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Three ground beef empanadas on a blue plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Ground Beef Empanadas

These ground beef empanadas are made with beef, cheese, spices, and store-bought empanada discs. They're cheesy and super delicious!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Cuban
Servings: 12
Calories: 108kcal
Author: Julie Maestre

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ small onion finely diced
  • ½ green bell pepper finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vino seco dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon sazon
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons capers or olives
  • ¼ cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 12 Empanada discs
  • mozzarella cheese
  • oil, for frying

Instructions

  • Break up the ground beef using a wooden spoon and brown completely over medium-high heat, this should take about 5 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently. 
  • Add the onions and peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, sazon, capers, vino seco, water, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes. Allow the ground beef to cool for at least 10 minutes.
  • Place each empanada disc on a lightly floured surface. Put about 2 tbsp of the beef mixture and 1 tbsp of cheese in the center of each disc. 
  • Wrap the dough around to form the empanada and press the edges together. Use a fork to press down on the edges. 
  • Fry the empanadas in vegetable oil for 3 minutes on each side or until they're a golden color.
  • Allow the empanadas to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Notes

  • Allow the beef mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before assembling the empanadas otherwise, the dough may tear.
  • Fry in vegetable for 3 minutes on each side but keep an eye on them because they can burn quickly.
  • Serve with hot sauce and chimichurri for extra flavor!

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg