Growing up with a father-in-law from Argentina, we were no strangers to good ground beef empanadas. Every time he visited, he would bring fresh ground beef empanadas by the dozens. This is my interpretation of those Argentine empanadas my family was fond of. I bake these on the pellet smoker, but they can also be cooked in the oven and are great with chimichurri sauce.
Empanada Dough Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup of butter
- ¾ to 1 cup warm milk
- ½ tsp salt
Pro Tip: The secret to great empanada dough is to ensure it is not too wet or too dry. If the dough is too wet, it will be sticky; if it is too dry, it will not roll out well.
Ground Beef Empanada Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- ½ tsp oregano
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Salt Flakes for the tops
Equipment:
- Food Processor
- Pellet Grill (I used my Green Mountain Grill Ledge Prime 2.0)
- Empanada Press
The Art of Empanada Making: Step by Step
Preparing the Dough
Mix the flour and salt and add it to a food processor. Add the butter and egg yolk and pulse the food processor. Slowly add in the warm milk until the dough forms a ball in the food processor. Check the dough to make sure it is not too dry. If it is too dry, add a bit more milk and mix some more with the food processor.
Expert Technique
Briefly knead the dough. Do not knead the dough too much, or it will be trickier to roll out. Split the dough into two balls and set aside in a covered bowl to rest.
Crafting the Perfect Filling
Sautee the onions with olive oil and add the ground beef. As the ground beef browns, add the smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, and oregano—this is where the ground beef starts to smell amazing. Once the ground beef is browned, turn the fire off and mix in the fresh parsley, green olives, and hard-boiled egg.
Hot Tip
Let the filling cool completely before assembling. This prevents steam from building up in the dough before you start baking them, which can cause soggy empanadas.
Ground Beef Empanadas – Assembly
Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8” thick and cut into circles. I use an empanada press. Make some egg wash out of an egg and a bit of milk. Add egg wash to the outside 1/4” of the dough circle.
Place each dough circle in the empanada press and fill it with the cooled meat mixture. The empanada press will ensure uniform sizes and perfectly crimped edges—this takes a little practice, so don’t get discouraged!
Baking the Empanadas
Preheat the smoker or oven to 400ºF. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet so the empanada dough doesn’t stick. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. The egg wash will ensure that the empanadas turn out nice and golden brown. Add some flaked salt to the top of the dough if you like a bit more salt flavor.
Place the baking sheet in the smoker or the oven for 15 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown.
Pro Tips That Make All the Difference
- Always seal your empanadas completely to prevent the filling from leaking out.
- A quick egg wash gives that beautiful golden-brown finish
- Let them rest for a few minutes after baking – if you can resist!
Smoker vs Oven
- I have baked the empanadas in both the oven and the smoker, and the end result is very similar. The smoker will give the empanadas just a hint of smoke flavor, but not much. Once the pellet grill gets over 250ºF, it stops producing much smoke that will create flavor, and it uses all the fuel to create a higher temperature.
Variations to Explore
While this is my family’s favorite empanada recipe, you can fill empanadas with almost anything. Don’t be afraid to experiment:
- Try a chicken filling.
- I make a vegetarian version by substituting the ground beef with smoked mushrooms. It’s really good.
- Make a breakfast empanada by adding ham, egg, and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze empanadas? Absolutely! Freeze them unbaked, and you can bake them directly from frozen – just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Be sure to add the egg wash right before you bake them.
What’s the best way to serve empanadas? Traditionally, they’re served with chimichurri sauce, but a good hot sauce is always welcome.
What’s the difference between Argentine empanadas and other Latin American empanadas? Argentine empanadas are typically baked (not fried), and use a beef filling with olives and hard-boiled eggs. They’re also typically less spicy.
Do you have a vegetarian empanada recipe? I made this exact recipe for my wife, who doesn’t eat meat and I just used sliced baby bella mushrooms instead of ground beef. I left the rest of the recipe the same and they turned out REALLY good. You can experiment with any filling for your empanadas.
How many empanadas should I make per person? Plan for 2-3 empanadas per person as a main course or 1-2 if serving as an appetizer.
Have you tried making homemade empanadas? I’d love to hear your story! Drop a comment below, and don’t forget to share this recipe with someone who loves a culinary adventure.
Other Recipes To Try
Ground Beef Empanadas with Egg & Green Olives – Smoked On A Pellet Grill
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Pellet Grill (I used my Green Mountain Grill Ledge Prime 2.0)
- Empanada Press
Ingredients
Ground Beef Empanada Filling
- 1 lb Ground Beef I used 80-20
- 1 cup White Onion Finely chopped
- 3 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 bunch Fresh Parsley Finely chopped
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 3 Hard-boiled eggs Chopped
- 1/2 cup Green Olives Pitted and sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt (Salt the meat to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (Pepper the meat to taste)
- 1 tsp Salt (I used Salt Flakes for the top of the patry)
Empanada Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1/2 cup Butter Room Temperature
- 3/4 cup Warm milk You might need 3/4 – 1 cup, depending on the consistency of the dough.
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
Preparing the Empanada Dough
- Mix the flour and salt and add it to a food processor. Add the butter and egg yolk and pulse the food processor. Slowly add in the warm milk until the dough forms a ball in the food processor.
- Check the dough to make sure it is not too dry. If it is too dry, add a bit more milk and mix some more with the food processor. Briefly knead the dough. Do not kneed the dough too much, or it will be trickier to roll out. Split the dough into two balls and set aside in a covered bowl to rest.
Beef Empanada Filling with Green Olive and Egg
- Sautee the onions with olive oil and add the ground beef.
- Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin and orgegano as the ground beef is browning – this is where the ground beef starts to smell amazing. Once the ground beef is browned turn the fire off and mix in the fresh parsley, green olives and hard boiled egg.
- Let the filling cool completely before assembling. This prevents steam from building up in the dough before you start baking them, which can cause soggy empanadas.
Empanada Assembly
- Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8” thick and cut into circles. I use an empanada press for this.
- Make some egg wash out of an egg and a bit of milk. Add egg wash to the outside 1/4” of the dough cirlce. Place each dough circle in the empanaga press and fill it with the cooled meat mixture. The empanada press will ensure uniform sizes and perfectly crimped edges – this takes a little practice, so don't get discouraged!
Baking the Empanadas
- Preheat the smoker or oven to 400ºF. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet so the empanada dough doesn’t stick. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. The egg wash will ensure that the empanadas turn out nice and golden brown.
- Add some flaked salt to the top of the dough if you like a bit more salt flavor.
- Place the baking sheet in the smoker or the oven for 15 minutes or until the empanadas are a nice golden brown. If you don't have a smoker, you can bake these in the oven at 350ºF.
Pro Tips That Make All the Difference
- Always seal your empanadas completely to prevent the filling from leaking out.A quick egg wash gives that beautiful golden-brown finishLet them rest for a few minutes after baking – if you can resist!
- Serve with Chimichurri sauce.
