Mini Empanadas Recipe

In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt. Cut the cold cubed butter (and shortening, if using) into the flour using a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

In a small bowl whisk together 6 tablespoons cold water, 1 egg (lightly beaten) and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Pour into the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring with a fork until dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid; dough should be cohesive but not sticky.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 4–6 times to bring it together. Divide dough into 3 equal portions, flatten each into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). Chilling relaxes gluten and firms the butter for a flaky crust.

When ready to assemble, remove one disc at a time from fridge and let sit 5 minutes to make rolling easier.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving a tablespoon for flavor.

Stir in smoked paprika, ground cumin, oregano and tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices. Add beef broth (or water), chopped olives if using, salt and pepper. Simmer until mixture is thick and just moist, about 6–8 minutes. If using, stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs and remove from heat to cool completely before filling; aim for a cool-to-warm temperature to avoid soggy dough.

In a medium bowl combine diced ham, shredded cheddar, softened cream cheese, sliced green onions and black pepper. Mix until evenly combined. No cooking needed; chill briefly if mixture is warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Add shredded cooked chicken, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and heat through 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream or cream cheese to bind the filling. Cool before filling the dough.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add chopped spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted and most moisture evaporates, 3–4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in crumbled feta, softened cream cheese, nutmeg (if using), salt and pepper. Cool completely; squeeze out excess moisture with a fine mesh strainer or towel if needed to avoid soggy empanadas.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or lightly oil them.

On a lightly floured surface roll one chilled dough disc to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3–3.5 inch round cutter (a cookie cutter or rim of a glass), cut circles. Reroll scraps as needed. You should get roughly 24–30 mini rounds per 3-cup flour batch depending on thickness.

Place about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each round (amount depends on filling type; avoid overfilling). For beef and chicken use the thicker, cooled filling; for ham & cheese and spinach use as-is. Leave a 1/4-inch border around edge.

Brush the edges lightly with water. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon and press edges to seal. You can crimp edges with a fork or fold and roll the edge for a decorative seal.

Place empanadas on prepared baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water or milk and brush egg wash over each empanada for a glossy finish.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 15–18 minutes (rotate sheets halfway if baking multiple trays). Mini empanadas should be puffed and deep golden at edges.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with chimichurri, salsa, or your preferred dipping sauce.