Empanadas Mendocinas (Argentinian Beef Empanadas)
Empanadas mendocinas are traditional Argentinean baked empanadas filled with beef, onions, paprika, hot pepper powder, cumin, oregano, hard-boiled egg and olives.
Back when I first started this blog, there was a blogger name Rebecca and her blog From Argentina With Love had an Empanada of the Month event. This is where I learned about these empanadas mendocinas from the Mendoza region in Argentina (also known for great wines). While empanada mendocinas are very famous, it was my first time preparing them. It was the perfect opportunity to learn what makes them different from other meat filled baked empanadas in South America.
I started with Rebecca’s recipe for the meat filling or picadillo. I adjusted the spice quantities a little bit, just based on my personal taste, and added fresh oregano and green onions. I also halved the quantity of meat (from 2 lbs to 1 lb) and had more than enough for ~~20 small to medium sized empanadas.
In Argentina, beef empanadas can be filled with either ground beef or chopped beef. The filling for these empanadas mendocinas uses a ground beef picadillo for the the filling. This variation is also known for not using raisins- which are common in other types of empanadas.
Another distinctive factor is the use of smoked paprika and picante or hot chili pepper. In addition to the flavor, these spices give the meat a bright red coloring that is considered a distinguishing factor for empanadas mendocinas.
The other thing that differentiates these empanadas is the dough, I was planning on making my standard baking empanada dough recipe for these or even using the store bought discs, but as I did my Google research I found out that the dough for empanadas mendocinas is unique because it is made with milk which give it a creaminess and softness that the standard empanada dough doesn’t have, so I adapted and translated the recipe for the dough from Recetas Ya and Club Gourmet.
The recipes all called for making the dough by hand, but of course I took the food processor shortcut and made a few conversions. If you have the time I really recommend making the dough from scratch (but with a food processor), it made such a difference and my empanadas just baked beautifully. This is my new favorite baking empanada dough recipe, most of the time I experiment with different fillings, and this time it was so much fun to try a different way to prepare the dough.
Another important part of these empanadas – and empanadas in general – is the churito or repulgue – ie the curvy ornate seal. I confess that the first times I made empanadas I was afraid of not being able to make that nice perfect repulgue. However, I quickly learned that it is one of those things that improves with practice.
Of course you can also use the edge or tip of a fork to press down and seal the empanadas, but I highly encourage you to practice making a repulgue style seal for the empanadas. It gives them a much more authentic and traditional look than using a fork.
The day before I made these empanadas I just happened to be reading Ines del Alma Mia by Isabel Allende. The main character in the book is a woman from Spain who travels to South America (and helps establish a Spanish colony in Santiago, Chile). The book is part fiction part history, but one of her talents is making empanadas, which helps her and others survive during situations of limited food availability.
I have to admit that I didn’t really know a whole lot about the history of empanadas, but for some reason I thought that their origin was Argentinean or Chilean. However, at least based on this book it seems they came from Spain (and probably before that from the Middle East). Latin Americans have done a great job of perfecting the empanada and preparing so many regional variations of empanadas.
Finally, I had to make a couple of dipping sauces and made two slightly different chimichurri sauces for these. The first one is a blended sauce with a little bit of white wine vinegar and for the second sauce I chopped the herbs instead and used balsamic vinegar. I especially love the contrast of the balsamic chimichurri with the meaty empanadas. An aji criollo type hot sauce or tree tomato hot sauce would also go well with these delicious empanadas.
Balsamic chimichurri sauce
Quick chimichurri sauce
Aji criollo hot sauce
Tamarillo or tree tomato hot sauce 
Empanadas Mendocinas (Argentine Beef Empanadas)
Ingredients
Dough for empanadas mendocinas – makes about 20 medium or 30 small empanadas:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup of grasa – lard or butter or mix of both
- ¾ to 1 cup of warm milk
- ½ tsp salt
Beef picadillo filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 white onions diced, about 3 cups
- 1/2 cup lard or butter
- 2 tbs smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder or any ground hot pepper adjust to taste
- 1 tbs finely chopped fresh oregano
- ½ tbs ground cumin
- 1 bunch green onions finely chopped
- 3 hard boiled eggs sliced
- ¼ cup sliced green olives
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg white and yolk separated and lightly whisked
Instructions
Empanada dough
- Mix the flour and salt in a food processor, pulse until well combined.
- Add the lard or butter, blend well.
- Add the egg yolk and the milk in small amounts, pulse until small dough clumps start to form.
- Make a couple of balls, flatten into disks and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
- Use the empanada discs immediately or store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
Beef picadillo filling and empanada assembly:
- Combine the ground beef, paprika, red pepper, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and chill until ready to use.
- Melt the lard in a large frying pan or sauté pan, add the onions and salt, cook until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
- Add the meat mixture to the onions and cook on medium heat until the meat is done, stir frequently.
- Let the meat mixture or picadillo cool down, and then mix in the chopped green onions and chopped oregano.
- To assemble the empanadas add a spoonful of the meat mixture on the center of each empanada disc, add a slice of egg and sliced olive.
- Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the egg whites, you can also use water but the egg white is a good natural “glue” that helps seal the empanada.
- Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges gently with your fingers, twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers, as a final step use a fork to press down and finish sealing the empanadas.
- Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake.
- Let the empanadas rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until ready to bake.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.
- Serve warm with chimichurri sauce or other dipping sauces.
Nutrition
Step by step preparation photos for Argentinian empanada mendocina dough:
Step by step preparation photos for the Argentinian beef picadillo filling and empanada assembly:
Additional Empanada Recipes to Try:
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Can I use evaporated milk for the warm milk ingredient?
Yes, that will work.
I’m making the empanadas right now! I spent 2 years in Cordoba, Argentina, and have been looking for a good empanada recipe since. I tasted the picadillo and it’s legit. I’ll let you know what the finished product tastes like!
I made these empanades for my Colombian friends and they absolutely loved them!!! They turned out splendid and very tasty.
Hola Laylita! Desde he visitado Buenos Aires el verano pasado, he caido en enamorada con empanadas. Ellos son muy similares a ‘Cornish pasties’ del sudoeste de Inglaterra. Ayer, yo hice esas empanadas, y yo debo decir que esa masa es la masa mejor del mundo! Yo tomé las empanadas a mi juego del bádminton para la mini-fiesta donde nosotros todos comimos, y después, yo no tuve cualquier empanadas sobrante! Por suerte, yo salvó algunas empanadas para mi familia y mi novio. :-) Hubo 27 en total :-| Gracias para compartiendo esta receta; he estado anunciando mis empanadas en mi página web :-)
Fantastic recipe, I’ve made these twice first with out chimichurri second with. I must say the balsamic chimichurri sauce was a perfect match. Thank you Laylita for such amazing recipes!
P.S. We live in the Pacific Northwest and husband loves salmon and ceviche. Any thoughts on how to combine the two?
Laylita,
Thanks for sharing your empanadas recipe. I was able to make two batches for my family.
I followed your instructions on the empanada dough and it came out perfect.
Great website….great empenada recipe. I just whipped up a batch of forfar bridies for my scottish wife and she’s going crazy for them. She takes them to work with her. Thankyou for your dough recipe. I always make them from scratch. Wife says the dough is spot on no matter which part of the world your empenadas/bridies/pasties come from. The fillings are a blast to make. Myself, I use the leftover dough to add wild blueberries and some splenda for a sweet desert.
Laylita,
Prepare las empanadas mendocinas siguiendo su receta al pie de la letra, y me salieron riquisimas!!! tambien prepare el aji criollo con aji habanero para acompañarlas, y a mi esposo y mama les encanto tanto que las voy a preparar otra vez para celebrar año nuevo. No mas queria saber si se puede substituir la carne por pollo desilachado?
Gracias,
Hola Isabel – Definitivamente puedes substituir la carne por pollo.
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been making this recipe as my primary empanada recipe for the last year or so. In fact, even today — for our Holiday dinner — I will be preparing these empanadas with your Balsamic chimichurri sauce. I’ll be paring it with a Malbec and some green beans roasted with olive oil and garlic. Your website is one of my favorites and this recipe is truly terrific.
I have even prepared this recipe using potatoes in place of meat for my vegetarian friends. Essentially, I chop the potatoes into small sugar cube-sized cubes and boil them briefly until they are soft on the outside, but still firm in the inside. Then, I put them into a bowl and mix in the same ingredients as is used for the meat. Then, I put the potatoes into a large pan and stir them with the seasonings. Then, put the potatoes back into the bowl and stir until you have a consistency that is similar to a somosa. Stuff the mixture into the dough and cook as normal. It’s a wonderful vegetarian version. I forgo the eggs and olives for this variation, however.
Chris, thanks so much for sharing your potato variation, it sounds so delicious! Malbec is always a spot on choice with empanadas, especially mendocinas!
Fun to read all the comments here. I lived in Argentina in the 80’s in Cordoba. We made empandas dulces and de sal (sweet and salty). Los Dulces were made with raisins and sugar added to the meat and they had a distinct fold (up-right) and the salty (meat, salt and green onions) were folded on the side – eggs were also put in them as well. We made them mostly fried but would also bake them.
I did chuckle when a poster commented about wanting to freeze them…..what?…not sure we ever had any leftovers when empanadas were made, at least not enough to freeze. Back then freezers really weren’t used for storing food….everything was bought daily.
Oh how I miss the Asadas!
It’s easier to make big batches and it’s healthier to not eat them all at once. ;)