Gelatin Free Easy Empanadas
These golden, hand-held pastries are the kind of thing that disappears fast at any table — flaky, buttery dough wrapped around a boldly spiced beef filling packed with smoky paprika, cumin, briny olives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. The homemade dough comes together with pantry staples like flour, butter, cold water, and a splash of white vinegar, which helps keep the crust tender without relying on any gelatin-based shortcuts or additives. That matters more than you might think, since store-bought dough and many pre-made pastry products can contain hidden gelatin as a stabilizer or texture agent. Here, every single component is straightforward and plant- or animal-free in the gelatin sense — just real ingredients you can actually read on the label. The filling gets its depth from layers of aromatics, warm spices, and that classic combination of olives and egg that makes traditional empanadas so satisfying. A quick egg wash before baking gives them that gorgeous deep-golden finish straight out of a 400°F oven. Whether you're feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer, these are the kind of from-scratch bakes worth making on a lazy weekend afternoon.
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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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