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easy beef empanadas

(4 ratings)
SilkaClark avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Silka Clark
@SilkaClark
Denver, CO

I love inventing recipes where I can throw together a few ingredients in a few minutes and end up with something amazing. These are so easy and so good! My husband and teenage son can eat two, so they are very satisfying for big appetites.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Try these beef empanadas if you're looking for a shortcut dinner recipe. Once baked, the pie crust is very flaky. It's stuffed with shredded beef, green chili sauce, and cheese. They're large and one is a good serving. Cut the slices of dough in half to serve as an appetizer. Add toppings, like sour cream, guacamole, avocado, or tomatoes, and you'll have an easy and tasty dinner.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(4 ratings)
yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 10 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For easy beef empanadas

  • 1 pkg
    refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
  • 1 pkg
    Hormel beef roast au jus
  • 1 can
    Stokes green chile sauce with pork
  • 8 oz
    Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Mexican spice blend, optional
  • olive oil

How To Make easy beef empanadas

Test Kitchen Tips
There will be extra filling. This recipe can easily be doubled with an additional box of pie crust.
  • Let pie crusts come to room temperature.
    1
    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Let the pie crusts sit on the counter for at least 5 minutes.
  • Microwave the beef.
    2
    Follow package directions and microwave beef roast for 4 minutes.
  • Shred the beef and reserve the au jus.
    3
    After letting the beef roast cool in the microwave for a few minutes, remove the beef from the microwave. Take the meat out of the package. Place in a separate bowl and roughly shred the beef with a fork. Reserve the au jus for later.
  • Slightly roll out the pie crust.
    4
    On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, unroll a pie crust. Stretch the pie crust slightly larger than the original size and lightly roll it.
  • Cut the pie crust into 4 pieces.
    5
    Cut the crust into 4 equal parts and spread them out. On another piece of parchment paper, roll out and cut the second pie crust in the same manner as the first and set aside.
  • Place cheese on the pie crust.
    6
    Leaving space around the edges, put about 2 Tbsp of cheese on each piece of dough.
  • Add beef to the pie crust.
    7
    Spread 2 Tbsp of shredded beef on top of the shredded cheese.
  • Top with chile sauce.
    8
    Spoon 2 Tbsp of green chile sauce on top of the beef.
  • Add more cheese.
    9
    Add about 2 Tbsps more of the shredded cheese on top of the chile sauce. Sprinkle with a little bit of a Mexican spice blend (optional).
  • Brush edges with the au jus.
    10
    Brush the edges of one of the crusts with a little au jus.
  • Top with a piece of pie crust and crimp edges.
    11
    Then, top the empanada with another piece of pie crust. Seal edges with a fork. Repeat the process with the other three empanadas.
  • Cut slits in the pie crust and brush with olive oil.
    12
    Score the top of the empanadas with two small slits. Brush the top of the empanadas with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of a Mexican spice blend (optional).
  • Bake the beef empanadas.
    13
    Bake at 425 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.
  • Cool slightly before serving.
    14
    Cool slightly on the cookie sheet. Serve with your favorite toppings such as avocado, sour cream, and tomatoes.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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