Description
Beef and cheese empanadas bring comfort right to your plate with a savory mixture that wraps tender ground beef and melty cheese in a perfectly crispy pastry shell. Grab some ingredients and prepare to make a delicious Latin American classic that friends and family will absolutely adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup green olives, chopped
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil across the surface.
- Toss your chopped onion and bell pepper into the skillet, stirring frequently for 5 minutes until they soften and become translucent.
- Drop the minced garlic into the pan and sauté for exactly 60 seconds, releasing its aromatic flavors.
- Crumble 1 pound of ground beef into the skillet, sprinkling 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika, salt, and pepper across the meat.
- Cook the beef for 8-10 minutes at medium heat, breaking it into small pieces until it browns completely and no pink remains.
- Remove the skillet from heat and fold 1 cup of shredded cheese into the hot meat mixture until it melts smoothly.
- Gently mix ½ cup of chopped green olives throughout the filling for an extra burst of flavor.
- Carefully incorporate 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs into the mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
- Allow the filling to rest and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before preparing your empanada dough.
Notes
- Cool the filling completely before assembling empanadas to prevent soggy dough and ensure easy sealing.
- Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter or vegetarian version.
- Drain excess fat from the meat after cooking to keep the filling from becoming greasy and prevent leaks during baking.
- Experiment with different cheese types like queso fresco or manchego for unique flavor profiles that complement the spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-16 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg