Ask an Argentine what they miss most from home and the answer is almost always the same: empanadas. Not the frozen kind from a box — the real ones, with flaky golden crusts and juicy beef filling, folded by hand with that signature twisted edge called the repulgue.
Here's the good news: you don't need your grandmother's dough recipe. With La Salteña empanada discs — the same brand Argentine families actually buy — the hard part is done for you. What follows is the classic beef empanada (empanada de carne) recipe our customers make on repeat.
Which discs should you use?
La Salteña makes several styles, and the choice matters:
- Hojaldre (550g, 20 discs) — flaky, buttery layers. The crowd favorite and our best seller.
- Criolla (550g, 20 discs) — the traditional tender crust, perfect for frying.
- Hojaldrada Big & Thick (767g, 20 discs) — extra-sturdy for generous fillings.
Classic Argentine Beef Empanadas
Makes 20 empanadas — exactly one 550g pack of discs.
Filling ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp beef tallow, lard, or neutral oil
Steps
1. Make the filling (the relleno). Heat the tallow in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, breaking it up, about 6 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped eggs and olives. Let it cool completely — warm filling melts the dough and causes leaks. For best results, refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
2. Thaw the discs. Move La Salteña discs from freezer to fridge a few hours before (or 30 minutes on the counter). They should be pliable, not warm.
3. Fill. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cold filling onto the center of each disc. Don't overfill — it's the #1 beginner mistake.
4. Seal with a repulgue. Fold the disc in half, press the edges firmly, then fold and twist the edge over itself in overlapping pinches all the way around. It takes three empanadas to get the hang of it — yours will look rustic and perfect.
5. Bake or fry. Baked: 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes until deep golden. Fried (criolla style): 350°F (175°C) oil, 3–4 minutes per side until golden and blistered.
Tips from our kitchen
- Cold filling, always. This is the whole secret. Warm filling = soggy, leaking empanadas.
- Brush baked empanadas with beaten egg before baking for that bakery shine.
- Freeze extras. Assembled, unbaked empanadas freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 5 minutes.
- Don't skip the olives and egg. That's what makes them Argentine instead of just "meat turnovers."
Get the discs
We ship La Salteña empanada discs frozen nationwide — insulated packaging, dry ice, out Monday (sometimes Tuesday) so they arrive still frozen. Stock your freezer and you'll never be more than 30 minutes from real empanadas.
Thirty years finding the hard-to-find — including the exact discs Argentine families buy at home.
