Citrus Free Easy Empanadas
These golden, hand-held pastries are the kind of thing that disappears fast at any table — flaky, buttery crust wrapped around a savory filling of seasoned ground beef, smoky spices, briny olives, and chopped hard-boiled egg. The dough comes together with pantry staples, and a splash of white vinegar is the quiet trick that keeps it tender without any citrus in sight. That matters more than it sounds, because so many empanada recipes lean on orange juice or lime in both the dough and the filling — this one skips all of that entirely while still delivering serious depth of flavor. Smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano do the heavy lifting, giving the beef filling a rich, earthy backbone that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did. Folding in the olives and egg off the heat keeps everything moist and perfectly textured inside that crisp, egg-washed shell. Whether you're feeding a crowd or stocking the fridge for the week, these bake up beautifully at 400°F and reheat like a dream.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
For the filling
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
For assembly
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. In a small bowl, stir together the cold water, beaten egg, and white vinegar, then pour over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until the dough just comes together — it should be shaggy but hold when pressed. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead 3–4 times until smooth, then flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 2
While the dough chills, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned throughout with no pink remaining, about 6–8 minutes. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
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