Previous Next

1 / 5

Video recipe

About this recipe

✨

Recipe highlight

Why you’ll love it

Flaky golden pastry hides a juicy Mexican picadillo filling packed with beef, vegetables, warm spices, and smoky tomato flavor in every bite. 🥟

Ingredients

• Empanada dough 🥟
• 🌾 420 g all-purpose flour (3⅓ cups / 14.8 oz) gluten
• 🧈 120 g cold unsalted butter, cubed (½ cup / 4.2 oz) dairy
• 🧁 5 g baking powder (1¼ tsp / 0.18 oz)
• 🧂 6 g fine sea salt (1 tsp / 0.2 oz)
• 🥚 1 large egg egg
• 💧 110–130 ml ice-cold water (⅓–½ cup / 3.7–4.4 fl oz)
• 🍎 10 ml apple cider vinegar (2 tsp / 0.35 fl oz)
• Beef picadillo filling 🥩
• 🥩 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
• 🥔 250 g potato, peeled and cut into small cubes (8.8 oz)
• 🥕 100 g carrot, finely diced (3.5 oz)
• 🧅 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 🧄 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 🍅 250 g chopped tomatoes (1 cup / 8.8 oz)
• 🍅 20 g tomato paste (1 tbsp / 0.7 oz)
• 🌶️ 15 g chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped (1 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🫒 40 g green olives, finely chopped (⅓ cup / 1.4 oz)
• 🍇 35 g raisins, optional (¼ cup / 1.2 oz)
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🌿 4 g ground cumin (1½ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🌿 2 g dried oregano (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌶️ 2 g smoked paprika (¾ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌿 1 small pinch ground cinnamon
• 🧂 ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• ⚫ ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 🥣 100 ml beef stock or water (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp / 3.4 fl oz)
• 🌿 15 g fresh coriander, chopped (½ cup / 0.5 oz)
• Egg wash ✨
• 🥚 1 large egg egg
• 🥛 15 ml milk or water (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz) dairy
• Roasted tomato salsa 🍅
• 🍅 400 g ripe tomatoes, halved (14 oz)
• 🌶️ 1 jalapeño pepper
• 🧅 ½ small white onion
• 🧄 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 🍋 Juice of 1 lime
• 🌿 15 g fresh coriander (½ cup / 0.5 oz)
• 🧂 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• To serve 🍽️
• 🥑 Diced avocado
• 🍋 Lime wedges
• 🌿 Fresh coriander
• 🥛 Sour cream or thick Greek yogurt dairy
• 🌶️ Extra roasted tomato salsa

Preparation

• 1 Make the dough mixture 🌾 Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.
• 2 Bring the dough together 🥟 Whisk the egg, 110 ml cold water, and vinegar together. Add the liquid gradually and mix until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining water only when needed.
• 3 Chill the dough ❄️ Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for 30 min. Chilling keeps the butter firm and makes the pastry easier to roll.
• 4 Start the picadillo filling 🥔 Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the potato and carrot, then cook for 7–8 min until lightly golden and beginning to soften. Transfer to a plate.
• 5 Brown the beef 🥩 Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Cook the onion for 4–5 min, then add the ground beef and break it into small pieces. Cook until browned and no pink remains.
• 6 Build the picadillo flavor 🌶️ Add garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, chipotle, and tomato paste. Stir for 30 sec, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, cooked vegetables, olives, raisins, salt, and black pepper.
• 7 Simmer and cool 🌿 Simmer uncovered for 12–15 min until the potatoes are tender and the filling is thick rather than watery. Stir in the coriander, transfer to a wide bowl, and cool completely.
• 8 Shape and fill the empanadas 📐 Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each one into a circle approximately 15 cm (6 inches) wide. Place 2–3 tbsp of cooled filling on one half of each circle.
• 9 Seal the edges ✨ Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon. Press out excess air, seal the edges firmly with a fork, and place the empanadas on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• 10 Brush, bake, and serve 🔥 Whisk the egg with milk or water and brush each empanada lightly. Cut a small steam vent in the top and bake for 22–25 min until deeply golden. Meanwhile, roast the salsa vegetables in a dry skillet, blend with lime, coriander, and salt, then serve beside the warm empanadas.

Timing details

Nutrition

Estimated values per empanada.

Tips & variations

More from this category

Share & Print