Baked Empanada Recipe: Ground Beef & Guava Cream Cheese Variations
Empanadas have been a huge hit in my home throughout the years, and they’ve become a favorite with family and friends. Whether savory or sweet, these delicious hand-held treats are so versatile – perfect as an appetizer for gatherings or as a main dish for family dinners. Today, I’ll be sharing my recipes for two flavors: savory ground beef and sweet guava cream cheese empanadas.
Why You’ll Love These Empanadas
Not only are these empanadas super easy to make, but they also pack so much flavor in each bite. You can whip them up quickly, especially if you have your filling ready to go. Whenever I have leftover ground beef I like to whip up some empanadas for a quick snack. They’re also crowd-pleasers, making them ideal for casual BBQs, family nights, or any occasion where you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen. Seriously all my guests have loved them!
Savory Beef and Sweet Guava Empanadas
With the two variations – savory and sweet – there’s something for everyone. I've noticed a trend with the men preferring the beef and ladies liking the sweet ones! The ground beef empanadas have a delicious filling that’s full of flavor, while the guava and cream cheese empanadas offer a sweet, creamy contrast. Serve them as a platter with guacamole or hot sauce or to compliment other appetizers.
Ingredients and Homemade Dough Tips
In the past, I used to rely on refrigerated pie crusts for convenience. However, I’ve started making my own dough, using my go-to biscuit dough recipe. The homemade dough makes a world of difference – it’s buttery, flaky, and complements both the savory and sweet fillings perfectly. Plus, it’s surprisingly simple to make!
If you’re new to making dough, don’t worry – I’ll walk you through each step so you can have fresh, homemade empanada dough that’s delicious and versatile in this post here.
How to Serve Your Empanadas
One of the things I love most about these empanadas is how flexible they are in serving. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve them:
1. As an Appetizer: Serve them as a starter with salsa verde or guacamole for dipping. The creamy avocado and salsa verde pairs well with the savory beef empanadas.
2. As a Main Dish: For a fuller meal, pair the empanadas with Spanish rice or a fresh side salad, and avocado slices.. The hearty ground beef empanadas make for a satisfying main course, while the guava and cream cheese empanadas serve as a delightful dessert option.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
These empanadas are perfect for meal prepping. You can prepare the fillings and dough ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to use. Once baked, they store well in the fridge for a few days, and you can reheat them in the oven to keep them crispy. I also like to have empanada dough rounds stored in the freezer for whenever I want to whip up a few with leftover ground beef.
Ground Beef and Guava Cream Cheese Empanadas Recipe
Ready to make these tasty empanadas? Jump to the recipe below for full details on how to create both the savory ground beef filling and the sweet guava and cream cheese filling.
Note: I’ve linked the guava paste I use below:
Easy Empanadas Recipe
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Description
These homemade empanadas are filled with a savory spiced ground beef mixture and a sweet guava and cream cheese combo. With an easy, flaky biscuit dough, they’re perfect as appetizers, snacks, or even a meal. Serve them with salsa verde, guacamole, or Spanish rice for a deliciously satisfying dish!
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 russet potatoes chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
2 carrots shredded
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Guava Paste
Cream Cheese
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp cooking oil
Homemade dough or 2 refrigerated pie crusts
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
- Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a hot skillet add 1 tbsp oil and 1/4 cup chopped onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add 2 minced garlic cloves and saute for one more minute.
- Add beef, break it down, add seasonings, and cook until slightly brown but not fully cooked. Then add chopped potatoes and cover and cook stirring occasionally on medium/low heat. I like to keep it covered in-between mixing.
- Add shredded carrots, bell peppers, and tomato sauce. Cook until peppers are slightly tender 3-5 minutes.
- Turn off and remove from heat.
Prepare the Dough:
- Make your dough or roll out your store bought pie crusts.
- If using homemade dough: Grab a chunk of dough and roll into ball being careful not to overwork. Roll out into 4-6 inch circles with rolling pin. I prefer to roll out ALL the circles first. If the dough isn't cold enough it can be tricky to roll out and work the dough, if that's the case I recommend refrigerating it for a few minutes. I also stack up the circles with small pieces of parchment paper in-between. If using store bought pie crusts: Roll out and use a biscuit cutter or a glass cup to cut out circles. Flatten a bit with rolling pin.
Make the Empanadas:
Ground Beef:
- Fill in the center of your empanada dough with 2-3 tbsp of beef, depending on the size of your empanada rounds. Fold over in half, like a taco, and seal the empanada by pinching all around with the tip of a fork.
- Gently place on baking sheet. Once all are done. Gently brush beaten egg over top of all the empanadas.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are slightly brown.
Guava & Cheese:
- Simply spread some cream cheese over dough round and then top with guava paste.
- Fold over and pinch close with fork.
- Brush evenly with beaten egg.
- Bake 12-15 minutes until tops are golden brown.
I like to split the dough in half between both variations or make as many of each that you'd like!
Notes
You can decide the size of your empanada rounds. Adjust baking time accordingly.
Serve as an appetizer on it's own or with salsa verde on the side
Serve as a full meal with Spanish rice, avocado/guacamole, and salsa verde.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 20 empanadas
These empanadas are truly a treat that everyone will love, whether served as an appetizer, main course, or dessert. I hope this recipe brings as much joy to your table as it does to mine. Let me know what you think!
Thank you for reading,
xo Melissa
