These are baked beef empanadas filled with seasoned ground beef, chopped green olives, and hard-boiled eggs, served with a sharp parsley-and-vinegar chimichurri. The recipe makes 12 hand-held pastries from one batch of filling — enough to feed four people properly without anyone going back to the kitchen. If you need to feed a crowd, the filling and dough both scale up cleanly.
Before you start
The two things that will make or break this recipe are cooling the filling completely before assembly and sealing the edges firmly. Hot filling creates steam inside the dough, which softens it and causes blowouts in the oven — give the beef mixture at least 20 minutes off the heat, or spread it on a plate to speed things up. On sealing: a fork crimp works, but press hard enough that you can’t see a gap when you hold the disc up to the light. A loose seal means filling leaks out onto the parchment and the empanada dries out. Neither problem is hard to avoid; both ruin the batch if you rush.
Shopping notes
- Empanada dough discs: Most Latin grocery stores stock these in the freezer section (Goya and La Salteña are common brands). Thaw them in the fridge overnight — room-temperature thawing makes them sticky and hard to handle. If you can’t find them, a store-bought pie crust rolled thin and cut into 5-inch rounds works in a pinch, though the texture is slightly more crumbly.
- Green olives: Use plain brine-cured green olives, not stuffed ones. Pimento-stuffed olives add sweetness that fights the cumin. Drain and pat them dry before chopping so they don’t water down the filling.
- Ground beef: An 80/20 blend gives the filling enough fat to stay moist after baking. Leaner beef tends to turn dry and grainy inside the sealed dough.
- Fresh parsley for chimichurri: Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley gives a cleaner flavor than curly parsley here. Curly parsley works but the chimichurri will taste slightly more bitter.
Troubleshooting
- Empanadas burst open during baking: The seal wasn’t tight enough, or the filling was overfilled. Use no more than 2 tablespoons of filling per disc and press the crimp firmly. Skip the garnish of extra egg wash on the crimp edge — not worth the extra dish — but do make sure the dough edge is slightly moistened with water before folding to help it grip.
- Filling tastes bland after baking: Ground beef filling loses some punch inside sealed dough. Season the filling slightly saltier than you think it needs before it goes in — taste it cold before assembling, not hot, since heat amplifies salt perception.
- Dough tears when folding: The discs are too cold and stiff. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before working with them. If a disc tears, press the tear closed with a fingertip dipped in water and let it rest another minute before filling.
- Chimichurri tastes harsh or too sharp: The red wine vinegar is doing its job, but if it’s too aggressive, stir in a pinch of sugar and let the sauce sit for 10 minutes. The flavors mellow noticeably as it rests — make it first, before you start the filling, for best results.
- Bottom of empanadas is soggy: The baking sheet is overcrowded or the oven wasn’t fully preheated. Leave at least an inch between empanadas and confirm your oven has reached 375°F before the tray goes in.
Make-ahead notes
The beef filling keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container, which makes it easy to assemble empanadas in batches across the week. Assembled but unbaked empanadas can be frozen on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transferred to a zip-lock bag and kept frozen for up to 2 months — bake them straight from frozen at 375°F for 25 to 28 minutes. Already-baked empanadas reheat well: 10 minutes in a 350°F oven restores the crust without drying the filling. Avoid the microwave for reheating — it makes the dough rubbery. Chimichurri keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days; the color darkens but the flavor holds.
Argentine Beef Empanadas with Chimichurri
Ingredients
Filling
1 tbsp olive oil - extra virgin for deep flavor
1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
500 g ground beef (minced beef) - preferably grass-fed
1 tsp cumin - ground
1 tsp paprika - smoked for added depth
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper - freshly ground
¼ cup green olives - pitted and chopped- 2 medium hard-boiled eggs - coarsely chopped
- 12 medium empanada dough discs - store-bought or homemade
Chimichurri
1 bunch parsley - fresh, finely chopped- 3 cloves garlic - minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar- ½ cup olive oil
1 tsp oregano - dried
½ tsp red pepper flakes- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Filling:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until the onion becomes translucent and aromatic, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, ensuring the spices coat the beef evenly. Add the chopped olives and eggs, mixing just to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.
For Chimichurri:
- In a bowl, combine the parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Mix well to blend flavors.
Assemble the Empanadas:
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Place dough discs on a flat surface. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each disc.
- Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Pinch edges to seal. You can use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative touch.
- Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make these empanadas ahead for a party and keep them warm?
Yes — bake them up to 2 hours ahead and hold them in a 200°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. The rack keeps air circulating under the pastry so the bottoms stay crisp rather than steaming against the pan.
How do I know the ground beef filling is fully cooked and safe to eat?
Ground beef needs to reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to be safe. Cook it in the skillet until no pink remains and the juices run clear — at that point it’s well past the safe threshold, and the subsequent oven bake adds further heat.
My family doesn’t like olives or hard-boiled eggs — can I leave them out?
You can leave them out without changing the cooking method at all. The filling will be slightly less moist without the olives, so add an extra tablespoon of the olive brine to the skillet while the beef cooks to compensate.
What to cook next
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
