03/09/2026
Bring the fiesta home! 🌮🇲🇽
Planning a Mexican-inspired night in? These beef & cheese empanadas are the perfect centrepiece for a table full of sharing dishes. Golden pastry, a savoury beef and cheesy filling, plus salsa, sour cream and guacamole for dipping 🥑 Ready to be on the table in under an hour!
Full recipe below 👇
To make the pastry:
• 250g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 140g chilled butter, diced
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp very cold water
For the filling:
• 300g minced beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 100g grated strong hard cheese
• 1 beaten egg, for glazing
Method:
1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, add the butter and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Mix the egg yolks with the cold water, then stir into the flour mixture until the pastry comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap and chill.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
4. Fry the beef, onion and garlic until cooked and softened. Add the spices and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Allow to cool, then stir through the cheese.
5. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and cut into around 12 discs.
6. Add a tablespoon of filling to each, brush the edges with beaten egg, fold into a half-moon and crimp with a fork. Brush with more egg.
7. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden.
