How to Make Empanadas
This Easy Empanada Recipe uses pre-made pie crust to create a great meal. We make two types of empanadas - a more traditional beef empanada and a sweet potato empanada.
Yield: 4 people
Calories: 284kcal
Equipment
- No special equipment needed
Materials
Beef Empanada Ingredients
- 1 package of pre-made pie crust
- 1/2 lb of ground beef
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 1/2 medium diced bell pepper any color
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Salt & pepper
- 1 cup Mexican blended cheese
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Sweet Potato Empanadas Ingredients
- ½ of a sweet potato cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Blanched collard greens leafs or similar leafy green veggie
- 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
- 1 egg, beaten for the egg wash
Yellow Pepper Sauce
- ¼ cup Mayo
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- 2 tbsp Yellow Pepper paste or similar hot sauce
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Beef Empanadas
- Preheat oven to 375*
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large skillet cook ground beef, onions and bell pepper until beef is cooked through
- Drain any excess fat.
- Add cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder to beef mixture and cook for 2 minutes
- Remove from hot burner
- Let mixture cool before filling the empanadas
- Roll out pie crust
- Using a 4” bowl trace circles onto the pie crust with a paring knife.
- With leftover pie crust, mix together and roll out and continue cutting circles, until all dough is used.
- Lay a pie crust circle down on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Add 2 - 3 tbsp of filling to each crust circle.
- Top with 1 tsp of Mexican/Taco/Southwest cheese.
- Fold pie crust circle in half, keeping the filling inside, and press edges down with a fork.
- Beat egg in a small bowl and brush on top of each empanada.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces, salsas and/or guacamole.
Sweet Potato Empanadas
- Preheat oven to 375*F
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare sweet potato. Peel and cut into small cubes
- Steam the sweet potato (or microwave) until soft.
- Melt butter in a sauté pan
- Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Add parmesan cheese and garlic. Sauté 1 more minute
- Let mixture cool before filling the empanadas
- Add 2 - 3 tbsp of filling to each crust circle & top with 1 tsp of Gouda Cheese
- Fold pie crust circle in half, keeping the filling inside, and press edges down with a fork.
- Beat egg in a small bowl and brush on top of each empanada.
- Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces, salsas and/or guacamole.
Yellow Pepper Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk together
- Adjust for heat and taste
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1Empanada | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 433mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2878IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg