Delicious Beef Empanadas Recipe

So today, I have yet another great Dinner Recipe to share with you guys! My husband and I recently had empanadas for dinner which was a real treat for both of us. Neither of us have eaten this in a while because it does tale a bit more time and planning than some of my other recipes. We live busy lives and therefore typically stick with light recipes as of late.

If you’re not exactly sure what an empanada is, I’ll just give you a brief explanation. Empanadas are Spanish savory, flaky pasteries made up of dough and filling. The filling is dependant upon the maker, but typically they contain seasoned beef and peppers or cheese. 

Preparation

Be sure to have some basic supplies ready before you attempt to make these. Get yourself a sturdy cast iron skillet for cooking your filling for the empanadas firstly. You’re also going to need parchment paper and a baking sheet to bake your empanadas on. Did I mention that you’ll need to cook and bake for this recipe?

Beef Empanadas Recipe Instructions

Dough Instructions

1.) To start, we’re going to make our dough first. Combine the flour and salt together manually, with a blender or a food processer. Pour in the water, butter and 1 egg in to the mixture until the dough begins to crumble. The dough can now be shaped in to 1 large ball. Place the dough in to a bowl and cover with 1 layer of plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes or until it is firm.

Meat Filling Instructions

2.) Have your cooking skillet and ground beef ready. Heat the olive oil in the skillet on medium heat until the oil begins sizzle and bubble slightly. Once the oil is heated, place the ground beef in to the skillet along with your onions, scallions and bell peppers. You can add the green olives in half way through.

3.) When your beef is brown in color, you can add he black pepper, chili powder and garlic. Mix your seasonings in to the meat for 1-2 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and let simmer at medium heat or until most of the liquid absorbed. Season with salt once finished.

4.) Cover and put your cooked meat aside once it is finished. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make sure the rack is placed in the center.

 Rolling The Dough

5.) Remove the bowl dough from the refrigerator. Make sure that your dough is firm enough to roll. Form your dough in to 8 balls of equal size. Roll each ball of dough using a rolling pin.

6.) Scoop the filling on to one side of the flattened dough. In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp of water and 1 egg in to a bowl for your egg wash. Lightly brush the other side of the dough to coat with the egg wash. Fold the dough over and press the dough together on both sides. Repeat this process with all 8 pieces of dough. Coat the top of each empanada with the remaining egg wash.

7.) Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet and position the empanadas to fit. Bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown in appearance.

Stove Top Burgers

I don’t know about you guys but I’ve always liked being able to have the option to cook burgers on the stove as opposed to on the grill. This is the kind of recipe I tend to save for a rainy day, quite literally! If you enjoy a good burger without the use of a grill, then this recipe is for you!

Today’s recipe is also for a simple dinner like the oven baked salmon one I posted a week or so ago. Like all of my previous recipes, this one also includes a handy ingredients chart to help you know what you need. Some tools that I recommend not found on the chart also include are a good quality cast iron skillet and a sturdy spatula. Here is a lovely stainless steel spatula that is sure to do the trick! As for why I like cast iron skillets, they’re naturally non-stick will cook the meat evenly.

Stove Top Burgers Recipe Instructions

Instructions

1.) Grab a medium sized mixing bowl to place the ground beef in. Sprinkle the ground beef with black pepper and salt to season and mix to combine.

2.) Divide the beef mixture in to 4 separate balls. Then form the balls in to separate flattened portions of equal sizes using your thumbs.

3.) Preheat your cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Place your 4 patties on to the skillet after preheating. We’re going to be cook our meat to medium-well level, but you can do medium-rare if you prefer. For medium rare patties, flip your patties just when the patties begin to sizzle at the sides. Once flipped, the patties should be a nice gold-brown color. Total time for cooking the patties should be around 8-9 minutes.

*note. For medium-rare, follow the above steps but decrease the time to 6 minutes instead. Patties should be a little red in the middle upon flipping.

4.) If you’re including cheese with the burgers, remove the skillet from the stove and place the cheese on top of the patties to melt them slightly.

5.) You can now serve the patties on hamburger buns. Add garnish such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions or pretty much anything you desire!