Baked Spiced Beef Empanadas Using Pie Crust

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Spiced Beef Empanadas using pie crust are so easy to make! The crust is filled with a savory ground beef filling, then baked to perfection! Fun for dinner and great for parties!

What’s not to love about Empanadas?  They are little savory pastry pockets of love!  These Ground Spiced Beef Empanadas are inspired by the Argentinian recipe is the absolute easiest way to make these babies at home!  Flaky, buttery pastry on the outside with a savory, smokey, salty ground beef filling. While the beef is spiced with warm Mexican spices, these are not spicy beef empanadas, just smoky and savory.

You can make them all ahead and freeze so you can later bake them off one by one as a snack or all at once for dinner or a party!  And incredibly easy to make with only a few steps.  

These Ground Beef Empanadas are also a great way to use leftover ground beef from Taco night or leftover burgers.  Click here to get 30 Leftover Protein Dinner Ideas to give you even more ideas like this.

Spiced Beef Empanadas are a Great Dinner Idea!

Every once in a while we have a Smorgasbord dinner in my family.  It’s where I serve a bunch of appetizers across protein, veggie, and other categories.  ‘Other’ is just whatever we are craving or have in the house that’s fun and yummy. 

These Ground Beef Empanadas are perfect for filling the Protein category in a Smorgasbord Dinner!  Other proteins that I may include are my Baked Chicken Taquitos or my Hanky Panky Canapes (Cheesy Sausage & Meat).  My Baked Coconut Shrimp would also be perfect!

For the Veggie category, I will typically cut up some raw veggies and serve with a dip, such as my Sriracha Hummus or Pimento Olive Ranch Dip.  Other great veggie appetizers are my Baked Parmesan Zucchini Chips or my Baked Coconut Cauliflower Bites (yep, just like the shrimp, but with cauliflower!)

The ‘Other’ category includes things like cheese and crackers, chips and guacamole, or other fun nibbles.  Include things you love and make it fun!

Quick note!  This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them.  This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :).  But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used. 

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

• Ready-to-Bake Pie Crust Rolls (thaw in fridge the night before if frozen) – Pie dough is a perfect substitute for empanada dough!  It’s what you want for that thin flaky crust. These are usually found in the prepared dough refrigerated section or the freezer section.
• Ground Beef, 90% Lean – I used 90% lean ground beef, but you can use a higher fat content, such as 80%. Just be sure to drain the meet of excess fat before adding to the empanadas. You can also use ground chicken or ground pork.
• Olive Oil – The oil is for cooking the beef plus oiling the sheet pan for the empanadas. You can use extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
• Fresh Garlic cloves, minced – Fresh is best in this simple recipe, but you can buy the pre-minced garlic sold in a small jar or use dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
• Scallions – The scallions, also called green onions or spring onions, in this recipe provide the onion flavor, but you could also use grated or diced yellow onion or red onion.  You can also use onion powder or onion flakes.
• Seasonings: I used only Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper. You can also use sweet or hot paprika, or even substitute in your favorite taco seasoning.
• 1 Egg, large – The egg is used to seal the edges of the empanada together and to brush the tops before baking so they get golden brown. If you don’t have egg, you can substitute water for sealing the edges. You can brush a touch of olive oil on the top or just bake without anything.

No Special Equipment Needed!

Nothing special for this one! Just a large sheet pan (I use a 17×11) and a 4 ¾ inch diameter circle for cutting the empanadas from the dough. You could use a plastic lid, and large circle biscuit cutter or anything really that you can run a knife around to cut the dough.

Time Saving Prep Ahead Steps for Spiced Beef Empanadas

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)

One of the best things about these Ground Beef Empanadas is that they can be made ahead and frozen before baking them.  They will last in your freezer for up to 4 months!  Here are the easy steps.

First, buy a good quality ready-to-bake pie crust dough.  I like Immaculate Pie Crusts, which are not overly sweet.

Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the scallions. Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Next make the ground beef filling.  Preheat a pan over medium heat.  Simply sear the beef with 2 minced cloves garlic, 2 sliced scallions, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.

Assemble the Empanadas

Roll the dough out onto a large smooth, clean and floured surface. Using a Rolling pin, roll it even thinner to spread it out to about 15-16″ in length and 11″ in width. If it breaks as you open or roll it, simply patch it back up together. Lift it up to ensure it isn’t sticking to the surface.

Using a lid or large biscuit cutter about 4 ¾″ in diameter, cut circles into the dough. When you run out of space, roll out the scraps again after you make the first batch. You should get about 8 empanadas from each pie crust.

Take the cooled ground beef mixture and add a heaping spoonful to the center of each circle, creating a tall mound that leaves about ¾″ space from filling to edge.

Beat the egg in a small bowl.  Using your finger or small pastry brush, brush a small amount of the beaten egg wash around the outer edge of the right half of the circle.

Using both hands, carefully fold over one side using the other hand to push the filling inside away from the edge so that you get dough on dough to seal. Push down to seal with fingers. Then use a fork to crimp around the edge.

Place each empanada on an oiled sheet pan. Brush the tops with the egg and then give a very light sprinkle of chili powder. Now, either bake them (see below) or place the sheet pan in the freezer and then transfer the empanadas to a storage container after frozen.

Cook the Ground Spiced Beef Empanadas

Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.  Place the empanadas (fresh or frozen) on an oiled sheet pan and place on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Spiced Beef Empanadas Recipe FAQS

Can these empanadas be frozen?

Yes, once you assemble the empanadas, place them on a sheet pan in the freezer and then transfer the empanadas to a storage container after frozen.  Cooking instructions are the same, though they may need an extra 1-2 minutes.  Test one to ensure that it is hot in the center without overcooking the outside.

Are there any other good filling options?

There are many filling options!  You could add some chorizo to the ground beef or do ground chicken or shredded chicken instead.  You could also saute diced red or green peppers, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, or pimiento.  Or how about peas or carrots?  If you want to eliminate the meat to make these vegetarian, you can make veggie and cheese empanadas.

What are some other easy ground beef recipes?

These empanadas take a bit of time, but they are super easy to make.  If you want more easy ground been recipes, try my Hamburger Potato Casserole with Cheddar Cheese!  Or how about these Incredible Ground Beef Taco Quinoa Bowl?  Finally, my White Lasagna Recipe with Zucchini and Ground Beef is a hit with my family every time!

ENJOY! 😍 Carrie