Bahama Breeze Beef Empanadas Recipe
Take home the flavour of the island with the Bahama Breeze Beef Empanadas Recipe. Beef, cheese, and peppers stuffed in flaky dough, fried or baked to perfection.
Equipment
- Big skillet (to make the filling)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Mixing bowls
- Rolling pin (assuming that one is making dough)
- A round cutter or a bowl to form the empanadas.
- baking sheet or pan with frying oil.
- Slotted spoon (if frying)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef lean is the best
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 red or green bell pepper chopped.
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder only optional to make it hot
- ½ tsp oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese.
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
The Dough (Shortcut Option: buying empanada discs or pie crust):
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed.
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cold water more if needed
For Frying or Baking:
- Frying oil neutral, such as canola
- Or 1 egg beaten, to make egg wash in case of baking
Instructions
Prepare the Dough (when home-cooked)
- Prepare a bowl of flour and salt.
- Chop cold butter into bits.
- Add egg and cold water slowly till it is mixed into the dough.
- Chill (at least 30) in the fridge.
- (Or, save yourself the trouble and get empanada discs in a store. No judgment here.)
Prepare the Filling
- Heat olive oil in a skillet.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic- cook till they have softened.
- Add ground beef, which is broken as it becomes brown.
- Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add tomato paste and cook till the beef mixture turns rich and fragrant.
- Take it out of the heat and add in shredded cheese.
Assemble the Empanadas
- Prepare a 1/8 inch thick rolled out dough and cut into circles (approximately 4-5 inches in diameter).
- Put a spoonful of stuffing in the middle of the circles.
- Turn and roll out the dough into a half-moon and use forks to push the sides together.
Cook
- Fry: Heat oil to 350 °C and fry empanadas until golden, 3-4 minutes per side.
- Bake: Brush with egg wash and bake in a 400 Degree oven for 20-25 minutes till golden brown.