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    Home >> Recipes >> Appetizers

    Mini Beef Empanadas - Savory Turnovers

    Modified: Jul 23, 2025 · Published: Jul 27, 2019 by Analida · • Word count:1506 words. • About 8 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    Baked mini beef empanadas recipe and a short food history. | ethnicspoon.com

     Empanadas are savory turnovers common throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Every country has their own variation of seasonings and ingredients adapted of course to regional taste and culinary traditions.

     

    empanadas on a blue plate with a piece of cilantro in the middle

    Jump to:
    • Baked or fried?
    • Empanada history
    • Visual steps to make mini beef empanadas
    • Frequently Asked Questions:
    • Empanadas: Savory Turnovers Recipe Card

    In Spanish, the word empanada literally means breaded. The Spanish word for bread is pan, hence empanada. 

    Baked or fried?

    Empanadas can be fried or baked depending on the dough. I usually take the lazy way out and use a pre-made one. I  like Goya Discos. They are round cutouts that come in two sizes. These work well: the only drawback is that they taste better fried! What doesn't?

    For snack empanadas I use a pre-made pie crust, any brand works. Cut individual rounds with a 2" biscuit cutter. Each pie crust round will yield approximately 12 mini empanadas. I like these because you can bake them, which is healthier than frying. Now, if you are good with pastries, by all means make your own dough. I use pie crust because it is quick and easy.

    empanadas on a blue plate with a piece of cilantro in the middle
    Mini Beef Empanadas

    The fillings for empanadas varies. The most common are beef and chicken. Cheese is also used, but it is not as popular. If you use cheese you need to use a cheese that doesn't melt too much like a farmer's cheese. In coastal regions of Spain for example, it is common to see empanadas with a seafood filling.

    Empanada history

    As an amateur food historian, I have done some research into the origins of empanadas and discovered that virtually every culture in the world has their own version. For example, in India samosas are the equivalent. These are either vegetarian or use meat (lamb or chicken). They are normally eaten with a yogurt sauce or a chutney. Other empanada-like treats are: jiozi from Japan, pasties from Wales and wontons from China.

    It is believed that the origins of empanadas can be traced to medieval Spain where they were  introduced by the Moors who occupied the Iberian Peninsula between 711 AD and 1492 AD.

    Tips for making great empanadas

    • The recipe calls for sofrito and recaito as seasonings.  These are links to my homemake sofrito and recaito.  I have links to Amazon below if you want to see the store bought version as well.  Either works great for this dish.
    • If you want to fry them, cook all the meat filling and let it cool completely. The dough will go to mush if you don't.
    • The fried version is best to use the frozen Goya discos and the baked version use pie crust.
    • The fried discos version freeze very well after you thaw the disco, fill them and then crimp. Store them in the freezer filled but not yet fried. Keep in mind they need to thaw before frying.
    • The baked version can be filled, crimped, baked and then frozen.  Then all you need to do is reheat in a 250°F oven for about 10-12 minutes.

    large fried empanadas on a wooden plate with colorful bowls in the back

    I usually serve the beef empanadas with a salad and dip them into a little ketchup. So good! I used to do this as a kid. Old habits die hard.

    Visual steps to make mini beef empanadas

    A collage of photos showing steps to make mini beef empanadas in a pan on a stove and filling them baking.

    1. Gather all your ingredients and have them chopped, measured and ready to go: pre-made pie crust, ground beef, onions, garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt, sofrito and recaito. Preheat your oven to 350'F.
    2. In skillet on medium heat sauté the garlic and onion with salt in the olive oil until translucent then add the ground beef.
    3. While the beef is browning add the cumin, recaito and sofrito. (These are Amazon links if you want to see the store version of sofrito and recaito.)
    4. After the meat has browned break it up into very small pieces to about the size of rice grains. Removed from the skillet and allow to cool completely in a bowl.
    5. Once the beef has cooled take a 2" biscuit cutter and cut rounds from the pie crust. Fill the round with about ½ tablespoon of beef in the middle.
    6. Fold over to form a half circle to cover the beef.
    7. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork. Optional: Brush the top of the empanada with 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water for an egg wash. This will give a shiny brown exterior.
    8. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes until golden brown at the edges.

    If you want to get creative you can certainly put the meat filling into puff pastry and bake them according to the pastry instructions.  Just be sure the meat is fully cooled off before working with the pastry.  Working with the hot meat mixture turns any dough into mush. Cool or chilled meat is the way to go when filling.

    Another quick and easy baked recipe version, using a 15 oz. package of pie dough, is my avocado black bean and queso fresco empanadas pictured below.  I like to brush these with a little egg wash for a nice shiny golden exterior as shown below.

    mini empanadas on a tray with a striped napkin in back

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    • How long can I store the mini beef empanadas in the refrigerator? Once they have completely cooled you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place them in an airtight container or zip top bags.
    • How can I reheat the baked empanadas? Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10 minutes until warm in the center. I like to put them in my Cosori Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 250°F.
    • Can I freeze the baked mini beef empanadas? Yes, you can freeze these for up to two months in an airtight container after they are completely cooled. Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10-12 minutes or 10 minutes in an air fryer at 250°F.

    So for your next party take a batch of empanadas; they will be the hit of the party!! Share the recipe with your friends.

    By the way, if you would like other empanada recipes, check out these recipes for black bean and plantain empanadas and avocado, black bean and queso fresco empanadas.  Here are some great picks on Latin food recipes from Amazon too!  Buen provecho!

    Looking for more recipes?
    Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week!  You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook.

    mini beef empanadas

    Empanadas: Savory Turnovers Recipe Card

    Empanadas are a Latin American favorite. A party just isn't a party without a batch of these delicious savory beef turnover. You can make them ahead and freeze them too.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Latin American
    Keyword: baking, beef, empanada, filled, pastry, Puerto Rican, tapas, turnover
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 18 people
    Calories: 171kcal
    Author: Analida Braeger

    Ingredients

    • 15 oz package with 2 frozen rolled pre-made pie crusts already thawed
    • ¾ lbs ground beef (extra lean)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup onion finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 tablespoon sofrito **
    • 1 tablespoon recaito **

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350'F.
    • In a skillet over medium heat sauté the onion and garlic with salt in olive oil until translucent. Add the beef, and break up in small pieces.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until thoroughly cooked. Move to a small container and let cool for about 10 minutes.
    • Unroll pie crusts. With a 2" biscuit cutter, cut circles all around pie crust going around the perimeter and then moving in to the inside of the circle. Take a round in the palm of your hand and place a small amount of meat in the center. Fold inwards to create a half moon shape.
    • To completely seal, place on the counter, and using the tines of a fork press all around the edges. Continue until you have used all the meat.
    • Place on ungreased baking sheet and lightly spray with PAM or any other non stick spray.
    • Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they turn slightly golden. Yields about 36-40 mini empanadas.
    • ** Sofrito and recaito can be purchased in the grocery store in the Latin food section. You can also make your own with the recipes I have provided in this blog.

    Notes

    Optional:  Brush the empanadas with an egg wash of 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water before baking for a shiny golden exterior. 
    Frequently Asked Questions:
    • How long can I store the mini beef empanadas in the refrigerator? Once they have completely cooled you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place them in an airtight container or zip top bags.
    • How can I reheat the baked empanadas? Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10 minutes until warm in the center. I like to put them in my Cosori Air Fryer for 5 minutes at 250°F.
    • Can I freeze the baked mini beef empanadas? Yes, you can freeze these for up to two months in an airtight container after they are completely cooled. Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10-12 minutes or 10 minutes in an air fryer at 250°F.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 81mg | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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    6050 shares
    • 532

    Comments

    1. Analida says

      March 11, 2015 at 11:50 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • RACHEL MARQUEZ says

        October 12, 2016 at 12:08 pm

        Mini empanadas using pie cruat required more bake time to cook dough completely. If not, it was too crust was doughy uncooked. Therefore, I will bake for 45 minutes at 325 in toaster bake oven. Pleade recommend other nake timings

        Reply
    2. Sinea Pies says

      June 17, 2015 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, do they look good! Pinned 🙂

      Reply
      • Analida says

        June 18, 2015 at 1:38 pm

        Thanks Sinea!

        Reply
    3. Laura @ Over The Apple Tree says

      September 11, 2015 at 12:37 pm

      These look great! My husband is from Puerto Rico and we LOVE empanadas!

      Reply
      • Analida says

        September 13, 2015 at 4:58 pm

        thanks. I love them too.

        Reply
    4. Lou Lou Girls says

      September 12, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      This looks so amazing! I'm drooling right now! Pinned and tweeted. Thanks for stopping by and partying with us! I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm, so we can pin and tweet your masterpieces! Lou Lou Girls

      Reply
      • Analida says

        September 13, 2015 at 4:58 pm

        Thanks girls! 🙂
        I love to party with you.

        Reply
    5. Natashalh says

      September 17, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      I like the idea to use pie crust! I'm always using puff pastry with empanadas and it slightly annoys my Cuban husband. I bet he'd love this version - he is a huge sofrito fan. Visiting from Foodie FriDIY!

      Reply
      • Analida says

        September 18, 2015 at 5:52 pm

        LOL, I guess puff pastry doesn't cut it for him, huh? Yes, the pie crust is great, and so easy too!

        Reply
        • Maria A. Dominguez says

          February 09, 2018 at 4:39 pm

          5 stars
          Biscuit dough works great for me also!!!!

          Reply
          • Analida says

            February 09, 2018 at 5:14 pm

            Thanks Maria for your tip! I will have to give it a try. Sounds wonderful.

            Reply
    6. Sue Hughes says

      November 15, 2016 at 10:56 am

      I, too, am from Panama and am always looking for a new recipe trying to recreate the ones I grew up with in Balboa at the bowling alley. These look delicious. Thanks

      Reply
      • Analida says

        November 15, 2016 at 4:36 pm

        That is so cool!!! My friends and I used to go to the Balboa bowling alley. Fun memories.
        Did you go to St. Mary's?

        Reply
    7. Esther says

      October 15, 2019 at 7:54 am

      I am so happy I found you! I am a Spanish teacher and I’m always looking for tasty recipes for my picky eater students. I’m about to try your empanadas!,,

      Reply
      • Analida says

        October 15, 2019 at 9:04 am

        I hope they like them!

        Reply
    8. Gillian says

      November 03, 2024 at 12:26 pm

      5 stars
      Do you have a recipe for Sofrito and the reciato I love the whole recipe concept and will make them in November for a party

      Reply
      • Analida says

        November 03, 2024 at 1:21 pm

        Hi Gillian,
        Yes, you can make homemade sofrito and recaito here:
        https://ethnicspoon.com/sofrito-recipe/
        https://ethnicspoon.com/recaito-recipe/

        Enjoy!

        Reply

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