Beef Empanadas

Golden pastry pockets filled with juicy beef, onion, olives and a little hard-boiled egg.

Argentina · Appetizers · 90 min

DeSabor Kitchen · Published October 1, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026 · 45 / 45 / 90 min · 6 · Argentina

Cook the beef filling fully and cool it before filling the pastry. Warm filling softens the discs and makes leaks more likely. Divide it evenly, leaving a clean border for the repulgue or fork seal.

Ingredients

• 12 ready-made empanada discs for baking, about 15 cm wide
• 500 g ground beef; 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp cumin
• 60 g green olives, chopped; 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt; 1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Instructions

1. Cook onions in oil 10 minutes until soft. Add beef, paprika, cumin and salt and cook 8–10 minutes until beef reaches 71°C.
2. Stir in olives and chopped eggs. Spread filling on a clean tray to cool 15 minutes; it should not be hot when filling pastry.
3. Heat oven to 200°C. Divide the cooled filling into twelve portions. Put one portion in the center of each disc, leaving a clean 2 cm border; moisten the border with water, fold into a half-moon and seal firmly with a crimp or fork.
4. Arrange on a lined tray, brush with egg and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and hot inside.

Cook's Tips

• Do not overfill; a little space at the edges makes a better seal.

Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.