Print Recipe with image Print Recipe, no image

Cuban Beef and Potato Empanadas Recipe

Name: Cuban Beef and Potato Empanadas Recipe
Total time: 30 - 40 MINUTES
Yield: 10
Ingredients: ½ lbs Beef, ground; ½ cup yellow onion, small dice (¼˝); ⅓ cup bell pepper, small dice (¼˝); 1 tsp Litehouse® freeze-dried garlic; ½ tsp kosher salt; ½ tsp Black Pepper; 1 tsp Smoked Paprika; 1 tsp Oregano; 1 tsp Cumin, ground; ½ lbs Idaho® Yukon Gold potatoes, small dice (¼˝); 2 tbsp Tomato Paste; 1 tbsp Raisins; 2 tbsp Green Olives, sliced; 2 tsp Capers; 1 tsp Litehouse® freeze-dried parsley; ½ tsp Litehouse® freeze-dried chives; ¼ cup Chicken Stock or Water; 1 ea Frozen Empanada Disks package (10 pcs.), Store-bought, thawed; 1 ea Water to seal dough disks; 1 ea Oil for frying

November 2, 2019 Litehouse

30 - 40 MINUTES

Serves: 10

Savory turnovers filled with Cuban-style seasoned ground beef and Idaho® Yukon Gold potatoes, fried until golden brown. Read Cheryl's full post here.

Ingredients

½ lbsBeef, ground
½ cupyellow onion, small dice (¼˝)
⅓ cupbell pepper, small dice (¼˝)
1 tspLitehouse® freeze-dried garlic
½ tspkosher salt
½ tspBlack Pepper
1 tspSmoked Paprika
1 tspOregano
1 tspCumin, ground
½ lbsIdaho® Yukon Gold potatoes, small dice (¼˝)
2 tbspTomato Paste
1 tbspRaisins
2 tbspGreen Olives, sliced
2 tspCapers
1 tspLitehouse® freeze-dried parsley
½ tspLitehouse® freeze-dried chives
¼ cupChicken Stock or Water
1 eaFrozen Empanada Disks package (10 pcs.), Store-bought, thawed
1 eaWater to seal dough disks
1 eaOil for frying

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat, then add ground beef.Cook beef until only a little pink remains, 5–6 minutes, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Drain and return to the pan.Add diced onions, diced bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano and cumin. Cook 6–8 minutes until onions and peppers are softened.Add diced Idaho® Yukon Gold potatoes, tomato paste, raisins, sliced green olives, capers, parsley, chives and stock or water.Lower heat and cook, covered, until potatoes are soft, 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set mixture aside to cool slightly.Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the empanada dough. Wet the edges with a little water, then fold over and press to seal, pushing out any air trapped inside. Lightly press with a fork to seal closed. Repeat until all 10 empanada disks are filled. Cover with clean kitchen towel as you go, so the dough doesn’t dry out.In a deep pan, add enough oil to come 2˝ up the side of the pan, leaving at least 2˝ at the top. Heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.Carefully lower empanada into hot oil and fry for 4–6 minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy. Fry 2 or 3 at a time, make sure the level of the oil is at least 1˝ from the top while frying.Remove from oil and place on a layer of paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Safety precaution - When placing empanadas into hot oil, carefully lower them into the oil moving away from you, not toward you. If the oil splashes, it will go away from your body, not toward you, thus avoiding a burn.Do not fry more than 2 or 3 at a time. This will lower the temperature of the oil and make them soggy.