Colombian Beef Empanadas

About This Recipe

Colombian empanadas set themselves apart from other Latin American versions by using masarepa, precooked corn flour, for the dough instead of wheat — giving them a distinctly crisp, slightly grainy shell once fried. They're one of the most common street foods in the country, sold from carts and corner stalls with a side of tangy aji picante for dipping. The technique has two critical points: cooling the beef filling fully before assembly, since warm filling makes the corn dough tear, and frying at a steady temperature so the shell crisps evenly without soaking up excess oil. The masarepa dough itself comes together fast, more like a paste than a traditional yeasted dough. Made at home, a batch of these disappears quickly — they're the kind of snack Colombian families make in bulk for parties, freezing extras raw for frying later.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsmasarepa (precooked corn flour)
• 2.5 cupswarm water
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 500 gground beef
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1tomato(diced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1potato(boiled and diced small)
• 0.5 cupscallions(chopped)
• 4 cupsvegetable oil(for frying)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beef filling

   Heat a splash of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft, then add ground beef, breaking it up, until browned, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Season the filling

   Stir in tomato, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until the mixture is fairly dry, then fold in the diced potato and scallions. Cool completely.

3. 3

   Make the masa

   Mix masarepa with warm water and salt, kneading briefly into a smooth, pliable dough. Let rest 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Shape the empanadas

   Divide the dough into 12 balls. Flatten each between plastic sheets into a thin disc, add 2 tbsp filling, and fold into a half-moon, pressing the edges to seal.

5. 5

   Fry until crisp

   Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot. Fry the empanadas in batches 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp.

   Don't overcrowd the pot — the oil temperature drops fast and the empanadas turn greasy instead of crisp.

Variations

• •

  Add diced hard-boiled egg to the filling for the classic coastal-style empanada.

• •

  Swap beef for shredded chicken for a lighter version.

• •

  Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping once, instead of frying for a lower-fat option.

Storage

Refrigerate uncooked, filled empanadas up to 2 days before frying. Fried empanadas keep 2 days refrigerated; reheat in a hot oven, not the microwave, to re-crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions