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    Home » Recipes » Cuban Food

    Pastelitos de Carne

    Published: Aug 14, 2018 · Modified: Mar 12, 2021 by Elizabeth · 8 Comments

    • Share4
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Pastelitos de Carne

    Pastelitos de carne are meat filled pastries that are topped with a sweet glaze. They can be found in Cuban cafeterias and restaurants all over Miami. But there’s no need to make the trip, because they can easily be made at home.

    Pastelito de carne being glazed with honey with a gray pastry brush

    The filling for pastelitos de carne is a Cuban style picadillo, that’s super easy to make. For the pastry we take some help from the market and purchase puff pastry; and that sweet glaze is honey. See super simple!

    If you’re from Miami and moved away, but still get cravings for a pastelito de carne with a cafecito, then make your own! If you’ve never had a pastelito de carne… then you must try one!

    If you’re in the mood for more Cuban classics, try this fricase de pollo, breaded chicken steak or the classic bistec de palomilla.

    Pastelitos de carne ingredients

    • 1½ tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 Small Onion, finely diced
    • 1 Carrot, finely diced
    • 1 Celery Rib, finely diced
    • 2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced
    • 1 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
    • 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
    • ¼ cup White wine
    • 8 ounce Can Tomato Sauce
    • ½ cup Pitted Spanish Olives, finely chopped
    • 2 packages of Frozen Puff Pastry (2 sheets each package)
    • 2-3 tablespoons Honey, to glaze the pastries

    You will also need

    • 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
    • Small bowl of water
    • Pastry brush

    Make the pastelito filling

    Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots and celery.  Cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.

    Next, add the garlic and stir to mix well. Raise the heat to high, add the ground beef, salt, cumin, oregano and black pepper, stir to mix well.

    Cook the beef for 4-5 minutes to brown, while stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. 

    Add the white wine to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes or so, until the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.

    Add the tomato sauce and chopped olives, to the picadillo and stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and combine, stirring occasionally.

    Allow the meat filling to cool completely before using, refrigerate if necessary.

    Tips to make the best pastelitos de carne

    • Usually, picadillo is left a little bit saucy since it’s meant to be served over rice. For these pastelitos, however, we want the picadillo a little on the dry side.
    • Make the picadillo a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to make the pastelitos de carne. This actually works well if you’re making them for a party.

    How to make pastelitos de carne

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    • Add a little cold water to a small bowl.

    Lay the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and gently roll with a rolling pin to seal the seams.

    A sheet of puff pastry a lightly floured cutting board

    Use a biscuit cutter to make small rounds.

    Puff pastry cut into rounds on a lightly floured cutting board

    Add a heaping tablespoon of the picadillo to the center of half the puff pastry rounds. Use the remaining half to top the pastries.

    Nine puff pastry rounds topped with ground beef on a lightly floured cutting board

    Using your finger, wet the edge of the pastry round with the water. Cover with another pastry round and press down on the edges with a fork to seal.

    Nine unbaked Pastelitos de Carne on a lightly floured cutting board

    Set the pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cut a small slit on top of each to allow it to vent.

    Unbaked Pastelitos on a Baking Sheet lined with parchment paper

    Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheets (top to bottom, bottom to top) continue baking for 8-10 more minutes, or until the pastries are a beautiful golden brown color.

    Baked Pastelitos Unglazed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

    Add a tablespoon or two of honey in a small bowl. While the pastelitos are still hot, brush the tops lightly with the honey. Work quickly as brushing with the honey will be much easier while they are hot.

    Pastelito de carne being glazed with honey with a gray pastry brush
    Pastelitos de Carne Baked and Glazed arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

    Makes approximately 18 pastries

    Cook’s Notes

    Save any leftover picadillo, refrigerate or freeze. It’s great over rice, or in a sandwich (similar to a sloppy joe).

    You may also like:

    • Baked Beef Empanadas
    • Stuffed Biscuits
    • Chicken Empanadas
    Pastelito de carne being glazed with honey with a gray pastry brush
    Print Recipe
    4.67 from 6 votes

    Pastelitos de Carne

    Pastelitos de carne are meat filled pastries that are topped with a sweet glaze. They can be found in Cuban cafeterias and restaurants all over Miami.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Cuban
    Keyword: Cuban pastries
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 434kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1½ tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 small Onion finely diced
    • 1 Carrot finely diced
    • 1 Celery Rib finely diced
    • 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
    • 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
    • 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
    • ¼ cup White wine
    • 8 ounce Can Tomato Sauce
    • ½ cup Pitted Spanish Olives finely chopped
    • 2 packages of Frozen Puff Pastry about 1 lb., 2 sheets each package
    • 2-3 tablespoons Honey to glaze the pastelitos

    Instructions

    Make the picadillo

    • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.
    • Add the garlic, stir to mix well.
    • Raise the heat to high, add the ground beef, salt, cumin, oregano and black pepper, stir to mix well. Cook the beef while stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook 4-5 minutes to brown the ground beef.
    • Next, add the white wine to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes or so until the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the tomato sauce and chopped olives, to the picadillo, stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and combine, stirring occasionally.
    • Allow the picadillo to cool completely before using, refrigerate if necessary.

    Make the pastelitos de carne

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F
    • Add a little cold water to a small bowl.
    • Lay the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and gently roll with a rolling pin to seal the seams.
    • Use a biscuit cutter to make small rounds.
    • Add a heaping tablespoon of the picadillo to the center of half the puff pastry rounds. Use the remaining half to top the pastries.
    • Using your finger, wet the edge of the pastry round with the water. Cover with another pastry round and press down on the edges with a fork to seal.
    • Set the pastelitos on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cut a small slit on top of each pastelitos to allow it to vent.
    • Bake the pastelitos de carne for 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheets (top to bottom, bottom to top) continue baking for 8-10 more minutes, or until the pastries are a beautiful golden brown color.
    • Add a tablespoon or two of honey in a small bowl. While the pastelitos are still hot, brush the tops lightly with the honey. Work quickly as brushing with the honey will be much easier with hot pastelitos.

    Video

    Notes

    To make these pastelitos you will also need:
    2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
    Small bowl of water
    Pastry brush
     
    • Usually, picadillo is left a little bit saucy since it’s meant to be served over rice. For the pastelitos, though we want the picadillo a little on the dry side.
    • Just a tip, I’ve made the picadillo a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to make the pastelitos de carne. This actually works well if you’re making them for a party.
    • Save any leftover picadillo, refrigerate or freeze. Picadillo is great over rice, or in a sandwich (similar to a sloppy joe).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1290IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3.2mg
    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.

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    • Share4

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Abel

      January 17, 2021 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      Can I make this ahead and freeze them and just pop them in the oven when ready to eat? I want to send some to my son in College. I cannot wait to make these. I grew up eating pastelitos de carne péro en Nicaragua we would add sugar to the top. Thank you for sharing. ❤️

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        January 17, 2021 at 9:00 pm

        Hi Abel,
        I’ve never frozen them before but I did a little research and it appears they can be frozen on a sheet pan, stored in an airtight container/bag and then baked from frozen. Again, I’ve never done this. Maybe you can do a trial run, freeze a couple, then bake them to see if they hold up well. When I make them again I’ll do the same and update the post. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

        Reply
    2. Madi

      August 08, 2020 at 2:34 am

      Is there any reason to specifically use honey instead of simple syrup? I’ve always known that to be used as the glaze

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        August 08, 2020 at 12:22 pm

        Hi Madi,
        I like using honey because it’s a thicker consistency so it soaks in less on the pastry. Plus it stays glossy; I’ve had the water-sugar mixture turn dull as it dries. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
    3. Luz F

      May 08, 2019 at 6:30 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe. Delicious..

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        May 08, 2019 at 8:18 pm

        Hi Luz, you are so welcome. I am really happy you liked them!

        Reply
      • Karen

        January 23, 2023 at 11:52 am

        Hi I noticed in the beginning it said nine servings and then toward the end of the recipe it says served 18 so is the recipe for 18 pastelitos

        Reply
        • Elizabeth

          January 23, 2023 at 2:12 pm

          Hi, the recipe makes 18 pastries. The serving is 2 pastries, so 9 servings. Hope that helps, thanks for stopping by.

          Reply

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    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

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