanish ingredients would most likely carry them, too.
I love beef empanadas. My abuela used to make them all the time. Each family has their own special recipe but this looks very similar to hers. I will have to try it out.
Let me know. I’d love to hear more about your Abuela’s recipe, too!
Where can I get empanada wrappers?
I buy them in my local grocery store in the freezer section by the Spanish foods. Spanish markets would carry them and I believe my larger Asian market also carries them.
I get mine in the frozen food section of Shoprite.
Thanks, Eileen! Not all stores carry them. Here in my town, only Publix carries them as far as regular grocery stores go. Otherwise, I get them at the Spanish market.
These Beef Empanadas sound amazing! Going to put these on our game day snacks line-up!