Empanadas Puertorriquenas

Name: Empanadas Puertorriquenas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 6 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup warm water; 1 lb ground beef; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 potato, diced small; 2 tbsp sofrito; 1/4 cup green olives; 2 tbsp raisins; 1/4 tsp oregano; 1/4 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp salt; 3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Fried hand pies with seasoned beef and potato filling, golden and crispy on the outside with savory meat filling inside. A Puerto Rican favorite and popular street food.

75 minMediumServes 12280 cal/serving

Puerto RicanAppetizerStovetopStandard

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup warm water
1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 potato, diced small
2 tbsp sofrito
1/4 cup green olives
2 tbsp raisins
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1

Mix 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder.
2

Cut in 6 tbsp butter until breadcrumb texture.
3

Add 1/2 cup warm water gradually, mix until soft dough. Rest 10 min.
4

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Brown 1 lb ground beef, 5 minutes.
5

Add 1/2 diced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, sauté 2 min.
6

Stir in 2 tbsp sofrito, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp cumin. Cook 1 min.
7

Add 1 diced small potato, cook until tender.
8

Stir in 1/4 cup green olives, 2 tbsp raisins. Season with salt.
9

Cool filling completely.
10

Roll dough thin, cut into 3-inch circles.
11

Fill each with 1 tbsp filling, fold and seal.
12

Fry in oil at 350 degrees until golden, 2-3 min per side.
13

Drain and serve hot.

Questions

Can I make Empanadas Puertorriquenas dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 6 tbsp butter. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Empanadas Puertorriquenas gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 3 cups all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Empanadas Puertorriquenas keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.

Can I halve or double Empanadas Puertorriquenas?

Yes. As written it serves 12. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Serve it with

Sofrito sauce
Coquito drink
Remoulade Sauce sauce

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