These are Chilean-style beef empanadas made with a suet-enriched dough and a filling of seasoned ground beef, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, and optional raisins. They bake up golden and hold together well, which makes them a solid choice for feeding a group or stocking the freezer. The ingredient list looks long, but most of it is pantry staples you likely already have.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, suet in both the dough and the filling. In the dough it produces a flakiness that butter struggles to match, because suet has a higher melting point and creates distinct layers as it bakes. In the filling, melted and strained suet adds richness without making the mixture greasy. Second, rolling the dough to a consistent 1/16-inch thickness is not optional — too thick and the pastry stays doughy in the center before the filling heats through, too thin and it tears when you fold and crimp. Take the extra minute to check it. Everything else in this recipe is forgiving; those two steps are not.
Common problems and fixes
- Filling leaks out during baking: Usually a sealing issue, not a filling issue. Make sure the dough edge is lightly moistened with water before crimping, and press firmly all the way around. A fork crimp holds better than a finger fold if you’re new to this.
- Bottom of the empanada is soggy: The filling was too wet going in. After cooking the beef mixture, let it cool completely and drain off any pooled liquid before assembling. A warm, wet filling also softens the raw dough before it has a chance to set in the oven.
- Dough tears when folding: The dough was either rolled too thin or not rested long enough. Cold dough that hasn’t relaxed will crack at the fold. If it tears, let it sit at room temperature for five minutes and try again.
- Empanadas puff and burst at the top: Steam needs somewhere to go. A small fork prick or a single vent cut in the top before baking prevents blowouts without affecting the structure.
- Filling tastes flat after baking: Ground beef filling loses intensity in the oven. Season the mixture slightly more aggressively than you think you need to before assembly — it will mellow as it bakes inside the sealed pastry.
Smart swaps
- Suet: This is the ingredient most people won’t have on hand. Chilled grated butter works as a substitute in the dough and produces a decent result, though the texture will be slightly less flaky. For the filling, a tablespoon of neutral oil does the job.
- Raisins: Completely optional. If you don’t have them or don’t want them, skip them — the filling is balanced without. Currants or finely chopped dried apricots work if you want that sweet-savory contrast but have neither.
- Black olives: Kalamata olives are a fine swap. If you only have green olives, use them — the flavor is sharper but still works. Skip the olives entirely only as a last resort; they add a brininess that the other ingredients don’t replicate.
- Paprika: Smoked paprika is a straightforward substitute for regular and adds a mild depth. Use the same quantity.
- Hard-boiled eggs: These add bulk and a mild richness to the filling. If you’re out, leave them out — the empanadas will still hold together and taste good. Don’t substitute raw egg into the filling.
Make-ahead notes
The filling can be made up to two days ahead and stored covered in the fridge — it actually improves as the spices settle. The assembled, unbaked empanadas can be refrigerated on a lined tray for up to 24 hours before baking; cover them loosely with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out. For longer storage, freeze them unbaked in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a zip bag — they keep well for up to three months. Bake from frozen at the same temperature, adding roughly 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time. Already-baked empanadas reheat well in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes — skip the microwave, which turns the pastry soft and chewy.
Seriously Amazing Empanadas With Beef
Ingredients
TO MAKE THE EMPANADA DOUGH:
3 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
1 teaspoon salt
210 milliliter water - chilled
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 medium egg- 50 grams suet (beef fat) - grated
TO MAKE THE BEEF FILLING:
- 110 grams suet (beef fat)
6 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1 large white onion - finely chopped
1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
1 small red chili (red chilli in British English) - deseeded and finely chopped
90 grams raisins - (optional)
110 grams black olives - pitted
1 teaspoon paprika- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium egg - hard-boiled, finely chopped
1 handful parsley - flat-leaf, chopped finely
¼ cup milk - for brushing pastry
Instructions
To Make The Empanada Dough:
- Combine salt and flour in a bowl. Make a well in the middle, then add the egg, water and grated suet. Mix with a spoon until well combined.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured workbench for three minutes, allow to rest for five minutes and then knead again for about five minutes or until the dough is soft and elastic. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
- Roll out the dough to about 2 millimeter ( 1/16th-inch) thick. Using a saucer as a guide, cut 12 circles from the dough. You may need to re-roll scraps once or twice to get all twelve circles.
To Make The Beef Filling:
- Melt the suet in a frying pan over low heat, then strain. Discard the solids and return the liquid fat to the pan.
- Increase the heat to medium, then add the garlic and fry for one minute. Next, add the onions, frying for 3-4 minutes and then add the beef, stirring to brown on all sides. Cook for five minutes. Stir in the chili, raisins, olives, paprika and salt and cook for a further five minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Mix in the hardboiled egg and the parsley and leave aside to cool.
To Assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 250°C (500°F).
- Put approximately two tablespoons of mixture into the center of each pastry circle, plus one of the olives. Fold the pastry over and seal by pushing the sides together. You can use the edge of a fork to make a crimped pattern on edge. Brush pastry with milk and place on a baking paper-lined tray.
- Reduce the oven heat to 230°C (450°F) and cook the empanada for twenty minutes. You may need to turn the tray around after the first ten minutes to ensure the pastry is cooked evenly.
- Serve hot or cold, and watch out for escaping olives!
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use store-bought pie dough or puff pastry instead of making the dough from scratch?
You can, and it will produce a decent empanada in less time. Store-bought shortcrust pastry is the closer match to the texture this recipe is going for; puff pastry works but bakes up much thicker and more bready, which changes the ratio of filling to dough significantly.
What internal temperature should the beef filling reach to be safe?
Ground beef needs to reach 160°F (71°C) internally. The filling is fully cooked before assembly in this recipe, so by the time the pastry is golden the filling will be well above that temperature — but if you’re ever unsure, a quick probe check through the vent hole confirms it.
My empanadas came out pale and didn’t brown — what went wrong?
The egg wash was either skipped or applied too thinly. A generous, even coat of beaten egg on the surface is what gives the deep golden color. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before the empanadas go in — a cold oven start means they sit and dry out rather than brown quickly.
Can I make these smaller for appetizers or party food?
Yes — cut smaller dough rounds and reduce the filling per empanada accordingly. Reduce the bake time by about 5 to 8 minutes and check for color early, since smaller pastries brown faster.
The recipe makes 12 — can I halve it easily?
Yes, this recipe scales down without any issues. Halve every ingredient including the suet, and the technique stays exactly the same. The only thing to watch is that a smaller batch of dough can dry out faster, so keep unused portions covered while you work.
What to cook next
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
