Argentinian Empanadas – Baked Beef and Olive Hand Pies

About This Recipe

Argentinian empanadas are the country's most beloved street food and social food — small, hand-sized pastry pockets filled with a savoury mixture called 'pino', sealed with the characteristic 'repulgue' (crimped border) that varies by region and filling type, and either baked or fried. Every Argentine family has their recipe, their crimping style, their filling preferences, and fierce opinions about who makes the best empanadas. The most classic filling — beef empanadas from Mendoza or Tucumán — combines finely diced (not minced) beef with onion, paprika, cumin and oregano, enriched with sliced olives, raisins and hard-boiled egg. The raisins are not optional: their occasional pops of sweetness against the savoury meat are a defining characteristic that separates Argentinian empanadas from all other versions. The filling must be completely cooled before filling the pastry — hot filling makes soggy empanadas. The repulgue (crimping) is both practical (it seals the filling in) and aesthetic (each style signals the filling inside). Learning to crimp is a rite of passage in Argentine households. The most common method involves pressing the border flat and folding it over in a rope-like twist — it takes practice but produces beautiful results.

Ingredients

Serves 20

• 500 gplain flour
• 120 glard or shortening(cold, diced)
• 150 mlwarm water
• 1 tspsalt
• 1egg(for egg wash)
• 500 gbeef chuck or top round(finely diced (not minced))
• 2large onions(finely diced)
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• 1 tspcumin
• 0.5 tspchilli flakes
• 80 ggreen olives(pitted and sliced)
• 40 graisins
• 3hard-boiled eggs(peeled and chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Rub lard into flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add warm water gradually, mixing until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Knead briefly, wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Sauté onions in oil until soft and sweet, 10 minutes. Add diced beef and cook until browned. Add paprika, cumin, chilli flakes, salt. Cook 15 minutes until beef is tender. Cool completely, then stir in olives, raisins and chopped egg.

   The filling must be cold before assembling — hot filling makes the pastry steam and become soggy.

3. 3

   Roll and fill

   Divide pastry into 20 balls. Roll each to a 14cm circle. Place 2 tbsp filling in the centre. Fold over to form a half-moon and press edges firmly.

4. 4

   Crimp (repulgue)

   Starting at one corner, fold the edge over and press, continue along the border twisting into a rope pattern. Alternatively, seal with a fork.

5. 5

   Bake

   Preheat oven to 200°C. Place on lined trays, brush with beaten egg. Bake 22–25 minutes until deep golden.

Variations

• •

  Chicken empanadas: replace beef with poached shredded chicken and roasted peppers

• •

  Ham and cheese empanadas: simply fill with diced cooked ham and mozzarella

• •

  Fried empanadas: fry in 180°C oil for 3 minutes per side for a crisper result

Storage

Refrigerate unbaked for up to 2 days. Freeze unbaked on a tray, then bag — bake from frozen at 200°C for 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions