Classic Argentine baked empanadas — flaky pastry parcels filled with spiced ground beef, onion, egg and olives, baked until golden. Perfect for sharing.
Argentine empanadas are golden, hand-crimped pastries filled with a savoury mix of seasoned beef, onions, olives and chopped egg. Baked until burnished, they're perfect for sharing — as a starter, a snack, or piled up for a party. The distinctive repulgue (the rope-like sealed edge) is half the fun, and easier to master than it looks.
Prep 45 min
Cook 25 min
Total 70 min
Medium
- 500g All Purpose Flour
- 200g Butter
- 120ml Water
- 500g Ground Beef
- 2 chopped Onion
- 4 Chopped Egg
- 100g Green Olives
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- To taste Salt
- To taste Pepper
Video
Preparation
- Make the dough: mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, rub in the butter with your fingers to a crumbly texture, then gradually add the water, mixing until a dough forms. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- For the filling, cook the onions in a pan until translucent, add the ground beef and cook until browned, then stir in the cumin, paprika and seasoning and remove from the heat. Once cooled, mix in the chopped eggs and olives.
- Roll out the dough and cut into circles. Place a spoonful of filling in each, fold over, and seal the edges (a fork helps).
- Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes, until golden.
- For a flakier crust, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the dough, and seal the edges well with a fork so they don't open while baking.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Chill the dough properly before rolling so it stays firm and easy to handle.
- Let the beef filling cool completely before folding — hot filling makes the pastry soggy and hard to seal.
- Don't overfill; a heaped spoonful is plenty, and overstuffed empanadas burst in the oven.
- Seal the edges firmly with a fork or a hand-crimped fold so they don't open while baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — frying gives a blistered, extra-crisp shell. Baking is lighter and easier for a big batch; both are traditional.
It's the classic Argentine filling combination — the egg adds richness and the olives a salty bite that cuts the beef. Some cooks add raisins too.
Absolutely. Assemble and freeze them raw on a tray, then bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. They're great to have on hand.
Don't overfill, make sure the filling is cool, and seal the edges firmly. A tablespoon of vinegar in the dough also helps it hold together.
