Beef and Potato Empanadas
Enjoy dinner tonight with this delicious, hearty ground beef and potato empanada recipe that are baked, not fried, using orange Goya discs.
Empanadas! They’re tasty little pouches that are good at almost any time of the day, and that’s exactly their appeal. And when those little pouches are filled with soft potato, tomato sauce, ground beef, and delicious spices they surely are tasty.
I’ve always wanted to learn how to make real Spanish style empanadas. Mr. Wishes and I went to dinner at a friends house earlier this year and we had these empanadas. Fortunately for me, our friend Melissa taught me how to make them so that I didn’t have to go without them for very long. They’re just too good! I’ve made them several times since then and finally got around to photographing them (patience is something I really need to work on when I’m starving.)
I love empanadas and these are the best I’ve had. All latin countries have different versions of empanadas with variations of dough and fillings. The contents of empanadas can be anything from fruit fillings for a dessert version to ground beef for a dinner meal. Some are fried and some are baked. Personally I love them either way, but they are terribly fattening when fried so I choose to bake mine instead. For the dough I used Goya brand discs from the frozen section in my supermarket but if you want to make yours from scratch, go right ahead! Goya products (the Sofrito I used is Goya, as well) are available in the international aisle of most grocery stores. The dough and the Sofrito are in the freezer section, under Goya, next to the vegetables in my grocery store.
Thanks for the recipe, Melissa, and for teaching me how to make real Puerto Rican empanadas! I will enjoy it for years to come.
- 1 and ½ of the 14oz. packages of (10) frozen ORANGE Goya discs, defrosted (I use about 1 pack and a half for the amount of filling)
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Sazon con Asafron seasoning packet (Goya) (1 packet per 1 lb of beef)
- 3 Tablespoons of Sofrito (homemade or store bought - I used Goya frozen Sofrito)*
- 1 medium size baking potato, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 small can (8 oz) of tomato sauce (I used Hunt's)
- 1 egg, beaten (to brush tops of empanadas with)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet(s) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the sofrito and minced garlic in the olive oil. Add ground beef and potatoes, stir and break up meat with a wooden spoon, cook until beef is cooked through and potatoes are soft. This takes about 10 minutes.
- Add in the tomato sauce and the Sazon con Asafron seasoning packet to the skillet and stir. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture thickens a little, about another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll out the Goya wrappers until about ½-inch larger in diameter.
- Stuff the Goya wrappers with about 2 heaping tablespoons (or a little more) of the filling. Moisten edges with water, fold in half to create a half moon and seal shells well by crimping with a fork (or use a dough press if you have one) so that they don't separate while cooking. Repeat until all shells are completed.
- Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash before baking.
- Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Enjoy!
I have to try an empanada already. Beef and potatoes are such a comforting combination, I bet I would be all about these!
Definitely try them! Thanks, Kammie!
I love empanadas! I usually make chicken, but these beef and potato ones look amazing!
They are great with beef!
I’v never had an empanada but I’ve ALWAYS wanted to try one! These look delicios. I wonder where Icould buygoya discs?
My grocery store sells them, but any Latin food market!
I’ve never made empanada before but I love to eat them! You make it look so easy. 🙂
They really are easy!
Empanadas have been on my radar for a while now; this post has pushed me to my limit – I need to try making these now!! Very nicely done, Ashley!!
Thanks so much, Dan!
I have to pick up those Goya discs, I had no idea they existed!
They are kinda hard to find, but they’re there! 🙂
I love empanadas and have been meaning to make them forever now. These look awesome!
Thanks, Nicole! I hope you try them soon!
Yum! Those empanadas look so good! I’m definitely going to have to look for those Goya discs next time I go to the store. I’ve never noticed them before.
I never knew about them either until my friend told me that’s what she uses to make her empanadas 🙂
I keep saying for the last 3 years I want to make empanadas and still haven’t! I’m loving the shortcuts with the Goya discs…I have to see if my supermarket stocks that! Beef & potatoes sound perfect. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
I didn’t know about the Goya discs until my friend just told me about them recently!
Okay I need you to come over and make dinner for us!
Haha Sure thing!
These look amazing!! I’d never seen beef-stuffed ones in Spain, but they surely look lovely! Have a great weekend, Ashley! x
Thanks so much Consuelo!
I have an Argentine friend who has promised to show me how she makes empanadas. I’m looking forwards to learning, and to developing some veggie recipes 🙂
I was so glad my friend taught me how to make them! She’s Puerto Rican
What are the discs? Like a flour tortilla? Like pie crust? Does Walmart have them? Where are they found in the freezer section. I am aware of the Goya line of foods in the canned section, but had no idea anything in freezer section.
Hey, Sue! They are a pastry dough….similar to a pie crust. I’m not sure if Walmart has them, I always buy them at my local grocery store (Wegmans) but it’s worth a shot! You might have to ask someone who works there, sometimes they are hard to find.
I LOVE empanadas!! I’m going to have to try these – they look amazing!
Thanks, girlie!
I’ve been craving empanadas like crazy, so these ingredients are going on my grocery list! My brother-in-law makes empanadas in large batches and then freezes them to take to work for lunch. They are delicious!
They do freeze well! I would freeze them before baking them 🙂
Update: I’m FINALLY eating them, haha, at almost 8 PM at night. It took me three different grocery stores to find all of the ingredients (silly Walmart was completely sold out of just about every Mexican food known to mankind). But anyway . . . totally worth it! Yum, yum, yum!
Claire, yay!! I’m so glad you made them and liked them!! Sorry about the 3 different grocery store trips!
Goya products tend to be quite good. It’s been so long since I’ve made an empanada, and when I did I made the dough from scratch. Much easier to buy the dough discs already made! Great flavor in this – really nice recipe. Thanks.
Oh wow, these look awesome Ashley! I love empanadas so I know I’ll love these! Delicious!
Whaaaaa?! I have never seen empanada wrappers before! Coolest thing EVER. My family and I love empanadas but for some deranged reason we never have them. I SO am dying over these beef and potato bad boys!
LOL thanks Hayley! Look for the wrappers – they’re awesome 🙂
Nice job Ashley! They look delicious. Now I need to go make them! 🙂 You go girl!
Thanks for teaching me your ways, Melissa! 🙂 🙂
These look fantastic! My family would devour them in no time!!
I make a version of these using frozen biscuit dough sour kraut hamburger meat onion and skinless sausage brown the hamburger meat and add in everything drain extra grease roll out the biscuit place a spoon or 2 full of meat mix onto the dough pinch edges closed good drop in hot grease to fry or brush with melted butter and bake
Your empanadas look SUPER CUTE 🙂 Thanks for sharing another great recipe 🙂
Aww thanks! I love these!
Can I fry them instead of baking them? I want to make them today and I really hope I don’t mess it up, Because these look delish!!!
I’m sure you can! I’ve never done it but I don’t see why not since most empanadas are fried anyway 🙂 Thanks Stacy!
For those stressing about finding the disks, you can use Pillsbury (or store brand) rolled pie dough. Just roll it out & use a biscuit cutter to cut the disks. If anyone has a chicken,cheese & green chili empanada recipe I would love to have it, thanks.
I always fry mine. Baking would be so much healthier. Might have to try it next time. Was also thinking of making an actual meat pie with a pie crust with the same filling. Not sure how it would taste though.
I love empanadas.m but what is the difference between the red and the white disc? This recipe looks so delicious by the way
I add cheese to my meat mixture before scooping it into the Disco. My family and friends love it.
Awesome. Perfect for me and family. Already have passed it on. I am Mexican and Puert Rican. I added Monterrey jack cheese before closing. Yum Yummy.