Empanadas tucumanas are another great variation from northern Argentina, originally from the province of Tucumán, and are often compared to empanadas salteñas since both come from the country’s northwest.
Unlike the salteña, the tucumana skips potato and peas: its filling relies on knife-cut beef (traditionally flank steak) and plenty of onion, cooked over medium heat for an intense flavor without burning or staying raw.
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Tucumán Style Beef Empanadas
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 empanadas
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 195
Ingredients
- 500 g of beef flank steak, cut into small pieces with a knife (about 1.1 lb)
- 3 of onions, finely chopped
- 1 of scallion, chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons of beef fat or oil
- to taste of crushed red pepper flakes
- to taste of cumin
- to taste of salt
- 12 pieces of empanada dough discs
- 1 of beaten egg, for brushing (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the onion, in a pot with the fat or oil, cook the chopped onion over medium heat until very soft and translucent.
- Add the beef, stir in the knife-cut flank steak and cook over medium heat, stirring often so it doesn’t burn and cooks through without staying raw.
- Season, add crushed red pepper, cumin, and salt, adjusting the amounts to your desired spice level.
- Cool the filling, remove from heat, stir in the raw scallion, and let it cool completely before assembling the empanadas.
- Assemble, spoon a portion of the cold filling into the center of each dough disc, close, and crimp the edges by pressing with your fingers.
- Cook, fry in hot oil until golden, or brush with beaten egg and bake in a hot oven (200°C / 390°F) until the dough is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips for getting them right
- Cooking the onion and beef over medium heat, without rushing, is key to getting the tucumana’s characteristic flavor without burning it.
- Unlike the salteña, this recipe skips potato: the filling holds together with just onion and well-cooked beef.
- Letting the filling cool completely before assembling keeps the dough from getting soggy.
- A hot oven helps the dough turn golden and crisp outside without drying out the filling.
Traditional variations
- They’re traditionally cooked in a clay oven, which gives the dough a distinctive flavor and texture.
- Some families use ground beef instead of knife-cut, though the classic version prefers hand-cut meat.
How to serve
Empanadas tucumanas are served hot, freshly baked or fried, as an appetizer or main dish.
They’re traditionally eaten by hand at family gatherings or celebrations.
Recommended sides
- Red wine
- Salsa criolla
- Lemon
Did you know?
There’s a long, friendly rivalry between Tucumán and Salta over which is the true empanada of northern Argentina, even though both share the same regional roots.
The absence of potato in the filling is one of the clearest identifying features of the tucumana compared to the salteña, which includes it for extra yield and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tucumana skips potato and peas, relying on knife-cut beef (traditionally flank steak) and plenty of onion, while the salteña combines beef, boiled potato, hard-boiled egg, and bell pepper.
Cooking over medium heat keeps the beef from burning on the outside before it's fully cooked inside, achieving this empanada's characteristic intense flavor without staying raw.
Yes, scallion is an optional addition that adds freshness, but the filling works perfectly well with just well-cooked regular onion.
They're traditionally baked in a clay oven, which gives the dough a distinctive flavor and texture, though they're also commonly fried or baked in a conventional oven.
