Empanadas de carne con chimichurri

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Make the dough first so it has time to relax. In a bowl, mix the plain flour and fine salt. Rub in the unsalted butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the egg and warm water, then mix into a shaggy dough and knead for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest for 20 minutes at room temperature; this makes rolling easier and helps the pastry stay tender rather than spring back.

   220 g plain flour4 g fine salt50 g unsalted butter1 medium egg70 ml warm water
2. 2

   While the dough rests, prepare the filling ingredients. Finely dice the onion and red bell pepper, mince the garlic, slice the green olives, and chop the hard-boiled egg into small pieces so the filling stays compact and easy to seal inside the pastry.

   120 g onion80 g red bell pepper2 cloves garlic30 g green olives1 medium hard-boiled egg
3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

   15 ml olive oil120 g onion80 g red bell pepper2 cloves garlic
4. 4

   Add the ground beef and break it up well with a spoon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until no pink remains and the moisture has mostly evaporated. Stir in the ground cumin, sweet paprika, dried oregano, fine salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute more so the spices bloom in the fat and taste fuller.

   250 g ground beef1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp sweet paprika1/2 tsp dried oregano1/2 tsp fine salt1/4 tsp black pepper
5. 5

   Take the pan off the heat and fold in the green olives and chopped hard-boiled egg. Spread the filling on a plate or shallow tray and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Cooling is important: a hot filling will soften the dough and make sealing difficult.

   30 g green olives1 medium hard-boiled egg
6. 6

   Make the chimichurri. Finely chop the flat-leaf parsley and garlic, then stir with the dried oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, warm water, chilli flakes, fine salt, and black pepper. Let it sit while you shape the empanadas so the flavours meld and the dried oregano softens.

   20 g flat-leaf parsley1 clove garlic1 tsp dried oregano15 ml red wine vinegar45 ml olive oil15 ml warm water1/4 tsp chilli flakes1/4 tsp fine salt1/8 tsp black pepper
7. 7

   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll the rested dough on a lightly floured surface to about 2 mm thick. Cut out 4 circles roughly 14 to 15 cm wide, re-rolling scraps as needed. Spoon one quarter of the cooled filling onto one half of each round, leaving a 1.5 cm border.

   220 g plain flour250 g ground beef
8. 8

   Beat the egg for the glaze. Brush the edges of each dough round lightly with beaten egg, fold over into half-moons, and press out any trapped air before sealing. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork or make a traditional rope fold. A tight seal prevents the juices from leaking during baking.

   1 medium egg
9. 9

   Transfer the empanadas to a lined tray and brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg for an even golden finish. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deeply golden and crisp, rotating the tray halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.

   1 medium egg
10. 10

    Let the empanadas rest for 5 minutes after baking so the filling settles slightly. Serve hot with the chimichurri spooned alongside or over the top for a bright, herby contrast.

    20 g flat-leaf parsley15 ml red wine vinegar45 ml olive oil

Origin & History

Empanadas are a beloved staple across Argentina, with regional variations in dough, fillings, and shaping styles. Beef-filled empanadas are especially iconic, often seasoned simply with cumin, paprika, onion, olive, and egg. Chimichurri, another Argentine classic, adds the sharp herbaceous contrast that makes this pairing so popular.