Easy and Flaky Beef Empanadas Recipe | Quick & Delicious Mexican Dinner

Recipe and photos by Abbie Guerrero , food blogger and creator of Savvy with Abbie. All photos original.

Easy and Flaky Beef Empanadas Recipe

If you know me, you know I love cooking, but I also tend to lean towards recipes that involve minimal ingredients and time. Between working part-time, blogging, looking for more work, and taking care of the household, that in itself is a full-time job.

I made these beef empanadas the other day for two reasons - one, I love Mexican food (and I'm 19% Mexican so I claim it when I can) and two, it was fairly simple with less than 10 ingredients.

14-year old Jace said he was surprised that he liked this Mexican-inspired recipe so much and I had 1.5 servings if that tells you anything about how much I enjoyed them.

Learn how to make easy and flaky beef empanadas with simple ingredients, perfect for a quick family dinner!

Beef empanadas right out of the oven, ready to serve.
Freshly baked beef empanadas right out of the oven - golden, flaky, and filled with tender beef.

  • Family-Friendly: Yes, my teen and I thoroughly enjoyed them
  • Difficulty Level: Easy/Intermediate
  • Best Served With: I topped mine with sour cream and lettuce and Jace dipped his in Salsa Verde
  • Estimated Calories: 473 estimated calories per empanada
  • Serving Size: This recipe makes 4 empanadas but the calorie count is for 1

Why You Will Love These Easy Empanadas

This recipe is delicious, filling, the crust was super flaky, the beef was tender, and although there was Salsa Verde in the empanada, it was so light that I didn't taste the spice at all.

This is very much a Mexican-American meal with the crust being a pie crust and not authentic, but it was still very flavorful and delicious.

The sour cream and lettuce provided a refreshing, cooling flavor to offset the warm empanada. This meal was made in less than 30 minutes and was an easy weekday dinner that the whole family loved.

What I Learned While Making This Empanada Recipe

My suggestion is to spread the ingredients out more than I did. I had mine in a small pile in the middle of the dough, and because of that, I only got a few good bites of the tender beef and gooey cheese. Make sure there are a few inches of space around the edges, but flatten the ingredients out before topping it.

Inspiration Behind This Mexican-American Dinner

This recipe was inspired by Just a Pinch but we added our own twists. We eliminated the green chile sauce with pork, switched out the Mexican spice blend for paprika, onion powder and garlic powder, and used less cheddar cheese than the original 8 ounces listed. We also did not use olive oil.

If You Enjoy Easy Mexican-American Meals, You May Want to Try:

Ingredients for Beef Empanadas

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  • 2 Signature Select pie crusts – Just unroll & bake (I purchased these at Albertsons)
  • 4 tbsp salsa verde + extra for dipping
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 Hormel Beef Roast Au Jus and Savory Sauce pack
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • PAM cooking spray
  • 4–8 tbsp cheddar cheese
  • 4–8 tbsp pizza cheese blend (I purchased this bag at Albertsons)

Note: For best results, make sure your pie crusts stay chilled until ready to fill. This helps keep the crust extra flaky. You can also prepare the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before assembling.

Ingredients for easy beef empanadas laid out on the counter.
Simple ingredients for easy beef empanadas - pie crusts, cheese, salsa verde, and seasoned beef.
Pizza cheese blend used in the flaky empanadas.
Shredded pizza cheese blend used for a creamy, gooey empanada filling.

How to Make Beef Empanadas (Step-by-Step)

✓ Step #1: Cook the beef roast – Cook the beef roast in the microwave for 4 minutes and let it sit for 2 minutes. While it's resting, prepare your pie crusts.

Seasonings, au jus, cheese, and beef roast in a dough, ready for homemade empanadas.
Empanada filling layered with beef, cheese, and seasonings - ready to be sealed in flaky crust.

✓ Step #2: Prepare the pie crusts – Unroll both pie crusts and cut each into fourths. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Only half will be filled; the others are for the tops.

Pie crusts on a sheet pan ready to be turned into Mexican empanadas.
Pie crusts cut into sections and placed on a baking sheet - the base for homemade empanadas.

✓ Step #3: Add the cheese – Add 1–2 tablespoons of cheese to each bottom piece.

Pie crusts topped with cheese filling for flaky empanadas.
Pie crusts topped with cheddar cheese - the first layer for rich, flavorful empanadas.

✓ Step #4: Top with beef roast – Shred the beef, then add 1–2 tablespoons on top of the cheese.

Pie filling topped with cheese and beef roast with homemade empanadas.
Empanada dough filled with shredded beef and cheese - ready for the next layer.

✓ Step #5: Add pizza cheese blend – Top each with 1–2 tablespoons of the pizza blend.

Pizza dough topped with cheddar cheese and pizza cheese blend to form homemade empanadas.
Dough topped with a mix of cheddar and pizza cheese - creating the perfect cheesy empanada filling.

✓ Step #6: Add seasonings and au jus – Sprinkle seasonings, spoon au jus over the filling, and brush the edges.

✓ Step #7: Top with pie crust – Add the top crust and use a fork to seal edges.

Homemade empanadas ready to go in the oven.
Sealed homemade empanadas on a baking sheet - brushed and ready for the oven.

✓ Step #8: Bake – Spray with PAM or cooking spray and bake at 425°F for 25 minutes.

Flaky empanadas right out of the oven and ready to serve.
Golden brown, flaky empanadas fresh from the oven - crisp edges and savory aroma.

✓ Step #9: Serve – Let cool and serve with lettuce, sour cream, taco sauce, or Salsa Verde.

Flaky beef empanadas on a plate, topped with crisp lettuce and a light sour cream.
Beef empanadas served with lettuce and sour cream - a fresh and satisfying dinner.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.

Leftover beef empanadas in a storage container, ready to eat later.
Leftover beef empanadas stored in an airtight container - perfect for next-day reheating.

What Did You Think?

Did you enjoy this easy beef empanada recipe? I’d love to hear from you!
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