The history of empanadas dates back to the beginning of civilization, and its spread knew no bounds. In Argentina, the pride people feel in having mastered an ancient recipe to perfection make it worthy of a place at the pinnacle of Argentine gastronomy. For a true Argentine, empanadas sit alongside asado and milanesas as the quintessential local dishes.
Ready to try the best Argentine empanada recipe? Let’s dive in.
The Chinese dumpling, the Japanese gyoza, the Turkish börek, the Russian pirozhki, the Italian panzerotto, the Indian samosa, the pre-Columbian tamal, the Galician empanada. Every culture has a version of what we call “empanada”, i.e., a savory filling, often meat-based, encased in a layer of dough.
The first references to filled doughs or bread date back 4,000 years, likely beginning as a common food for shepherds or travelers who cleverly placed stews inside bread to easily transport, preserve, and eat food on long journeys. With the rise of the Persian Empire about 2,500 years ago, these filled doughs spread eastward to India and westward to Greece. The oldest versions of empanadas that survive to this day are probably the fatayer or sfihas, classic dishes from Arab cuisine, originally made with lamb and bulgur wheat.
From North Africa, filled breads crossed the Strait of Gibraltar under the leadership of Tariq—who led the Muslim conquest of much of the Iberian Peninsula—in the 8th century and established themselves in what is now Spain, where they were transformed into the direct ancestors of our empanada—a word of Spanish origin derived from “pan” (bread) and the verb “empanar,” meaning the action of placing something inside a dough.
The Galician empanada is the most popular version of this dish in the Iberian Peninsula. The first record of it dates back to the 11th century, depicted on a portal of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. However, what we consider an empanada in Argentina is known as an “empanadilla” in Spain, while the famous Galician empanada is more like what we would call a pie, a word used in Spain to describe a sweet cake.
The Galician empanada is the most popular version of this dish in the Iberian Peninsula.
Empanadas already appeared in Spanish recipe books in the 16th century and were even mentioned in the first novel written in Spanish: Don Quixote of La Mancha (1605). In it, Sancho Panza, the inseparable sidekick of the hero, mentions that he is about to eat his empanada by a stream.
While pre-Columbian filled doughs existed throughout the Andes, made with corn—since wheat did not exist in the Americas—such as tamales or arepas, the Spanish conquest introduced various types of empanadas across the continent: Chilean empanadas de pino (filled with chopped meat), Ecuadorian empanadas de viento (giant, airy, cheese-filled, and dusted with sugar), Mexican quesadillas, Bolivian pucacapas (spicy cheese-filled empanadas), or the legendary Argentine empanadas salteñas.
Most likely, the first indigenous American empanadas were made with dehydrated llama meat—charqui—in the Andes around the 16th century. But from that point on, thanks to the fusion of indigenous and European ingredients and flavors, they spread across the continent, with each region adapting the recipe to showcase the best of their local produce.
During the 19th century, the empanada became a culinary icon across almost the entire Argentine territory, with countless local variations. This was especially true in provinces where meat was neither common nor cheap, making it necessary to combine it with dough to make it stretch further. The use of flour became essential to elevate a product that was not always abundant or of the best quality. In places where people had to be resourceful, simply putting a piece of meat on the fire was not a common practice.
The provinces that have mastered the art of the empanada the best are Salta and Tucumán, both located in the north of the country. However, the differences between the empanada recipes from these provinces have sparked an often heated debate about which empanada is superior and, more importantly, which one deserves to be known as the definitive Argentine empanada.
The main distinction between these two varieties lies in their filling and cooking methods. Salteña empanadas, known for being small, juicy, and not spicy, combine knife-cut beef, boiled potato, regular onion, scallions, hard-boiled egg, red bell pepper, ground chili, cumin, and paprika, all sautéed in beef fat. This mixture is wrapped in dough and then either baked in a clay oven or fried, resulting in a gastronomic experience that is as rich as it is distinctive.
On the other hand, las empanadas de Tucumán stand out with a filling that omits sugar, olives, raisins, and potatoes, focusing instead on knife-cut beef, eggs, scallions, and white onions. The filling is cooked at a medium temperature to ensure the dough doesn’t burn and the filling cooks evenly, requiring careful preparation.
Additionally, the use of beef flank (matambre) as the main ingredient is one of the secrets of Tucumán empanadas, providing a flavor and texture that sets them apart within the broad spectrum of regional Argentine cuisine. This detail not only enhances the dish’s flavor profile but also reflects the richness of Tucumán’s culinary traditions.
Salteñas | Tucumanas | |
Main Meat | Knife-cut beef | Knife-cut beef (specifically flank/matambre) |
Base Ingredients | Beef, Regular onion, Scallions, Hard-boiled egg, Red bell pepper | Beef, White onions, Scallions, Eggs |
Additional Ingredients | Boiled potato | Ground chili, Cumin, Paprika |
Don’t get us wrong; empanadas are so delicious that they can easily be served as a main dish, especially when there are various fillings. But, just like vitel toné or a delicious Argentine salad, they also make the perfect appetizer, especially when the main course is an asado (barbecue).
When families gather on Sundays for those long lunches that are an integral part of Argentine asado traditions, there are two stars: the grill master and the person who makes the empanadas. Generally, a guest brings the empanadas as a gesture of courtesy, and they serve to entertain the guests while the meat is being cooked. However, it’s advised not to eat more than one or two in order to save room for the chorizo, grilled chicken, and beef.
In cases where empanadas are the main course, four empanadas is typically a good number, although, of course, this can increase depending on how hungry the diner is and how delicious the empanadas are.
As for how to eat them, there is only one correct way: with your hands. It’s advisable, however, to let them cool down a bit to avoid getting burned by the juices that may leak between your fingers with the first bite. Another acceptable option is to use a paper napkin to hold it.
Saying that there are as many varieties of empanadas as there are regions in Argentina would be an understatement. It would be more accurate to say that there are as many recipes as there are families, each one adding its own unique touch. However, there are basic ingredients that are essential.
In this section, you’ll learn how to make the best Argentine empanada. All quantities have been calculated for twelve empanadas. Are you ready?
Note: If you’re lucky enough to have a pasta machine, you can use it here, just as you would when making pasta. Fold and roll the dough repeatedly, and after a few passes, when you’ve reached a thickness of 1 mm, you can cut it to your desired size, and that’s it. It’s much faster and results in a sturdier dough. Also, remember that the classic dough for fried empanadas is cooked in fat, not oil.
Ingredients
Beef Empanada Filling, Step by Step
We have reached the end of our tribute to Argentine empanadas. We hope that this blog has not only brought you the best beef empanada recipe but also informed you a bit about the history and rich traditions associated with this unique dish.
Now all that’s left is to save the recipe, buy the ingredients, and start cooking!
Traditional accompaniments for Argentine empanadas include:
An empanada is a hand-held pastry consisting of a filling enclosed in folded dough. In Argentina, these crescent-shaped pastries can be baked or fried and are filled with various ingredients, most commonly meat, cheese, corn, or vegetables. The word “empanada” comes from the Spanish verb “empanar,” which means to wrap or coat in bread.
Basic Argentine empanada dough (masa) recipe:
Note: Many Argentines also buy pre-made empanada discs (tapas para empanadas) from the supermarket for convenience.
No, empanadas are not exclusively Mexican – they are found throughout Latin America and Spain, with each region having its own distinct variations. Argentina has its own very strong empanada tradition, particularly in provinces like Salta and Tucumán. While Mexico does have empanadas, they are different from Argentine empanadas in terms of fillings, dough, and preparation methods. Argentine empanadas are particularly known for their meat-based fillings and distinctive folding pattern called “repulgue” which often indicates what’s inside.