Cuban Empanadas with Beef Picadillo Filling

Learn how to make Cuban empanadas from scratch, filled with beef picadillo. This isn’t your average empanada dough, mi gente! All you need is 5 simple ingredients, including a brown sugar-cinnamon simple syrup, flour, pork lard (yes, you heard that right!), and salt. No butter, no yeast, and no eggs.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
• 2 tablespoons pork lard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/3 cup vino seco ((dry cooking wine))
• 6 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt to taste ((start with 1/2 teaspoon then adjust from there))
• 1/4 cup Spanish olives (cut in half)
• 2 tablespoons raisins ((or more to taste) optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the brown-sugar cinnamon simple syrup: ---
2. 2In a saucepan, add water and the cinnamon stick then stir in the brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and transfer to a glass measuring cup to cool. Set aside.
3. 3--- Make the empanada dough: ---
4. 4In a large bowl, add the flour, lard, and salt. Add in the cooled cinnamon sugar syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a fork until a smooth dough begins to form.
5. 5Move the dough to a clean work surface and start kneading with your hands for 5-8 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and not sticky.
6. 6Place the dough back in the bowl, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
7. 7Cut the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces and roll them into golf-size balls. On a clean and floured work surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a 5-inch disc that’s 1/8-inch thick.
8. 8--- To make Cuban empanadas on the stove: ---
9. 9Make my Cuban beef picadillo recipe. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and green peppers and, sauté for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
10. 10Next, add ground beef and cook, breaking the meat apart, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat down to medium-low.
11. 11Stir in cooking wine, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, and, salt + pepper to taste. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until fragrant and saucy. Remove from the heat. Stir in olives and raisins (if using).
12. 12Add 2-3 tablespoons of the beef filling into the center of the dough disc.
13. 13Lightly brush the edges of the disc with water. Fold the top half of the circle over the filling then seal with a fork. Repeat with the rest of the dough or you can refrigerate the rest for another time.
14. 14In a large skillet, heat 1 cup oil to 400ºF. Fry the empanadas for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Serve immediately.