Lunch / Dinner
Empanadas con Queso
An empanada is simply a Spanish version of a turnover. They can have savory beef fillings like this one, or can be fruitfilled for dessert empanadas. Served as a snack or a meal, these treats are always a hit.
Ingredients
Use store-bought puff pastry. It’s available in the freezer at your grocery store. Ideally it should thaw in the refrigerator overnight, but if you forget, it’ll thaw in about 20 minutes at room temperature.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss beef with Cajun spice, oregano, salt, and pepper to coat.
Sauté beef in oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes; remove from pan. Add onion; sauté 1 minute, then stir in corn, salsa, broth, and tomato paste. Simmer until thick, about 1 minute, then return meat and juices to pan. Simmer 1–2 minutes, then spread on a baking sheet; chill briefly in the freezer (do not freeze solid).
Cut four circles from each pastry sheet; whisk egg and water together. Remove filling from freezer and place 2 Tbsp. in center of each circle. Moisten edge with water, fold pastry over filling, and seal. Place empanadas on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray, brush with egg wash, and pierce with a fork to vent steam. Bake until golden, 15 minutes.
Melt butter for the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cook about 1 minute, then gradually add milk, whisking constantly until incorporated. Stir in cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Serve with empanadas.
Use a biscuit cutter or a large lid from a jar to cut puff pastry into 4–41/2-inch circles.
Fold pastry over the filling, press edges together, and crimp by pressing with a fork.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per empanada with 2 Tbsp. sauce
Calories: 207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 390mg 16%
Carbs 8g 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 11g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.