Empanadas mendocinas are typical of the province of Mendoza and stand out mainly for their dough: unlike the basic criollo dough, it’s made with milk and traditionally pork fat, giving it a softer, creamier texture once baked.
The filling is made with ground beef, onion, and smoked paprika as the key flavor and color ingredient, without raisins, unlike some other sweeter Argentine empanadas.
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Mendoza Style Empanadas
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 empanadas
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
- 500 g of ground beef (about 1.1 lb)
- 2 of onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons of pork fat or oil
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- to taste of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- to taste of cumin
- to taste of oregano (optional)
- to taste of salt
- 2 of hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 12 of green olives, pitted
- 12 pieces of milk-based empanada dough discs
- 1 of beaten egg, for brushing (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the onion, in a pot with the pork fat or oil, cook the chopped onion until translucent.
- Add the beef, stir in the ground beef and cook over medium heat, breaking up clumps, until fully cooked.
- Season, add smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, cumin, oregano, and salt, mixing well so the flavors combine.
- Cool, remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the empanadas.
- Assemble, place a portion of the cold filling on each dough disc along with a little chopped hard-boiled egg and one olive.
- Close and crimp, moisten the edges with water, fold into a half-moon shape, and crimp by pressing with your fingers.
- Cook, brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C (390°F) until the dough is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips for getting them right
- The milk-and-pork-fat dough is what sets this empanada apart: if you can get pork fat, use it for the traditional texture.
- Smoked paprika is key to this filling’s characteristic flavor and color; don’t swap it for regular paprika if you want the authentic taste.
- Unlike some other regional empanadas, this recipe doesn’t include raisins.
- Letting the filling cool well before assembling keeps the dough from getting soggy while you work.
Traditional variations
- Some families add a bit of grated cheese to the filling before closing the empanadas.
- They’re also made fried instead of baked, though the baked version is the most common in Mendoza.
How to serve
Empanadas mendocinas are served hot, freshly baked, as an appetizer or main dish.
They pair perfectly with a good wine from Mendoza, Argentina’s most important wine-producing region.
Recommended sides
- Mendoza malbec wine
- Salsa criolla
- Lemon
Did you know?
The dough for empanadas mendocinas differs from the basic criollo dough by including milk, which gives it a softer, creamier texture once baked.
Mendoza is Argentina’s most important wine-producing region, and these empanadas are traditionally paired with a local malbec.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike the basic criollo dough, the Mendoza-style dough includes milk and traditionally pork fat, giving it a softer, creamier texture once baked.
Smoked paprika is a key ingredient that gives this variation's filling its characteristic color and flavor, setting it apart from other Argentine empanadas.
No, unlike some other sweeter Argentine empanadas, the traditional Mendoza recipe doesn't include raisins among its ingredients.
Yes, though the most common version in Mendoza is baked, some households also fry them for a crispier result.
