Beef and Potato Empanadas
We have wanted to try to make empanadas for quite some time now. We order them in restaurants and love them, but they seemed challenging to make at home. However, when we saw J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s recipe for Beef and Potato Empanadas, we knew it was time to try them. The recipe is excellent and well worth the effort.
As we worked our way through the recipe, we thought we may have gotten in over our heads when it came to assembling the empanadas. The masa dough can be a bit challenging to work with but don’t let this discourage you…it is extremely forgiving and just requires a little patience. We do not recommend using parchment for the discs of masa…it gets wet and the masa sticks. We found using a Silpat Baking Mat works much better. You can also use plastic wrap if you don’t have a Silpat.
We did have some left, which we refrigerated and reheated on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet in a 350° F for about 10 minutes. They were just as delicious as the freshly made ones.
We can’t wait to make these again!
Jump to Recipe
The beef and potato filling should be quite sturdy, and form cohesive balls when gently packed.
Portion the masa into golf ball sized spheres and use a plastic bag to tamp them into approximate 3″ rounds.
This is where it can get a bit tricky! Place about 2 teaspoons of filling along the center of the masa disk. Fold up the sides and seal together to fully encase the filling. Don’t worry if it cracks a bit, just use your finger to patch the masa back together and seal the cracks up – the dough is very forgiving!
Cook the empanadas about 6 at a time in the hot oil, turning over half way through to cook both sides.
Remove empanadas to a wire rack to drain off any excess oil and salt lightly if desired.
Aji (sort of a Colombian salsa) is a great accompaniment and is easy to make.
We like tempering it with a bit of sour cream to cut the spice (pictured below).
So delicious!
Beef and Potato Empanadas
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato about 6 ounces, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- ½ ripe beefsteak tomato
- 1 TBS vegetable oil
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ small white or yellow onion finely minced
- 1 scallion finely minced
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp granulated chicken bouillon
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 quarts vegetable, peanut or soybean oil
- Masa:
- 2 cups yellow masarepa about 10 ounces
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Aji:
- 1 packed cup cilantro leaves
- ½ small white or yellow onion
- 3 scallions
- 1 serrano or Fresno chile
- ½ ripe beefsteak tomato
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 Lime
- 2 TBS sour cream optional
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: Place potato cubes in a medium saucepan, cover with water and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until cubes are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, using a flat palm, press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate the tomato until you’re left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin, then transfer the tomato and any juices to a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat vegetable oil until shimmering. Add beef or pork, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the pieces are quite small and completely cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion, scallion, paprika, bouillon, and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Immediately add the grated tomato and its juices, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is quite dry, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer meat mixture to the bowl with potatoes and stir together with a fork, letting the potato get roughly mashed up. (The filling should form cohesive balls when gently packed.) Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, bouillon and pepper to taste. Allow to cool completely.
- To make the masa: Combine masarepa, salt and 2 cups tepid water in a large bowl. Stir with your hands and massage into a smooth dough.
- Take a small ball in your hand and press it flat. If the dough cracks, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is smoother and workable. (Small cracks around the edges are OK.)
- Cover masa and set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Assemble the empanadas: Divide masa into 24 golf-ball-size balls. Working one ball at a time, place inside a plastic zip-top bag and press down with the bottom of a skillet to form a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Carefully remove from the bag and transfer to a clean cutting board or tray. Repeat with remaining dough balls, laying them out side by side. Cover the disks with a clean, lightly damp kitchen towel.
- Working one empanada at a time, place about 2 teaspoons of meat mixture in the center of the disk. Lift the front and back edges and seal them at the top by gently pushing them together. Seal the empanada, working from the center outward until both ends are completely sealed. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
- In a large Dutch oven or wok over high, heat 1 quart oil until it registers 375 degrees on an instant-read or frying thermometer. Carefully drop empanadas into the hot oil one at a time. You should be able to cook about six empanadas per batch. Cook empanadas, adjusting heat to maintain an oil temperature of 325 to 375 degrees, until empanadas are crisp and golden on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip empanadas over and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer empanadas to a wire rack placed over a sheet pan and immediately season with salt if desired.
- To make the aji: Finely mince the cilantro, onion, scallions and chile by hand, or by roughly chopping, then pulsing in a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Working directly in the medium bowl and using a flat palm to press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater, grate the tomato until you’re left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin.
- Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a few tablespoons of water. Squeeze with lime juice to taste. Stir to combine. The ají should be quite thin in texture. Add more water as necessary. Taste and season with more salt, if desired.
- If a creamy aji is desired, mix ¼ cup aji with 2 TBS sour cream.
Notes
- The cooling of the filling can be expedited by spreading it out on a large plate or tray and placing it in the fridge while you prepare the masa.
- Masa can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge in a zip-top bag.
- Finished ají can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.