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This is one of my favorite recipes to make. I have been perfecting these sourdough beef empanadas for a while now. Frankly, I am always fine-tuning them, but they are ready to be shared on the blog. So, this week I am sharing the recipe and next week we will be back to “what we are up to” posts.
Benefits
One of my favorite things to make these for is our big sailing passages. Like when we went from the Bahamas to Puerto Rico. They work so well because they can be eaten handheld if the weather is rough. Or, you can plate them with salsa and sour cream, cilantro, etc. when it is calm.
My husband loves empanadas, and I love sourdough so I have been working on making this something that works for both of us. Sourdough Beef Empanadas have become a passage favorite.
I try to have some in the freezer at all times. They are just so filling and such a quick meal. You can add sides easily to make it a proper meal if you choose.
Another benefit is they come together pretty easily. I cook them all and then freeze them. I found if you freeze them assembled but not cooked they get sticky and can tear super easy and make a big mess.
You can pop these in the microwave to reheat in your oven or air fryer. Whichever route you prefer.
Different Sizes for the Empanadas
The nice thing is this recipe makes about 16 so you can throw them in your freezer and have them on a night you just don’t feel like cooking.
I generally make medium size empanadas. But, you could make larger ones, making only 8, or make mini ones as appetizers and get over 30 of them.
I have made them smaller and bigger and they always come out great. It just really all depends on what your needs are.
The small ones are fun to bring somewhere for happy hour. We tend to do a lot of happy hours on friend’s boats, making this a great option.
Larger empanadas are great for dinner when the empanadas are the main dish. It is all about what works best for you.
Tools I Love For This Recipe
I find using parchment paper makes for easy cleanup and less mess in your oven. The cheese can often boil out of the empanada when baking. with the parchment paper, it is easier to slide them off to cool.
I also use and love our convection oven. I cook them on Air Fry at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You can bake them in a regular oven as well. You could fry them as well if you want. I have not tried this yet as we don’t fry food on our boat.
If you do fry these I would love to hear about how it goes. Let me know in the comments below. We have such a small space on the boat and Frying can get grease everywhere. Not only creates a huge mess to clean up but also can be an issue with hot oil and burns. We just eat fried food on land we when have a craving for it.
Anyway, here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if you make it by rating it or leaving a note in the comments below.
Cheers,
Jill
Sourdough Beef Empanada Recipe
Sourdough Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 Cup Sourdough Discard unfed
- 1-1/3 Cup Warm Water
- 1/4 Cup Coconut oil you can substitute with any oil you prefer
- 2 Tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 5 Cup All Purpose Flour
Filling
- 1 Tbsp Coconut oil can substitute with your choice of cooking oil
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Can Substitute with your favorite cheese
- 1 Lb Ground Beef Can Substitute with ground pork or turkey
- 1 Red Onion Diced
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1/2 Jalapeño Diced (optional)
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Taco Seasoning See the notes below for my taco seasoning recipe
Instructions
Sourdough Empanada Dough
- Combine all ingredients except 1 cup of the flour in a bowl. Knead dough for 5 minutes until dough comes together in a non-sticky ball. If it is still too sticky add in the remaining cup of flour slowly, as you may not need it all. Once it is cohesive and not too sticky or dry set aside. Cover with a towel and rest for 30 minutes. I have found in a very humid environment I almost always need the entire extra cup of flour.
- After 30 minutes divide dough into 16 balls. You can divide it into more or less depending on the size of empanada you desire. Cover with a towel until you use them.
- Roll out each ball as you fill them so they don't dry out. Fill with 1-2 spoonfuls of beef filling on one side of dough. Top with cheese.
- Gently fold over the remaining half of the dough and press with your thumb or fork to create a seal around the empanada.
- Set assembled Empanadas on a cookie sheet and spray with oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes depending on your oven.
- Serve with desired Toppings or cool for storage.
- Cool on a cooling rack and pack and freeze. They will last in the freezer for several months.
Beef Filling
- Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a large pan on medium heat
- Add diced onion and cook til translucent about 3-4 minutes.
- Add ground beef cooking until browned
- Add can of diced tomatoes and taco seasoning stirring to combine.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
