Air Fryer Beef Empanadas
Air Fryer Beef Empanadas are a quick and easy weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week. They're a great freezer-friendly item to have on hand for nights when you don't feel like cooking!
Servings: 15
Calories: 302kcal
Equipment
- Empanada press optional
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic minced or pressed
- 2 tbsp onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 8 oz canned baked beans
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano flakes
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1.5 lb pie crust, store-bought
- all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
Beef Filling
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion and stir for about 3 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Add the ground beef, salt, and ground pepper. Using a meat masher, break up the meat into small pieces and cook it until it turns brown.
- Add the bell peppers and stir for 3 minutes then add the baked beans, ground cumin, oregano flakes, and cilantro, and stir to combine. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Then remove the skillet from the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside.
Empanadas
- Roll the pie crust firmly and evenly over a well-floured flat surface to a thickness of around ¼”. Cut circles with a 4” round container or a circle cutter.
- Add two tbsp of the beef mixture to the center. Brush the edges of the circle with the beaten egg, using a pastry brush. Then, fold the circle in half to cover the filling, ensuring both round edges are aligned. You can use an empanada mold or you can also use a fork to press the edge to seal the empanada. Preheat the air fryer and brush the empanadas with the egg wash.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350℉.
- Add a piece of parchment paper to your air fryer basket and place the empanadas into the basket in a single layer, leaving space between them. Working in batches, place the empanadas in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the empanadas from the air fryer and place them on a cooking rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- When finished, place the empanadas on a cooling rack before serving with homemade empanada sauce.
Notes
- If you're making a smaller batch or more than 2 batches, check on the empanadas around 8 minutes because they might cook faster.
- The empanadas will come out easily without sticking to the air fryer basket if you place a piece of air fryer parchment paper inside the basket.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket by adding too many pieces at a time. Add the empanadas in a single layer and leave some space between the empanadas, this way the hot air inside the air fryer can circulate evenly around them.
- You don’t need to flip the empanadas halfway through. Let them cook in the same position the whole time.
- Once the empanadas are done cooking, allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the filling settle and makes handling easier.
Nutrition
Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
