The Best Spicy Beef & Potato Empanada Recipe

Oh my god, do I love Empanadas! I am forever on a mission to find the best empanadas and this week, bored from quarantine life, I had the realization that I’ve actually never attempted to make my own. So naturally, I changed that.

As someone who’s had more than her share of these tasty little meat pies, I am somewhat of an aficionado. At least when it comes to taste. I know what tastes good and what I don’t like very much. So I sat with my thoughts, browsed a few different recipes and then set out to create my own perfect empanada recipe.

What makes the perfect empanada?

The best empanadas, hand pies, turnovers or whatever you’re used to calling them are slightly crunchy without being super crispy. You still want a bit of softness when you bite into it. They are flavorful! I can’t stress this part enough because unfortunately this is where a lot of people get it wrong. An empanada should be a two to three bite burst of flavor. Because so much of this dish is the outer crust it’s important to balance it with a flavorful, juicy center filling. The filling will truly make or break the entire experience.

I used this recipe from The Tortilla Channel for my dough and I have zero complaints. I didn’t modify it at all so if you are making dough from scratch I’d suggest starting there!

Sweet or Savory Empanadas?

Once you have your dough you can truly put whatever you want on the inside; sweet, savory, vegetarian or spicy. I’d even suggest making extra dough and setting it aside for dessert empanadas.

My favorite’s are savory, usually spicy shredded chicken or beef. So I knew a Spicy Beef & Potato Empanada was going to be my first attempt. Keep reading for my filling recipe.

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Spicy Beef & Potato Empanadas

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Resting Time 1 hour

Servings 20 Small Empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 medium Potatoes chopped small
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 4 Green Onions chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp chili in adobo sauce
• 8 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper optional
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Egg Wash

• 1 Egg
• 2 tbsp Milk

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef in a large sauce pan.

2. Just before the meat is completely cooked through add chopped potatoes and onion and let simmer until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add chopped garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes

4. Season the pan with Paprika, Cumin, Salt, Cayenne and Pepper (cayenne optional if you don't like heat but I recommend it)

5. Pour in tomato sauce and chilis in adobo sauce and let simmer until potatoes are easily broken with a fork. Stir in chopped green onions.

Assembling the Empanadas

1. Roll out your dough and cut your circles. I used a small cereal bowl to make larger ones and another batch with smaller glass sized. It's truly up to you! For the one's pictured here use a water glass.

2. Once you have your dough cut out, spoon a tbsp of the fillling into the center of each circle

3. Fold your empanadas in half and use a fork to press the edges together until sealed shut

4. Brush each of your empanadas with egg wash and then put them onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

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Let me know if you try my empanada recipe and what you think of it!
Xx Sylvia