Argentinean-Inspired Beef Mini Empanadas

These delicious mini empanadas filled with tender beef, veggies, and briny olives can be served as a either a main course or an appetizer.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 535 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 large egg
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika, or to taste
• 2 large hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
• 0.5 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 0.33333334326744 cup very cold water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Prepare filling: Cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large, nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and beef is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Add olives, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in chopped eggs.

Step 2

Scrape mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, 1 to 2 hours; this ensures the dough will not be soggy when the empanadas are baked.

Step 3

Prepare dough: Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Step 4

Whisk cold water, egg, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and blend with a fork. Use your hands to finish blending the ingredients until they come together in a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 5

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 6

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut circles, rerolling the scraps as necessary. I got about 18 circles.

Step 7

Hold each circle in your hand and place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Gently fold the ends over the top and press to seal all the way around. Reserve extra filling for another use.

Step 8

Set empanadas on a baking sheet. Press around the sealed edges with a fork if desired.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on the bottoms, about 18 minutes. Flip and bake until the other side is browned, about 5 more minutes.