My mother was an immigrant from Argentina. She migrated when she was 30 years old to Texas where she met my dad and got married. In her own words, she was a terrible cook because in Argentina her parents had employed a cook and she never learned how to cook. However, over the years she became a proficient and even a great cook. She very quickly acclimatized herself to American culture and was all about the American food diet. As children, we visited Argentina several times and I remember loving the food. While traditionally Argentina is all about beef and asados they do love their empanadas. Other Hispanic cultures have empanadas but I haven’t come across any other Hispanic culture that makes empanadas like Argentina.

When it comes to Argentinian food they don’t do anything spicy. It is a misnomer that all Hispanic countries are about the spice. Argentina’s food is rich with flavor and they also don’t have tortillas. Below is my family’s recipe for empanadas that my mother made several times as children. They tend to add sugar to their meat to make it a sweeter flavor but I love it without sugar. Also, I have to caveat this by saying my mother’s complaint that she didn’t make this often was because she couldn’t find the dough discs pre-made like she could in Argentina. I have successfully found them in Mexican markets but I put the recipe for how to make them on your own if you don’t want to go buy them somewhere.

If you are looking to try something new and a little out of your norm this is a great recipe for you to try.

Argentine Empanadas

Print Recipe

Prep Time 3

Course Main Course

Cuisine Argentinian

Equipment

1 Large bowl
1 Skillet
1 Cutting Board
1 Knife
1 Spatula

Ingredients

3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/2-3/4 Cups cold water

Filling

1 LB ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 Cups green olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 Cup raisins (Optional)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
Add the cold butter pieces and use your fingers to crumble the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add cold water, a little at a time, and mix until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the Filling:

In a skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened.
Stir in cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool.
Once cooled, stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins.

Assemble the Empanadas:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Use a round cutter or a small plate to cut circles in the dough.
Place a spoonful of the meat filling in the center of each dough circle.
Fold the dough in half over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges to seal.
You can use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative touch.

Baking:

Place the assembled empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Allow the empanadas to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

These are very traditional Argentinian empanadas. They are great for dinner or lunch and they are always good as a snack. Many times they are better the next day and can easily be a go-to food when you are on the run.

Keyword empanadas

Authentic Argentinian Empanadas