Cuban Beef Empanadas Recipe – Empanadas Cubanas

Homemade Cuban Beef Empanadas (Empanadas de Carne) are seriously delicious and easy to make. Typically empanadas are a meat-filled dough but the type of dough used is completely up to you.

What are Beef Empanadas (sometimes spelled Enpanadas)?

Beef Empanadas are a meat-filled dough pocket or hand pie. The type of dough you use is completely up to you. 

What kind of dough should I use to make Beef Hand Pies (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.
  

What ingredients are in Homemade Beef Empanadas?

Beef empanada recipes vary from recipe to recipe and country to country but usually contains a savory, lightly spiced meat mixture. The ingredients in this recipe are:

• Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer, you may substitute another oil you have on hand.
  
• Ground beef: I use extra lean ground beef, if you substitute for another grade beef, remember to drain any excess fat. Conversely, if you substitute ground chicken or turkey, remember that you may need to add some extra oil and seasonings to keep the empanadas from being too dry and bland.
  
• Green bell pepper: These are a must-have in a Cuban sofrito. If you must, you may omit the peppers but there will be a significant loss of flavor.
  
• Red bell pepper: Another part of the trinity. Red bell peppers add a sweetness to the sauce.
  
• Yellow Onion: Onions complete the onion and lend such a great flavor to the dish
• Tomato sauce: I prefer fire-roasted or organic tomatoes which creates the base of the sauce.
  
• Cumin: Increase or decrease the cumin to your tastes. It has a warm, Earthy flavor but can be overpowering. Start with the basic amount and increase as you go.
  
• Ground cayenne pepper: Cayenne gives the sauce its spiciness. If you prefer spicier empanadas, increase the cayenne. A little bit goes a long way.
  
• Garlic: Garlic is sweet once it caramelizes in the pan but can turn bitter if burned, so be sure to watch it when you add it into the trinity of vegetables.
• Dried oregano: I use Mexican oregano, but if you don’t have any, regular oregano would do just fine.
  
• Salt: If you are watching your salt intake, start with the minimum amount listed, and increase from there.

How to Make Easy Beef Empanadas in the oven:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare a baking tray with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and green peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more.
4. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute being careful not to burn the garlic. Then add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, about 10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and oil.
5. Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, cayenne, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
6. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle. If the mixture is too hot it can cause holes in the dough during preparation.
   
7. 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.
8. With a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over the top side of the empanada dough. (This encourages browning.)
9. Place empanadas on a
10. prepared baking sheet [See Step 2].
11. Bake Empanadas until crisp and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

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Shortcut Beef Empanadas

Homemade Beef Empanadas are just good. Luckily, this shortcut version is EASY to make. To speed things along, look for empanada wrappers sold in your grocer's freezer.

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Cuban

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Resting Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1/2 yellow onion , diced fine
• ▢ 1/2 medium green pepper , diced fine
• ▢ 1/2 medium red pepper , diced fine
• ▢ 1/2 cup tomato sauce , or more if you prefer a saucier filling.
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cumin
• ▢ 1/4 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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking tray with a silicone mat, parchment paper, 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 green peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more.
• Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, cayenne, garlic, oregano, sliced olives, salt, and black pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
• 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.
• Place empanadas on a foil-lined sheet pan sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake Empanadas until crisp and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Notes

1. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
2. 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.
3. To reheat, place frozen empanadas in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Empanadas may be frozen for up to 3 months.

5. 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.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Shortcut Beef Empanadas

Amount Per Serving (1 Empanada)

Calories 214 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Cholesterol 32mg11%

Sodium 164mg7%

Potassium 118mg3%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Fiber 0g0%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 275IU6%

Vitamin C 13.3mg16%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 2.1mg12%

* (Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy, and is sourced from the USDA Food Database.

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