This Chilean Empanadas de pino recipe features a flavorful beef mixture, raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. It's a great meal on the go or a perfect make-ahead dinner!
Empanadas Chilean can be enjoyed with a hot sauce on the side, such as our Mango Habanero Sauce if desired. The sweet and spicy flavor of the sauce pairs well with the savory empanadas, providing an extra kick of heat that will leave you wanting more.
How to Make Chilean Empanadas
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Place the eggs in a pot of water on the stovetop, with at least an inch of water covering them. Simmer the eggs. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Simmer the eggs in boiling water for fifteen minutes to get firm whites and yolks.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in an ice bath in a large bowl. Cooling the eggs in cold water will halt the cooking process and make handling the eggs easier when peeling.
When the eggs are completely cool to room temperature—about fifteen minutes—gently tap the egg on the counter or table to crack the peel. Tap the top end of the egg and the bottom end before tapping the egg's sides to break up the eggshell.
Carefully peel the egg, starting from the wide bottom end of the egg, to break the air pocket between the egg and the shell. Then, gently peel off the shell to avoid breaking the egg whites.
Pat, dry with a paper towel, cut them into quarters, and place them into a bowl. Covered with plastic wrap, store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a large nonstick pot, combine beef, 2 tablespoons olive oil, water, beef bouillon, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic; stir and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, occasionally stirring, until beef is tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove lid and increase heat to high until it dries up to a juicy but dry look, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the onions and cook until it softens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the paprika and cook for another 10 minutes to eliminate excess liquid; the mixture should be moist but not runny.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Next, transfer the meat mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until the next day.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, melted butter, and salt on medium speed until thoroughly blended
. With the motor running, slowly add hot water and mix until a soft and pliable dough forms, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and kneaded one or two times, just enough to form a neat ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 4 hours up to overnight. On an un-floured flat work surface, roll the dough into a ⅛ inch thick sheet; let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Then, cut out the disc using an 8'' inches round cutter; depending on how large you prefer, I use an 8'' glass lid. Then, gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough, and roll out another batch of circles; repeat with the rest of the scraps.
Cover the discs with cling film and chill while you prepare the filling. If not used immediately, use wax or parchment paper to separate the stack and refrigerate or freeze it for later use.
Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment and dust with cornmeal; set aside.
Spoon 2 spoonfuls of beef mixture in the center of each empanada disc, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, olives, and raisins on top; avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent a good seal.
Moisten the tip of your finger with a small amount of water, then moisten the edges of the circle with your finger around half the border. Then, fold the end of the dough in half over the filling, being sure to get the air out around the filling.
Then, fold the empanada's sides and center to form a rectangle. Press the tips with your finger and brush the surface with the rest of the egg mixture. Puncture the center of the empanadas with a toothpick.
Place the Chilean Empanadas in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. Let the Chilean Empanadas rest in the fridge until you're ready to bake for up to 3 hours.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk (do not beat until ready to bake) with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, whole milk, or water, and a pinch of salt and sugar.
Lightly brush the top of the beef empanadas with the egg mixture; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and serve the Chilean Empanadas immediately. Enjoy!
Related Recipes:
- Ground Beef Empanadas "Empanadas de Carne Molida"
- Chicken Empanadas "Empanadas de Pollo"
- Tuna Empanadas "Empanadas de Tunas"
- Sweet Corn Empanadas "Empanadas de Choclo"
- Yuca Empanadas "Pastel Mandi'o"
- Fatay "Empanadas Arabes"
📖 Recipe
Easy Chilean Empanadas
Tools
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 kg yellow onions , finely chopped
- 1 kg small diced chuck steak , chuck roast, or top sirloin *(cut into small cubes the size of peas)
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper , to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Knorr Beef flavor bouillon or 1 tablespoon of kosher salt , to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 5 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 2 tablespoons of paprika
- 18 Kalamata or black olives , pitted
- 5 hard-boiled eggs in quarters
- 150 g (¾ cup) golden raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained)
For the Dough:
- 1 kg (8 cups) of all-purpose flour, level off with the back of a knife
- 10 g (2 teaspoons) of kosher salt
- 25 g (2 tablespoons) sugar
- 475 ml hot water
- 300 g (2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons ) unsalted butter , melted (hot)
Instructions
- Make the Filling: Place eggs in a pot of water on the stovetop, with at least an inch of water covering the eggs. Simmer the eggs. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Simmer the eggs in boiling water for fifteen minutes to get firm whites and egg yolks.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in an ice bath in a large bowl. Cooling the eggs in cold water will halt the cooking process and make handling the eggs easier when peeling.
- When the eggs are completely cool to room temperature—about fifteen minutes—gently tap the egg on the counter or table to crack the peel. Tap the top end of the egg and the bottom end before tapping the egg's sides to break up the eggshell.
- Carefully peel the egg, starting from the wide bottom end of the egg to break the air pocket between the egg and the shell. Then, gently peel off the shell to avoid breaking the egg whites. Pat, dry with a paper towel, and places them into a bowl. Using a knife, cut them into quarters, cover them with plastic wrap, and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a large nonstick pot, combine beef, 2 tablespoons olive oil, water, beef bouillon, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic; stir and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, occasionally stirring, until beef is tender for about 1 hour. Remove lid, and increase heat to high until and let dry up to a juicy but dry look for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the onions and cook until softens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the paprika and cook for another 10 minutes to eliminate any excess liquid; the mixture should be moist but not runny. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Next, transfer the meat mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until the next day.
- Make Empanada Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, melted butter, and salt on medium speed until thoroughly blended. With the motor running, slowly add in hot water and mix until a soft and pliable dough forms, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and kneaded one or two times, just enough to form a neat ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 4 hours up to overnight.
- On an un-floured flat work surface, roll out the dough into a ⅛ inch thick sheet; let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Then, cut out the disc using 8'' inches round cutter; depending on how large you prefer, I use an 8'' glass lid.
- Then, gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough, and roll out another batch of circles; repeat with the rest of the scraps. Cover the discs with cling film and chill while you prepare the filling or if not used immediately, use wax or parchment paper to separate the stack and refrigerate or freeze to use later.
- Assemble the Chilean Empanadas:
- Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment and dust with cornmeal; set aside.
- Spoon about 2 spoonfuls of beef mixture in the center of each empanada disc, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, olives, and raisins on top; avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent a good seal.
- Moisten the tip of your finger with a small amount of water and moisten the edges of the circle with your finger around half the border, then fold the end of the dough in half over the filling; be sure to get the air out around the filling.
- Then, fold the sides and the center of the empanada to form a rectangle. Press the tips with your finger and brush the surface with the rest of the egg mixture on top. Puncture the center of the empanadas with a toothpick.
- Place the Chilean Empanadas as done in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. Let the Chilean Empanadas rest in the fridge until you're ready to bake for up to 3 hours.
- Bake the Chilean Empanadas:
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk (do not beat until ready to bake) with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, whole milk, or water, and a pinch of salt and sugar.
- Lightly brush the top of the beef empanadas with the egg mixture; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and serve the Chilean Empanadas immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
