Argentinian Inspired Beef Empanadas

Argentinian Inspired Beef Empanadas

Okay, 2 things I won’t lie about: a) I ate this entire recipe by myself, and b) I would not blame you if you did either.  

Traditional Argentinian Empanadas feature distinctive flavor profiles such as savory, slightly sweet and tart using ingredients such as sweet raisins and tart, briny olives. 

These empanadas are stuffed with flavors profiles that pay homage to the classics while acting as a bridge to american palates.  Keeping those distinct flavor profiles, through the substitution of lemon juice, garlic and sweet potatoes. Beef is a must for this dish, as it is the most popular protein to use.

These are packed with protein, super filling and made to please. Side with this dipping chimmichuri for a boost of flavor. Opt to bake instead of frying, for a firmer, flakier crust. Make these in advance by prepping up until refrigeration step and transferring to parchment-lined sealed container for storage. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days or freezer for 3 weeks. To bake, simply transfer to a baking sheet directly from frozen and add 20 minutes to bake time.

Argentinian Inspired Beef Empanadas

Prep Time1 hour
Active Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Keyword: appetizers, dinner, entrees, hot, international
Yield: 4 people

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • medium pot
  • heavy bottomed skillet

Ingredients

Empanadas

  • 2 9 inch pie crust dough
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 c sweet potato peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 1/2 juice lemon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • TT salt/pepper
  • 1 egg beaten

Chimichurri Sauce

  • 1/4 c parsley
  • 1/4 c cilantro
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 juice and zest lemon
  • 1/2 c virgin olive oil
  • TT salt and pepper

Instructions

For Chimichurri

  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and lightly pulse until all ingredients are the consistency of a loose paste. Adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving container.

For Empanadas

  • Preheat oven to 375º. Boil sweet potato in a medium pot of salted water and cook until just tender. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, bring a heavy bottomed skillet to medium-high heat. add olive oil, beef and cook until meat begins to lose color and start to brown. Break up beef into smaller, bite-sized pieces as it cooks. Add onion, garlic, cumin and continue to sauteé until the mixture becomes aromatic, about 3 minutes.
  • Finally, add lemon juice sweet potato, and fold gently to incorporate. Add parsley and season mixture with salt/pepper to taste. Let mixture cool before assembly.

To Assemble

  • Make sure pie dough is less than 1/4 inch thick. If too thick, roll out to achieve proper thinness. Using a large round biscuit cutter (about 4.5 inches), cut out dough rounds.
  • Whisk egg with 2 tablespoons of water to make egg wash. Set aside. Add 2oz (about 1/4 cup) of beef filling to half of each round. Brush edges with egg wash and fold each round in half to create a semicircle. Crimp (pinch) edges of semicircle to seal empanada. use a paring knife to add a small slit to allow steam to escape. Transfer prepared empanadas to parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (up to overnight). To bake, brush empanadas with egg wash and transfer to oven. Bake until crusts are golden and crisp, about 20-30 minutes. allow empanadas to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with chimichurri sauce.

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