These baked beef empanadas are filled with a savory ground beef filling and wrapped in flaky pastry. Using store-bought empanada disks keeps them quick and easy to make, making them perfect for appetizers, snacks, or casual meals.
Ingredients
- Olive oil - Used to sauté the vegetables and build the flavorful base of the filling.
- Vegetables - Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic add flavor and texture to the beef filling.
- Ground sirloin - Lean ground sirloin works well, but lean ground beef can also be used.
- Seasonings - Salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce give the filling a rich, savory flavor.
- Tomato sauce and water - Bring the filling together and add just enough moisture.
- Empanada discs - Store-bought frozen empanada discs make this recipe quick and easy. Thaw according to the package directions before using.
- Egg - Brushed over the empanadas before baking to give them a shiny, golden finish.
- You'll also need - a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, a pastry brush, a fork for sealing the edges, and a paring knife to vent the empanadas.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Make the filling
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Stir, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned.
Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has cooked away. We don't want the filling to be too saucy.
Taste and season with additional salt, if needed. Remove the skillet from the heat, uncover, and let the filling cool. Stir it occasionally to help release the steam and speed up the cooling process.
Build the empanadas
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Have the pastry brush, fork, and paring knife ready.
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- Working with one empanada disc at a time, add about 2 heaping tablespoons of the ground beef filling slightly off center.
- Using the pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.
- Fold the empanada disc in half and gently press the edges together. Seal the edges with a fork.
- Use a paring knife or the tip of a sharp knife to cut 2 to 3 small slits in the top of each empanada to allow steam to escape. Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Brush the tops with the egg wash.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe tips and notes
- Frozen empanada discs can often be found in the freezer section of larger grocery stores or Latin markets. Thaw them according to the package directions before using.
- Ground sirloin works well because it's leaner than many other types of ground beef. If there's excess grease after browning the meat, carefully spoon it off before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Simmer the filling until most of the liquid has cooked away. A slightly drier filling helps keep the pastry crisp.
- Let the filling cool completely before assembling the empanadas. A warm filling can soften the dough and make it harder to work with.
Storing and reheating
Store leftover baked beef empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, place the cooled empanadas in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
For the best texture, reheat the empanadas in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until heated through and the pastry is crisp again. If they're browning too quickly, loosely tent a piece of foil over the top. The microwave works in a pinch, but the pastry will be softer and won't be as crisp.
According to USDA recommendations, do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and food safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you enjoyed these baked beef empanadas, be sure to try our stuffed biscuits or pastelitos de carne for more savory handheld favorites. They're perfect for parties, snacks, or an easy lunch.
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📖 Recipe
Baked Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Carrot finely diced
- 1 Celery Rib finely diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 pound Ground Sirloin
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 8 ounces Can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Water divided
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 10 Empanada Discs 13 ounce package
- 1 Egg slightly beaten
You will also need
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Fork
- Paring knife
Instructions
Make the beef filling
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, add the ground beef, salt, dried oregano, cumin and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine the ingredients well, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or a spatula as you go. Cook the beef for about 5 minutes until browned, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Keep the sauce at a simmer, if it's boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit. Cook the ground beef for 12-15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has cooked out. We don't want it too saucy.
- Taste the beef filling and add salt to taste, if needed.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, uncover and allow the ground beef to cool. Give it a good stir every once in a while so that the steam escapes and it cools a bit faster.
While the beef filling is cooling, make an empanada building station
- Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Line the baking sheet with the parchment paper.
- Get the pastry brush, fork and paring knife ready.
- Preheat Oven to 350°F
Build the empanadas
- Working with one empanada disk at a time, add about 2 heaping tablespoon of the ground beef, just a little off center.
- Using a pastry brush, moisten around the edges of the dough with the egg.
- Fold the empanada round in half, press the edges together gently. Use a fork to seal the edges together.
- Use a paring knife or other sharp tip, make 2-3 small slits on the top of each empanada to vent. Set the empanada on the lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
- Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash.
- Bake the empanadas for approximately 25-35 minutes, until they're a nice golden color.
Video
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Da haus
I love empanadas! Especially the baked style they are a bit easier to deal with than frying. I used 80% ground beef and just drained it really well. I also use the Obrien potatoes and cook them separate in a cast iron skillet and add to the mixture. Whatever little grease is left over the potatoes absorb so the meat doesn't get super dry. This recipe is a great base and you can add extra little things too, like sliced olives, ground up hard boiled egg, shredded cheese. The possibilities are endless. I'm sorry to vary your recipe, but I do that on almost everything!
Elizabeth
Hi Deb,
Yes, they’re delicious for breakfast! Thanks for stopping by!
Diana Morgan
Loved this recipe. I used smoked pulled pork instead of ground meat & added a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese to each one. I made reg pie dough, it worked just fine. I served w/homemade salsa. Everyone loved them.
Penny
Hi Elizabeth, I'm giving you 5 stars for the recipe even though I haven't yet made it, but because it is written so well! Before I do make these, I am wondering if you have frozen them. I'm thinking that I would put them together first and freeze before baking. What do you think?
Georgeann smith
What is the brand name of the Beef Empandas pastry
Kathleen
I love these and so does everyone that tried them. Before I found the goya frozen dicso, (found in price rite and market basket) I tried frozen rhodes rolls I defrosted them by their directions, let rise , then I rolled out each one flat, worked pretty good but extra calories!! (Oh and extra work) So I'm happy I found your recipe that baked the empanadas with the discos!!! Thankyou
Elizabeth
Hi Kathleen, I’m really glad you enjoyed them!
Leslie
I found these to be greasy, so ran the meat mixture thru a colander, and blotted with paper towels. I'm sure it sacrificed flavor tho.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Leslie, thank you for your feedback and I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you. We use ground sirloin in this recipe because it tends to be less greasy than other varieties. But, I understand the fat content in ground beef varies. Based on your experience, I have added cook’s notes to this recipe to address excess grease in the skillet after browning the ground beef that others might find helpful. Thank you again for your comments.