Empanadas is one of the dishes that they exist in all Central and South America, there are versions fried and baked, and the fillings are endless. Chilean Beef Empanadas are the most traditional empanadas in Chile. Some families have empanadas for lunch every Sunday. I learned to make mine with my grandmother a long, long time ago and always try to make them at least once a year.
They are easier to do if you make the Pino (ground meat filling) the day before. Once baked they keep well for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Serve your Chilean Beef Empanadas with these for a full Chilean feast:
- Pebre Sauce (appetizer)
- Borgoña (drink)
- Sopaipillas (appetizer)
- Leche Asada (dessert)
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The most traditional Chilean empanada with the perfect dough and filling.
Ingredients
For the Pino,
• 1 kilo or 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 large or 4 medium onions chopped into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons red pepper or paprika or Merken (Chilean smoked chili)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons oil
Optional,
• 20 black olives
• 40 raisins
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
For the dough,
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 kilo or 2 pounds of all-purpose flour
• 4 egg yolks
• 180 grams/ 6,5 oz of melted shortening, warm
Instructions
1. For the Pino, always do it the day before,
In a large saucepan heat the oil and fry the meat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, add the paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin, saute a few minutes.
Add the broth and simmer 30 minutes over low heat. Add the onion and mix well and cook over medium heat until onion is tender about 30 minutes.
Add the flour and stir well and adjust seasoning if necessary, cook two more minutes. Cool and refrigerate.
2. For the dough,
Make a brine with the milk, water, and salt, stir to dissolve the salt altogether. In a large bowl or on a stand mixer with the paddle attachment mix the flour and egg yolks, mix for a minute to incorporate.
Add the melted shortening and work a little more, at this point you will see only crumbs. To form the dough star adding the brine with the mixer running on low speed until the dough is soft and flexible. If needed, keep adding water. Separate the dough into 20 portions and cover with a moist cloth.
Work each piece individually, rolling until thin, cut in a circle about 7″ and fill with two tablespoons of Pino, a quarter of hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins if desired. Close smearing the edge, press firmly and make the folds. Brush with an egg wash before baking.
3. Preheated the oven to 350F or 180C. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.
4. Serve hot. To reheat, do it in the oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.
Hi,
I am interested in making your Beef Empanada but I need to omit the onion as I have an intolerance to brown and red onion. Can you tell me if you I can do it with spring onions instead as these are the only ones that don’t repeat on me????? Looking forwards to eating these yummy Empanadas
Yes, you can, it will not be the same, but close. Good Luck!
Hola Pilar
Tengo un problema con las medidas que no he podido averiguar buscando en internet.
En mi país, Dinamarca, usamos decilitro (dl) y no tazas. Leyendo mi libro “Cocina Popular” de M. Walker puedo ver que 5 tazas = 1 litro. Por ende, 1 taza = 20 ml o 2 dl.
Sin embargo, leyendo tu receta en inglés también utilizas la medida taza, y según mi jarrito con medidas de EE.UU una taza no es equivalente a 2 dl. Estoy que me saco el pelo grrr. Espero que me puedas ayudar!!!!
1 taza gringa es 240ml o 24dl… es verdad que hay varias medidas, pero yo siempre uso esa.
OMG. Me encantó tu receta, millones de gracias porque no sabia que carne comprar acá en USA para hacer el pino. No le pego mucho a la cocina y he tratado por años de que me salgan empanadas decentes y éstas son las primeras que me salieron perfectas!!! Gracias nuevamente.
Ale, Que emoción!!!! me alegro mucho, el placer de una buena empanada es incomparable. Saludos.
Great recipe. I used the version you have on another site with chopped beef (instead of ground), but overall I have to say this tastes exactly like the ones I’d eat every day when I was at la Universidad de Chile in 2006. Really brings back memories. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful. I’m glad you enjoyed. Thanks for coming back to comment.
I just wanted to say how much I love your blog and all of your recipes! We are celebrating dieciocho tomorrow and will be making many chilena dishes from your site!
I’m so glad. Please tell your other Chilean friends about my blog. Have fun!
With my son serving his LDS Mission in Chile (Rancagua), I decided to celebrate 18 de Sept with him and made your empanada recipe (with merken). It was SO delicious! I shared with those of us who served in Chile and they all loved them as well. The best compliment was from someone who’s family came from South America and her response was they were just as good as their abuelita made! Thank you so much for these recipes!
Wow, that is amazing. Thank you so much for coming back and share with me. I’m from Rancagua. Small word. I’m so glad your family and friends enjoyed this recipe.
Hola ! How long can you keep the dough? Should I refrigerate or freeze? Will need it in a couple of days .
I recommend to extend the dough and cut the circles and then storage with parchment paper in between each dough circle. You can freeze for up to 2 months. Or refrigerate up to 5 days. Good luck.
Can this dough be used for fried empanadas?
yes.
Hola Pilar, quiero darte las gracias por tu blog y las recetas de mi pais, hice las sopaipillas siguiendo tu receta y quedaron “requete guenas”…yo no le pego a cocinar y no me gusta pero ahora que estoy “madura” para no decir vieja, jejejeje me he puesto mas domestica y por eso estoy empenada en tratar algunas de tus recetas, la proxima seran empanadas, wich me luck and keep up the good work!!!!
Suerte y así aprendí yo, bien de a poco. Lo importante es probar. Saludos.
Hi,
Can you substitute any other fat for the shortening with good results?
Thanks!
On the dough, you can use butter, but the texture is a little different to the traditional ones.
They look amazing (and taste great too, I’m sure)! I spent time in Chile and got completely addicted to empanadas de pino. And that’s from someone who rarely eats me, let alone ground beef!
I’m glad you have good memories of the empanadas.
The milk to be used is it canned evaporated milk or regular gallon milk?
Regular milk, other milks are always pointed out on the blog.
Thank you for having these recipes. I try to get them from my mom but she doesn’t measures nothing it’s just by looking. I was born in Chile. Came here when I was two. But I was raised eating these foods.
You are welcome. Most people in Chile don’t measure either. Welcome to the blog.
Hi Pilar,
You have some delicious recipes. I was wondering if you ever make any of your recipes for shipping to the Tampa, Florida area??
I’m particularly interested in ordering Empanadas de Pino (Chilenas). If you ship out, could you please email me direct with all pertinent information.
Thanking you in advance!!
Erick
Hi, no, I don’t sell food.
Thank you for this recipe. Can you make empanadas de queso using this same empanada dough recipe and just filling with cheese? If so, what cheese do you recommend?
Yes, you can. The dough can be fried or baked. Best cheeses are Muenster and Havarti, a combination is great, or Havarti and quesadilla.
Al final de la receta para preparar el pino en español no aparece “cook two more minutes”
Gracias, lo voy a mirar.