Beef Empanadas Recipe | Our Family Tradition

Name: Beef Empanadas Recipe | Our Family Tradition
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 68 min
Yield: 25
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 small Yellow onion; 1/4 Green Pepper; 6-8 Garlic cloves, crushed; 1/2 small Potatoe, finely diced; 3 lb Lean ground beef; 2 pkgs Sazon Goya, sin achoiote (without pepper); 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 2 1/2 tspn Adobe without pepper; 1/2 cup Green spanish olives; 1 bunch Cilantro; 12 oz Roasted garlic & herb sauce tomatoe sauce Homemade or store bought, such as Prego or Ragu

by RoomCrush

25 Pieces

1 hr 8 min

This recipe descends from my childhood as I spent many decades alongside my Grandmother rolling and stuffing beef empanadas.

Truth be told, my Grandma seldom invited her granddaughters to cook with her since the kitchen was NOT her happy place. Second, she raised very overly opinionated and strong-willed girls who always wanted to change her recipes.

Nonetheless, beef empanadas were our common ground, one which she held so close to her heart she kept an extra mini apron and roller pin for those rare occasions.

beef empanadas recipe our family tradition

Please note it's best to cook this recipe in a heavy pot or dutch oven.

My assignment was to roll the dough, cut out circles, and stuff each beef empanada. After each inspection, I could then proceed to folding and sealing each pocket with a fork.

Here’s the thing, once my Grandmother passed, I kept her roller pin instead of mine. However, it’s a bit too emotional to make dough from scratch without her by my side these days.

Besides, Goya makes pre-made empanadas dough, which works for me without the tears.

Of course, I have kept her tradition alive with some modifications to her original recipe.

This recipe is 100% from my heart.

Xoxo,

Rebecca, founder of RestyledHomes & Granddaughter to an amazing woman who raised me.

Beef Empanadas Recipe | Our Family Tradition

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Recipe details

Yield 25 Pieces
Time spent: Prep time: 1 Hours Cook time: 8 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 8 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 small Yellow onion
1/4 Green Pepper
6-8 Garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 small Potatoe, finely diced
3 lb Lean ground beef
2 pkgs Sazon Goya, sin achoiote (without pepper)
1/4 tsp Black pepper
2 1/2 tspn Adobe without pepper
1/2 cup Green spanish olives
1 bunch Cilantro
12 oz Roasted garlic & herb sauce tomatoe sauce Homemade or store bought, such as Prego or Ragu

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
Begin by adding onion, finely diced potatoes, and green pepper; cook for a few minutes until lightly brown. The finely diced potatoes in my beef empanada recipe helps add to the flavor. Potatoes are like flavor sponges.
Then add garlic and remaining ingredient MINUS the sauce. Cook for 20 minutes with the lid partly open to help evaporate liquid and stir often.
Add sauce and cook for an additional 10 minutes. The sauce will help keep the meat from becoming dry, which is a common problem in many recipes. Always give it a few good stirs at the end and taste your beef filling. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Dab your fingers in water to moisten the edges of each empanada to ensure a good seal. Place about two tablespoons of meat filling in each circle and fold the dough to form the empanada.
You can use your fingers to pinch little pleats; however, to follow tradition I use a fork for crimping. Lastly, use your fork to create vents on the top. This will help avoid the empanada from cooking unevenly while frying or baking.

Tips

When sealing the empanadas, make sure you are on a hard surface and firmly press down. This will ensure your filling stays in place during the cooking process.
When sealing the empanadas, make sure you are on a hard surface and firmly press down. This will ensure your filling stays in place during the cooking process.
If you plan on freezing your empanadas, place them in the refrigerator on parchment-lined paper for 15 minutes first.
If you plan on freezing your empanadas, place them in the refrigerator on parchment-lined paper for 15 minutes first.
To cut out calories, use a dough intended for baking. When doing so, seal your empanadas with an egg wash and brush the outside once filled. Only a little egg wash is needed to give them a beautiful golden-brown crust.
To cut out calories, use a dough intended for baking. When doing so, seal your empanadas with an egg wash and brush the outside once filled. Only a little egg wash is needed to give them a beautiful golden-brown crust.

Comments

Jeannie.mcquaid on Nov 18, 2020

a) Would be nice to know how to make the dough.
b) There are no directions for cooking them

4 Reply
- See 2 previous
- Patti on Nov 18, 2020
  
  Yeah, I’ve reread this recipe trying to find the dough instructions, weird.
  
  1
- Rosa on Nov 20, 2020
  
  She said it was an emotional reason she does not make the dough. Goya, in the freezer section of your store, makes them for her now...they are good.
  
  2
- Angie on Feb 22, 2021
  
  when we jump to the recipe and forego reading the story behind a family recipe we miss the details.
  
  copying and pasting what she said below.
  
  I personally can't wait to make these for a gathering I'll be having with some very special ladies in May. xo
  
  My assignment was to roll the dough, cut out circles, and stuff each beef empanada. After each inspection, I could then proceed to folding and sealing each pocket with a fork.
  Here’s the thing, once my Grandmother passed, I kept her roller pin instead of mine. However, it’s a bit too emotional to make dough from scratch without her by my side these days.
  Besides, Goya makes pre-made empanadas dough, which works for me without the tears.
  
  1
Angie on Feb 22, 2021

excited to share this family recipe with some very special ladies in May xo.

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