These are individual hand-held empanadas with a butter-based shortcrust and a ground beef filling seasoned with smoked paprika, green olives, and tomato sauce. Each one comes in at around 920 calories, so two makes a full meal. The real reason to make them: the filling and dough both keep well, so one session of cooking sets you up for several easy meals through the week.
Ingredient notes
- Smoked paprika: Use Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) if you can find it — the flavor is noticeably deeper than generic smoked paprika. Sweet or bittersweet both work here.
- Green olives: Buy them pre-sliced to save time, or use Castelvetrano olives for a milder, buttery flavor if you find regular green olives too sharp.
- Tomato sauce: This means plain tomato purée or passata, not seasoned pasta sauce. Seasoned sauce throws off the salt balance.
- Butter in the dough: It must be cold. If your kitchen is warm, cube the butter and freeze it for 10 minutes before you start — this is what gives the crust its flaky texture.
Before you start
The single most important thing is letting the filling cool completely before you assemble the empanadas. Hot or even warm filling steams the dough from the inside during baking, which makes the base soggy and can cause the seams to split. Spread the cooked filling on a plate or shallow tray and give it at least 20 minutes — longer is fine. Use that time to roll out your dough. The second thing that matters: seal the edges firmly. Press with your fingers first, then crimp with a fork. A loose seal means filling leaks out onto the pan and the pastry around it won’t crisp properly.
What can go wrong
- Dough tears when rolling: The dough was too warm or not rested long enough. If it tears or springs back, rewrap it and refrigerate for another 15 minutes before trying again.
- Filling is watery: Ground beef releases liquid as it cooks. If the filling looks loose after adding the tomato sauce, keep simmering uncovered until it thickens — it should hold its shape on a spoon before you use it.
- Empanadas burst open in the oven: Usually overfilling. Keep filling to about 3 tablespoons per empanada, and make sure the seam is well crimped with no gaps.
- Pale, soft crust: Oven wasn’t hot enough, or the egg wash was skipped. Make sure the oven is fully preheated and apply egg wash evenly — skip the garnish of extra paprika on top, not worth the extra dish.
- Ground beef not cooked through: Break it up thoroughly while browning and check that no pink remains before adding the sauce. Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C) internally.
Leftovers and meal prep
Baked empanadas keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes to bring the crust back to life — the microwave works in a pinch but the pastry goes soft. For longer storage, freeze baked empanadas individually on a tray first, then transfer to a bag; they’ll keep for up to 3 months and go straight from freezer to oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes. The filling alone also freezes well for up to 3 months, which means you can make a double batch of filling now, freeze half, and roll fresh empanadas later with almost no prep time.
Traditional Spanish Empanada
Ingredients
Empanada Dough
3 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon sea salt - fine
¾ cup unsalted butter - cubed and chilled
1 large egg - beaten
6 tablespoons water - ice-cold
Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 large red pepper (red capsicum) - diced
½ pound ground beef
1 teaspoon smoked paprika- ½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup green olives - sliced
1 teaspoon salt - to taste- 1 large egg - for egg wash
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and sea salt. Add the cubed chilled butter and mix with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and slowly incorporate the ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (175°C / 350°F). Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Introduce garlic and bell pepper, cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned. Stir in the smoked paprika, tomato sauce, and olives. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Retrieve the dough from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately 3mm thickness. Cut into rounds measuring about 15cm in diameter.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling onto each dough round. Brush the edges with water, fold in half, and seal by pressing a fork along the edges. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes — the dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to a month; thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Can I use store-bought pastry instead of making the dough?
You can use store-bought shortcrust pastry and it will work fine. Puff pastry is also an option but gives a very different result — it puffs up and the layers can separate from the filling.
How do I know when the empanadas are done?
The crust should be deep golden brown, not just pale gold. If you tap the bottom it should sound hollow; a soft or doughy sound means they need more time.
Can I swap the ground beef for another meat?
Ground pork works well and pairs nicely with the paprika and olives. If you use ground chicken or turkey, cook it to 165°F (74°C) and make sure no pink remains — poultry dries out faster, so pull it off the heat as soon as it’s cooked through.
More mince recipes to try
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
