Beef Empanadas
Alex and I eat empanadas. A LOT. It’s one of our favorite savory snacks to get. When we travelled to Florida together, we bought empanadas whenever we could. In San Diego, there are several empanada shops and stalls that we visit relatively often to get a small bit to eat. This is by far one of my favorite South American snacks. I LOVE savory pies. Savory hand pies are even better. They are portable and SUPER delicious.
When we went to Yerba Mate Bar & Empanadas, I felt inspired. We ordered three empanadas — Beef, Chicken, and Mushroom. Every single time we get these three combos at an empanada stall, there is always one empanada that reigns supreme. Beef. Although each stall has their own take on the filling, the beef continues to maintain its place as the top choice. We absolutely love the flavor of a beef empanada. No other filling can simply compare.
As you know, I am not South American. It’s nearly impossible to come up with this recipe on my own. If I do, it would stray away from the authentic empanada that I have grown to love. Making an empanada is simple, but you can’t mess with the filling. If the filling sucks, your empanadas might as well go straight into the bin. This blog post will be different. I am going to share with you how I adapted the NY Times Beef Empanada recipe to make the beautiful beef empanadas you see in this post. There are some instructions within the NY Times recipe that I felt missed the mark. So I will share 5 tips on how I gave this recipe an upgrade.
I’m really happy with how these empanadas came out. I think they are really tasty and fun to make. Alex packed a majority of the empanadas home so that he can munch on them throughout the week. While it does require a whole lot of work, the result is definitely worth it. So if you’re looking for a new fun project to tackle in the kitchen, this is your sign. Make these beef empanadas and follow my tips!
1. Crank the heat up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let me tell you something. 375 degrees is weak. Really weak. Since the filling is already cooked, it’s the exterior that you need to worry about. This dough needs about 10 minutes in the oven at 430 degrees. It’s a quick turn around time so that you can keep baking your empanadas in just a few batches.
2. Brush the empanadas with egg wash.
Egg wash gives the empanadas a shine and a nice golden brown color. We used butter for our dough, so it is extremely pale when baked. I don’t like a pasty tan color for any type of crust I use. It just doesn’t look appetizing. To make egg wash, you will need a yolk and two tablespoons of milk. Mix together well and brush it onto your pastry. Yup. It’s really that simple.
3. Adopt a pie crust dough.
I would suggest using an all butter pie crust dough over the recipe’s dough. Since this empanada dough uses melted butter, it results in a less flaky crust. The best way to ensure flakiness is by working with cold water and butter. Breaking the butter into the dough will result in layers. I think flakiness adds a lot of texture to an empanada. This empanada is baked not fried. Getting pockets of butter in the dough makes the empanada far more appetizing when baked.
4. Add veggies and cheese to the filling.
In addition to the potatoes, we added red bell peppers and freshly grated mozzarella. I think both of these additions elevated our filling to an extra level. Some of the empanadas that I have had include cheese and diced vegetables into the mix. Plus, the red bell peppers make the flavor profile of the empanada more complex. The mozzarella also adds a creamy texture to the filling. Who doesn’t love a good cheese pull? I think these are the perfect addition to this savory filling.
5. Learn how to crimp.
There are many ways you can seal an empanada. The easiest way to seal an empanada is with a fork. I don’t find this method of sealing all that appealing. Traditionally, empanada crimping consists of twisting the edge of the dough towards the center. This method is really easy to nail down once you practice a few times. Personally, I person like to crimp my edges in the same way I crimp my pie crust. It has a wavy frill that makes the empanadas look elegant.
Let me know what your thoughts are on this recipe. I think empanadas are loads of fun to make. If you are looking for a creative project in the kitchen, I highly suggest trying out the NY Times Beef Empanada recipe. Incorporate my tips and adaptations to ensure that your beef empanadas come out perfect.
Interested in more easy and delicious recipes to make from home? Check out my recipes here. Subscribe to my newsletter for regular updates whenever I add a new recipe.
Emily
get on the list
