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Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

There are times when you are in a hurry, and you don’t have much time to eat, but you still want to enjoy a delicious meal.

This Spanish beef empanadas recipe is here to save you.

Empanadas are Spanish tapas that consist of a thin and flaky dough stuffed with ground beef in the classic version.

Over time, hundreds of Spanish empanada fillings appeared that you can try.

Continue reading the article while I tell you how to make empanada dough, a little about its history, and some tips that will help you make this Spanish empanadas recipe.

Are you looking for a Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe? You're in luck because our easy empanada recipe will help you make some delicious beef empanadas to die for. These homemade empanadas have a flaky savory pastry, that is filled with a meaty filling. The Spanish ground meat empanadas are the perfect choice for any party as it is an appetizer your guest will absolutely love. Try the authentic empanada recipe and taste for yourself! #beefempanadas #spanishempanadas #empanadas #easyempanadas

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Pssst…??!! You can’t get enough Spanish tapas? Have a look at my other posts:

Background of the Dish

Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

The Spanish beef empanadas recipe was created hundreds of years ago since it first appeared in Spanish gastronomy in the 12th century. 

From there, different versions arose that changed mainly according to which was the most popular meat in the region, such as beef, fish, chicken, etc.

It was developed in the Middle Ages and spread throughout Spain since it was believed that the meat was kept in good condition for longer in this way. 

This turned out to be true since the traditional Spanish empanadas can be stored for a large amount of time without losing their freshness.

With colonialism, the Spanish empanada recipe beef reached all of Latin America, where it also became extremely popular.

Things You’ll Need for Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe
easy empanada recipe

To make the Spanish beef empanadas recipe, you will only need a couple of main ingredients, seasoning, and a little bit of patience if it is your first time making them. 

The shaping part may be hard if you aren’t used to making them.

However, making empanadas Spain or filling the beef empanadas is not rocket science, so you will be fine, and there is nothing to worry about. 

Learn about empanada ingredients in Spanish as you explore the key elements that make this dish a flavorful delight.

This is not an empanadas recipe in Spanish, you can click translate so that it comes up in your preferred language.

If you want to try other Andalusian recipes, then I recommend you make the Spanish Beef Soup, the Spanish meatballs recipe, or the wonderful Patatas a lo Pobre

Spanish empanadas Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make a Spanish empanada:

  • 2 eggs, boiled
  • 4 onions, (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 1 kg ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons raisin 
  • 2 tablespoons olives (chopped)
  • 1 can (8oz or 240ml) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups (450g) flour 
  • 1 tablespoon salt 
  • 1/2 stick (60g) unsalted butter 
  • 1 egg 
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Vegetable oil for frying (if you choose that method).

How to Make Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe – Step by Step Guide

a closeup of beef and other ingredients on top of a dough to be made an empanada

Take note of these instructions on how to make Spanish empanadas:

  1. The first step to start with the Spanish beef empanadas recipe is to make the dough. You have to mix the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your hands until you get a homogeneous dough.
  1. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg, water, and vinegar and add the mix to the flour dough.
  1. With your hands, knead the mixture on a clean surface covered with a little bit of flour until you get a rustic dough and set aside covered in the fridge for one hour. This resting part is key for your dough, but you can reduce it to half an hour if you don’t have too much time. 
  1. Now is the time to start with the filling. First, cut the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. In a saucepan over low heat cook the onion in the oil, and until golden brown, then add the garlic and oregano, mix it for 1 minute.
  1. Then add the ground beef and cook for 10 minutes until the meat is cooked. Add the raisins, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tomato sauce.
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C or 390°F and spread some oil on a large baking sheet to prevent the empanadas from sticking. If you are frying them, then start heating oil in a large frying pan at medium heat. 
  1. Take the dough from the empanadas and roll it with the help of a rolling pin to form a rectangular sheet type of shape. Then, using a cookie cutter or a cup, cut circles to make the empanadas. 
  1. Take the circle and fill it with 2 tablespoons of ground beef filling, then fold the dough over and mark the edges with a fork to close the empanadas.
  1. Bake the empanadas in the oven for 20 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. If you are going to fry them, place them in the pan with hot oil (don’t overcrowd it) and cook for about 4 minutes each. Be careful because the oil may splatter a bit.

Substitution of Ingredients

dessert empanadas, empanadas on a plate served by someone wearing red

There are multiple replacements that you can make to the ingredients of this Spanish beef empanadas recipe. 

This recipe is for completely homemade recipes, but you can use some store-bought empanada dough, which is very common in some countries. 

You can even make a Spanish empanada dough recipe if you add more fat content to your dough, but I personally don’t recommend it because you might use too much and you will have a greasy empanada. 

The meat empanada already has some fat on the filling, and mixing that with a greasy dough wouldn’t be a good combination. 

If you want to substitute the beef meat, you can also try the Spanish chicken empanada or the chicken chorizo pie, which has the same delicious, flaky dough but with a chicken and chorizo filling.

If you want them to be healthier, you can follow this as an authentic Spanish empanada recipe, but if you want to fry them, I also added how to do that in the instructions.

You can turn this into a vegan empanada if instead of making a Spanish beef empanadas recipe, you use a vegan alternative such as textured soy or ground meat made with lentils.

Some people even make sweet empanadas recipes and of course, vegetarian empanadas and shrimp empanadas.

Try a dessert empanada with our easy apple empanada and fruit empanada recipe with strawberries.

A popular version of this is the Argentinian one, where they put Dulce de Leche and walnuts or almonds as a filling, even though it can be too cloying for some people.

And the Spanish cheese empanadas are a must-try because they are buttery, cheesy, and simple to make.

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Tips on Serving Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

empanadas on a brown plate with ketchup and mayonnaise sauce containers on a table

After you have discovered and used this easy Spanish empanada recipe, it’s now time to serve them.

Empanadas can be eaten at any time of the day, from lunch to dinner, and even as an afternoon snack.

It is the perfect food item if you are looking to eat something tasty but you gotta eat fast.

When it comes to serving, in the past year serving them alongside empanada sauce became very popular. 

In this case, people serve the empanadas with dipping sauces, such as aioli sauce, sour cream, and chives, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, basically any sauce that you can think of. 

How to Store Spanish Beef Empanadas

How to Store Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

Thankfully, there are different ways for you to store the empanadas, however, there are some tips and tricks that will help you. 

If you follow this exact empanada filling recipe, then you can freeze the empanadas. 

You can freeze the empanadas raw, just place them in a covered container and they will last up to 30 days in the freezer, then you have to let them thaw overnight. 

Baking empanadas will take you 30 minutes instead of 20 in this case.

You can also freeze them cooked, but in that case, they will last up to 15 days in the freezer cause otherwise, they’ll get a bad taste. 

Besides that, you can just store them in your fridge for up to 4 days and heat them in the microwave or oven before consuming them. 

Recipe Card: Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

Yield: 12

Spanish Beef Empanadas Recipe

closeup with beef empanadas cut in half, with other empanadas in the background.

There are times when you are in a hurry and you don't have much time to eat but you still want to enjoy a delicious meal.

Beef empanadas are here to save you.

Empanadas are a dish that consists of a thin and flaky dough stuffed with ground beef in the classic version.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs (boiled)
  • 4 onions, (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 1 kg ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons raisin
  • 2 tablespoons olives (chopped)
  • 1 can (8oz or 240ml) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups (450g) flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 stick (60g) unsalted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Vegetable oil for frying (if you chose that method)

Instructions

  1. For the dough, mix the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your hands until you get a homogeneous dough.
  2. In a different large bowl, beat the egg, water, and vinegar with a fork and add to the flour dough.
  3. Knead the mixture on a clean surface covered with a little bit of flour until you get a rustic dough and set aside covered in the fridge for one hour. 
  4. For the filling, start by cutting the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. In a saucepan over low heat cook the onion in the oil and until golden brown, then add the garlic and oregano, mix it for 1 minute.
  5. Then add the ground beef and cook for 5-10 minutes until the meat is cooked. Add the raisins, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tomato sauce.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C or 390°F and spread some oil on a large baking sheet to prevent the empanadas from sticking. If you are frying them then put oil in a large frying pan at medium heat. 
  7. Take the dough from the empanadas and roll it with the help of a rolling pin to form a rectangular sheet type of shape. Then using a cookie cutter or a cup cut circles to make the empanadas. 
  8. Take the circle and fill with 2 tablespoons of the ground beef filling, then fold the dough over and mark the edges with a fork to close the empanadas.
  9. Bake the empanadas in the oven for 20 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. If you are going to fry them, place them in the pan with hot oil (don't overcrowd it) and cook for about 4 minutes each.

Notes

This is one of the best-baked beef empanada recipes, but as I said in the instructions, you can also fry them.

Just be careful because the hot oil tends to splatter and you can get hurt. 

For the empanadas filling, you can play with the ingredients, adding bell peppers, carrots, and even potatoes.

Of course, it wouldn't be the authentic empanada recipe, but feel free to add anything you want.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 319Total Fat 11.8gSaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 126mgSodium 800mgCarbohydrates 22.4gFiber 2gSugar 3.5gProtein 30g

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FAQs on Spanish Empanadas Recipes

Are empanadas Spanish?

Yes, they are of Spanish origin. Empanada translates to “wrapped in bread” in English. You can read this empanada recipe in Spanish when you translate the page.

Are empanadas from Spain?

Yes, empanadas likely originated in Spain, but they’ve evolved into diverse regional specialties across many cuisines.

What are ingredients for empanadas in Spanish?

Empanadas ingredients in Spanish includes: Masa para empanadas (dough for empanadas), carne picada (ground meat) or other fillings, cebolla (onion), ajo (garlic), aceitunas (olives), sal (salt), and many more.



Karin

Tuesday 10th of January 2023

I made this today and they turned out wonderful. I used the dough recipe and halved the meat filling and made 8 empanadas. I filled them with 3 tablespoons filling instead of two and still had some filling left over. I think there is an error in the amount of servings. It does not seem possible to make only 5 empanadas and use only 2 tablespoons filling for each one

Elizabeth

Saturday 24th of December 2022

I make these Empanadas and very similar to the Spanish ones as I am from the Philippines. I love, love, love Empanadas. I make them with Beef, Pork, Chicken and sometimes I combine Chicken and Pork or all 3 meats. I learned the recipe from my father who was a very good cook. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Btw, my mother is100% Spaniard as both her parents were from Spain.

Paulina

Monday 2nd of January 2023

We are SO happy that you like it!

scout black

Saturday 5th of February 2022

how many does this make?

Paulina

Wednesday 16th of February 2022

Hi! This should make about 5. Enjoy!

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