This is an easy empanadas dish. Although traditional empanada dough is similiar to a pie crust. This dough uses a refrigerator biscuit dough, which makes it uncomplicated and easy to handle. The dough is filled with a spicy beef filling, and then folded and baked.
This is great to make in batches and freeze. You can easily use as needed. I enjoy using them for packed lunches or snacks. These spicy filled pies are elegant enough to be served as appetizers. We made a batch to enjoy for this month’s Wine Club gathering. Our focus was Argentinian and Chilean wines.
Spicy Beef Empanadas
Makes about 20
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 green or red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/3 cup chopped raisins
1/4 cup chopped pimiento stuffed green olives
1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup packed grated Monterey Jack Cheese (about 4-ounces)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3-12 ounce packages refrigerated buttermilk refrigerator biscuits
2 egg yolks, beaten to blend for glaze
Directions:
Heat oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add beef, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until beef loses its pink color and vegetables begin to soften, breaking up beef with a fork, about 6 minutes. Add rasins and next 6 ingredients and cook until the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix cheese and cilantro into filling.
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F. Roll out one biscuit at a time on a lightly floured surface to 4-inch circle. Brush half of dough edge with glaze. Place one rounded tablespoon of filling in dough. Fold dough over to create half circle; press edges to seal. Using fork tines, crimp edges decoratively. Place empanada on a heavy large baking sheet. Brush with glaze. Repeat with remaining biscuits, filling and glaze.
Bake empanadas until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Enjoy!
Tomatoes on the Vine 
They look delicious!
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Such a great idea to use biscuit dough!! These look delicious! I'm so excited about your freezer-friendly tip, too – super cool!
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OK Velma… They are in the oven as I am typing this…I za za zinged it up a bit, Cajun spices and a little sweet Caribbean sauce (and a tad Coconut Rum). The meat tastes incredible. I used some left over focaccia bread dough, may have stretched it a bit too far… will know in 10 minutes.You should know tomorrow as I plan to blog this!
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These empanadas are awesome! I love that you've used biscuits and the filling has such gorgeous colors. Nice!
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I am so hungry right now I can't even read this.
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These little pies look and sound wonderful! I'm glad to hear you have a son my sons age! How did THEY get so old when we obviously haven't?!
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I love the refrigerated biscuit dough – I'm all about convenience! These sound delicious.
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Holy cow- your beef mixture looks and sounds fabulous! Whenever I make empanadas- I always do the dough from scratch and it's such a process- I am going to give the refrigerated dough a try- in fact, I think I will just put these yummy little delights on my grocery list.
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Gosh, I have been craving empanadas ever since I got back from Peru. These look beautiful! I bet a vegetarian version would be good too.
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Love Empanadas. They remind me of Nigerian meatpies
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Delish, that meat mixture looks heavenly 🙂
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You just hit a heart string with me! I love meat pies of any kind, and I would eat the pan of meat cooking, so less empanadas on the plate ;0)
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