A couple years ago, my best friend and I visited San Juan, Puerto Rico, where beef empanadas were an appetizer available at almost every restaurant! While we did our best to try as many dishes as possible -- mofongo, tostones, habichuelas -- we always found our way back to empanadas. Served with a mayo-ketchup sauce bursting with garlic flavor, beef empanadas are handheld meat pies that you can enjoy while sitting down or on the go. The recipe below is inspired by those amazing empanadas we had in Puerto Rico, which I hope to savor again soon. Enjoy!
Short on time? Check out our air fryer empanadas recipe to cut down on cooking time!
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Add ground beef to a large pan, along with beef bouillon, cumin, garlic powder, and paprika. Cook for 10 minutes on medium.
Mix in diced tomatoes and sliced olives. Cook ground beef for another 5 minutes or until browned.
While the empanada filling cools, pre-heat oven to 375F. Crack the egg and whisk in a small bowl to create an egg wash.
Place 2-3 tbsp of filling on one half of dough. Fold in half to form a semi-circle.
Seal edges by pressing with a fork or your fingers.
Place sealed empanadas on a greased baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.
Bake empanadas in the oven for 18-20 minutes at 375F or until golden.
Serve with your preferred dipping sauce, and enjoy!