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Crispy Beef and Olive Empanadas Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 37 reviews
  • Author: Ava
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Rest Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Latin American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These Organic Beef & Olive Picadillo Empanadas combine savory spiced ground beef with briny olives, sweet golden raisins, and melty pepper jack cheese, all wrapped in flaky pizza dough and pan-fried to golden perfection. Served alongside a fresh side salad of baby lettuce, cucumber, and southwest dressing, this dish offers a delicious blend of flavors and textures for a satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough and Coating

  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 unit pizza dough
  • Cooking oil (for frying, about 1 cup)

Picadillo Filling

  • 10 ounces organic ground beef
  • 1 unit onion
  • 1 unit green olives
  • 1 unit tomato
  • 1 ounce golden raisins
  • ½ cup pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fajita spice blend
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 unit beef stock concentrate
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)

Side Salad

  • 1 unit baby lettuce
  • 1 unit mini cucumber
  • 1.5 ounces southwest dressing

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over a clean work surface. Remove the pizza dough from packaging and cut into four equal portions (for 2 servings; for 4 servings cut into eight). Lightly coat each piece with flour by rolling it in the flour and shaking off the excess. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  2. Wash and prep produce: While the dough rests, wash and dry all produce thoroughly.
  3. Dice vegetables: Halve, peel, and dice the onion into ¼-inch pieces. Dice the tomato into ¼-inch pieces. Roughly chop the golden raisins and green olives.
  4. Sauté onion: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Brown the beef: Add the organic ground beef to the pan. Cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until it starts to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
  6. Add remaining filling ingredients: Stir in the diced tomato, golden raisins, fajita spice blend, garlic powder, and beef stock concentrate. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes more until the beef is cooked through. If necessary, carefully drain excess grease.
  7. Transfer filling and clean pan: Transfer the beef mixture to a medium bowl and wash and dry the pan used.
  8. Roll dough circles: After the dough has rested for 15 minutes, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of flour on a clean work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a rough 5-6 inch circle. Set aside to rest for another 10 minutes.
  9. Prepare salad ingredients: Trim and discard the root end of the baby lettuce, chopping leaves into bite-sized pieces. Trim and thinly slice the mini cucumber into rounds.
  10. Mix filling with olives and cheese: Once the beef mixture has mostly cooled, stir in the roughly chopped olives and pepper jack cheese until thoroughly combined.
  11. Shape empanadas: Stretch each dough circle slightly to make about a 6-inch wide circle. Place about ⅓ cup of filling on the bottom half of each circle, leaving a ½-inch border. Moisten the border with water using a finger or brush. Fold the dough over the filling and gently press edges together, avoiding pockets of air. Seal edges by pressing with a fork.
  12. Fry empanadas: Pour a ⅓-inch layer of oil into the cleaned pan and heat over medium heat. When oil is hot (a pinch of flour sizzles), carefully add empanadas in batches (no more than two at a time). Fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown, adjusting heat as needed. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
  13. Optional baking method: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place empanadas on a baking sheet on the top rack. Bake for 13-18 minutes until golden and cooked through.
  14. Optional air fryer method: Spray empanadas with nonstick cooking spray and arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
  15. Prepare salad: In a large bowl, combine chopped baby lettuce, sliced cucumber, southwest dressing, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat evenly.
  16. Serve: Divide empanadas and salad between plates and serve immediately.
  17. Food safety note: Ground beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes

  • This recipe uses lean organic ground beef for a healthier and flavorful picadillo filling.
  • For a Latin American twist, the combination of spicy beef, olives, and sweet golden raisins creates a balanced savory-sweet profile.
  • If you prefer a lighter version, baking or air frying the empanadas are excellent alternatives to pan frying.
  • Using pizza dough makes for a flaky and tender empanada crust but you can substitute with store-bought empanada dough or puff pastry if preferred.
  • Fresh salad provides a refreshing contrast in texture and flavor to the rich empanadas.
  • Adjust seasoning and spice levels according to your taste by adding more or less fajita spice blend or garlic powder.
  • Make sure to seal empanadas well to prevent filling leakage during cooking.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 1120 kcal
  • Sugar: 23 g
  • Sodium: 1540 mg
  • Fat: 63 g
  • Saturated Fat: 18 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 45 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 95 g
  • Fiber: 8 g
  • Protein: 46 g
  • Cholesterol: 125 mg

Find it online: https://crunchyfork.com/crispy-beef-and-olive-empanadas-recipe/