These taco empanadas wrap a cheesy, protein-packed beef filling in flaky pie crust for a fun, family-friendly dinner. They’re easy for little hands to help assemble—and even easier to serve with salsa for dipping.
A QUICK NOTE
Keep the filling slightly inside the edge of each dough round so the empanadas seal well. A 5-inch bowl makes an easy cutting guide, but the size does not need to be exact.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb lean ground beef
1 red onion, chopped
1–2 packets (1–2 oz) low-sodium taco seasoning
1 cup refried beans, or just enough to hold the beef mixture together
1 cup shredded fiesta-blend cheese
4 thawed pie crusts (2 packages with 2 crusts each)
1 egg, beaten
Salsa, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, red onion, and taco seasoning, breaking the meat into crumbles, until the beef is fully cooked. Drain any excess grease if needed.
3. Stir in the refried beans and shredded cheese. Set the filling aside to cool slightly; it will thicken as it rests.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pie crust to about ⅛ inch thick. Use a 5-inch round cutter or small bowl to cut circles, rerolling the scraps as needed.
5. Place about 3–4 Tbsp of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough in half, press the edges together to seal, and crimp with a fork.
6. Arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops and edges with beaten egg, then pierce each top with a fork.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with salsa for dipping. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat as needed.
