Shellfish Free Easy Empanadas
Flaky, golden, and packed with a boldly spiced beef filling, these baked empanadas are the kind of hand-held comfort food that disappears fast at any table. The homemade dough comes together with cold butter, a splash of vinegar, and a quick chill in the fridge — that simple technique is what gives each pocket its satisfying, tender-crisp bite. Inside, seasoned ground beef gets layered with smoky paprika, cumin, briny green olives, and chopped hard-boiled egg for a filling that's rich, savory, and just a little unexpected. For anyone navigating shellfish allergies, these are a dream — every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify, with zero seafood in sight. No mystery proteins, no shared sauces, just real ingredients you can trace from the grocery bag to the oven. The egg wash bakes them to a deep, glossy brown that looks like you spent way more effort than you actually did. Serve them fresh out of the oven with your favorite dipping sauce, or pack them up — they travel beautifully.
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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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