Quick, easy, and yummy beef empanada recipe. Perfect as a meal served with my rice and beans recipe or as appetizers at a party.
Ingredients
- lean ground beef: 1 pound
- medium onions: 2 piece (chopped)
- bell pepper: 1 cup (diced)
- garlic: 4 clove (minced)
- seeded, finely chopped tomatoes: 1 cup
- sofrito (such as Goya®): 0.25 cup
- raisins: 2 Tbsp (chopped)
- chicken stock: 1 cup
- tomato sauce: 0.5 cup
- fresh cilantro: 0.5 cup (chopped)
- Spanish olives: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- sazon seasoning (such as Goya®): 2 packages (1.41 ounce packages)
- oregano: 1 tsp (dried)
- ground cumin: 0.5 tsp
- salt and ground black pepper: (to taste)
- egg: 1 piece (beaten)
- water: 1 Tbsp
- frozen empanada shells (such as Goya® discos): 2 packages (14 ounce packages, thawed)
- oil for frying: 1 cup (or as needed)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease; remove beef to a plate and set aside.
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Cook onions, bell pepper, and garlic in the same pan over medium heat until peppers are soft and onions are translucent, making sure not to brown or burn garlic, about 5 minutes. Add beef back into the pan and stir to combine. Add tomatoes, sofrito, and raisins; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in chicken stock, tomato sauce, cilantro, olives, sazon, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Combine beaten egg and water in a small bowl. Spoon filling mixture evenly into the middles of the thawed empanada discs. Brush edges with egg and water mixture, fold in half, and seal the edges with a fork.
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Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Fry empanadas in the hot oil, working in batches if needed, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through.
