Puff pastry empanadas are my favorite shortcut for a party appetizer that looks like a lot more work than it is. Store-bought puff pastry bakes up flaky and golden around a honey-habanero ground beef filling that’s a little sweet and a little spicy.
The habanero heat shows up and then fades, so even people who don’t love spicy food go back for seconds. My family likes them enough that I make them for dinner, too.
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Yes, Puff Pastry Works for Empanadas
Yes, you can use puff pastry for empanadas. Traditional empanada dough is sturdier and closer to a pie crust, while puff pastry bakes up lighter and flakier with crisp, buttery layers.
The biggest difference for me is time. You skip making and resting dough, so once the pastry thaws, you can have a tray of bite-sized empanadas ready in about an hour.
Puff pastry does need a little more care than empanada dough because its flaky layers come from cold butter. Keep it cold and handle it gently, and it seals up beautifully.
If you want another shortcut, my Easy Weeknight Chicken Empanadas use pie crust, and my Wonton Empanadas use wonton wrappers.
How to Thaw Puff Pastry
I thaw puff pastry in the fridge, still in its package, overnight. It takes at least four hours, and it’s the best and safest way to keep the butter cold.
You can thaw it on the counter, but it’s dicey. Check it every 15 minutes or so, and flip it each time so a different side faces the warm kitchen air. Once the butter melts, you lose the layers that make it flaky.
Don’t unwrap the pastry until you’re ready to use it. When you are, unfold it carefully and keep it covered with a towel so it doesn’t dry out.
The Honey-Habanero Filling
The filling is ground beef with onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, honey, habanero hot sauce, and fresh lime juice. The honey softens the heat, and I stir in the lime juice after it finishes cooking so the flavor doesn’t cook out.
Use a habanero hot sauce you like, ideally one with some fruitiness along with the heat. I wouldn’t use a vinegar-heavy sauce like Frank’s here, because it fights with the honey.
I buy 90% lean ground beef because it releases less grease. You can use 85% lean, but you’ll need to drain off a lot more or risk having soggy empanadas.
You only need a third of a pound of beef for 36 empanadas, since each one gets about a teaspoon of filling. I make almost an identical version with the rest of the beef for my Honey Habanero Ground Beef Tacos, which are now our go-to taco night dinner.
How to Make Honey-Habanero Puff Pastry Empanadas
Make the filling first so it has time to cool while you cut the pastry. After that, it’s an easy assembly line of cutting, filling, and crimping.
Make the Filling
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a meat chopper (one of my favorite single-use tools). Chop the onion while the beef cooks, and add it to the pan as soon as it’s ready.
Once the beef browns, add the garlic and cook it for about a minute. I add it before draining so it picks up some flavor from the beef fat. Then drain off as much fat and liquid as you can.
Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, honey, and hot sauce. Add the broth, and cook it down until it’s barely visible in the pan, then take the skillet off the heat to stir in the lime juice.
Let the filling cool for a few minutes, then blot it with a paper towel to soak up any remaining grease. The drier the filling, the better your empanadas stay sealed in the oven.
Cut and Fill the Rounds
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the egg with one teaspoon of water using a fork until frothy, and line two half sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment paper.
Unfold each puff pastry sheet with the floured side down. The outside of the folds feels dry and powdery, and the inside feels smooth and a little tacky so you can easily tell them apart if you forget. Roll the sheet out just a bit.
Cut two-inch rounds by pressing the biscuit cutter straight down and pulling it straight up. It’s so tempting to twist, but twisting squishes the layers, and the pastry won’t rise right.
These nesting stainless steel cutters give you clean, even rounds for biscuits, scones, cookies, and hand pies. The thin blades cut through dough without dragging it, and the fluted edge gives everything a pretty finish.
Work with about nine rounds at a time, and keep the rest in the fridge. If the dough starts to feel soft, put it on a cookie sheet in the freezer for five minutes or in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, then try again.
Add a scant teaspoon of filling to each round, just off center. It’s tempting to add more, but too much filling can break through the pastry or keep you from sealing it.
Dip your extremely clean finger in the egg wash and run it around the rim of the round. The clean side seals much better than the floured side, which is why the clean side faces up. Fold the round in half and press the edges together.
Crimp the edges with a fork, pressing firmly without going through the dough. This makes it look nice and keeps the filling from leaking out.
Bake the Empanadas
Divide the empanadas between the two pans and brush the tops with egg wash. The egg wash gives them the shiny, golden crust you see on bakery pastries.
These stainless steel half sheet pans come with cooling racks that fit right inside. The rim keeps cookies and everything else from sliding off, and they clean up easily.
Bake one pan for 13 to 15 minutes, until the empanadas are golden brown and flaky, and keep the other pan in the fridge while it waits. If you’d rather bake them together, use two racks and swap the pans halfway through.
Serve them right away with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa or The Best Guacamole. I love a spoonful of guacamole right on top.
Can You Freeze Puff Pastry Empanadas?
Yes, and they’re actually better baked from frozen. The butter melts more slowly in the oven, so you get an even flakier, higher rise.
Assemble and crimp the empanadas, then freeze them uncovered in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. After one to two hours, once they’re solid, move them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to three months.
Don’t thaw them before baking, or they’ll turn mushy. Put them straight on a lined baking sheet, brush the tops with egg wash, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a beautiful golden brown.
Can You Serve Puff Pastry Empanadas for Dinner?
You can, and my family loves them that way. Plan on more per person than you would for a party, since each empanada is only a couple of bites.
For an easy dinner, add Instant Pot Spanish Rice and Black Bean and Corn Salsa on the side.
How Do You Store Leftover Puff Pastry Empanadas?
Let the empanadas cool completely before you close the container, or the steam turns the pastry soggy. Keep them in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.
Honey-Habanero Puff Pastry Empanadas
Ingredients
- 1/3 pound ground beef 90% lean
- 1/4 cup white onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2/3 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons habanero hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons beef broth
- 1 teaspoon lime juice fresh squeezed preferred
- 1 package puff pastry sheets thawed (17.3 ounce size)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or meat chopper. Add the onion while the beef cooks.1/3 pound ground beef, 1/4 cup white onion
- Once the beef is browned, add the garlic and cook one minute. Drain off as much fat and liquid as possible.1 clove garlic
- Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, honey, and hot sauce. Add the broth and cook until it's almost completely reduced. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.2/3 teaspoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 3 tablespoons beef broth, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons habanero hot sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Let the filling cool slightly, then blot it with a paper towel to remove any remaining grease.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two half sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment paper. Whisk the egg and water with a fork until frothy.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon water
- Unfold the puff pastry with the floured side down and roll it out slightly. Cut 2-inch rounds, pressing the cutter straight down and pulling it straight up without twisting. Work with about 9 rounds at a time, and keep the rest in the fridge. If the dough gets soft, chill it 5 minutes in the freezer or 10 to 15 minutes in the fridge.1 package puff pastry sheets
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together egg and 1 teaspoon water to make egg wash.
- Add a scant teaspoon of filling to each round, just off center. Run a fingertip dipped in egg wash around the rim, fold the round in half, and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with a fork.
- Divide the empanadas between the two pans and brush the tops with egg wash.
- Place one baking sheet in the fridge and bake the other for 13-15 minutes until the puff pastry empanadas are golden brown and flaky, then bake the second sheet.
- Serve immediately with salsa or guacamole. Cool leftovers completely before storing them in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
Notes
- Thaw the puff pastry in its package in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- 85% lean ground beef works, but you’ll need to drain off more fat.
- To bake both pans at once, use two racks and swap the pans halfway through.
- To freeze, freeze the unbaked, crimped empanadas in a single layer for 1 to 2 hours until solid, then move them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Don’t thaw them. Brush with egg wash and bake from frozen at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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What a lovely idea for a to go meal empanadas never fail to be a crowd pleaser. Thanks for your participation on this shop ~ client
nice puffs