Air Fryer Empanadas: Beef Empanada Recipe

These delightful air fryer empanadas take just 6 minutes in the air fryer. They turn out delicious, golden and crispy on the outside with juicy ground meat mixed with onions and herbs. Here I put my own spin on Empanadas and share my version of “Lazy Russian Empanadas”. Instead of making the dough from scratch or puff pastry crust, I used Mission soft flour tortillas. I did not pre-cook the meat either. I enjoy the juicy meat texture with crunchy onions. The result is absolutely delicious empanadas that I will not make any other way. My whole family loves them.

What is an Empanada?

Empanadas are pastries or turnovers famous throughout Latin America, Spain, and Eastern European cultures. Here I am sharing the recipe for the Russian-style empanada called CHEBUREK. You can also serve them as appetizers at the party.

How are Empanadas made?

Empanadas (or Chebureki) are usually a deep-fried turnover with a filling of ground or minced meat and onions. It is an absolutely delicious fast-food-type snack, and here we made it in the air fryer. You can also pack empanadas in your kids' lunch box. Your kids will love them. It is a great tea-time snack for a carb-conscious person. If you follow a keto diet plan, you can use Carb Balance tortillas for a low-carb version.

Let's move to Empanada ingredients.

• Mission soft flour tortillas (I used Mission brand and Trader Joe’s brand. Can subtitute for a Mission Carb Balance tortillas for a keto-friendly version)
• 1 pound of ground beef
• ½ finely chopped onion
• Got milk? Add 4 tablespoons of milk (or water). This will result in very juicy meat.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Seasoning. I used a teaspoon of Vegeta seasoning. You can use the preferred seasoning of your choice.
• Herbs: A tablespoon of Parsley flakes (or finely chopped fresh parsley)
• Oil for brushing
• Note: You can also use a beaten egg for brushing the empanadas.

How to make Air Fryer Empanadas:

1. Mix all the ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, finely chopped onion and parsley. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir in milk.
2. Note: You can pre-cook the beef in a pan before filling it into the tortilla. But I did not pre-cooked it because I love to enjoy the juicy texture of meat.
3. Fill. Place a heaping tablespoon of ground beef mixture over ½ of the tortilla. Brush water on the tortilla borders. Fold it in half, press the sides together with your fingers and finally press the ends with the fork. This will ensure they don’t open while frying.
4. Use the same method for each tortilla. You can also freeze the uncooked tortillas for later.
5. Now brush the empanadas with oil, or you can use the egg wash.
6. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350F/180C.
7. Now place the empanadas into the air fryer basket. Place them in batches so that they don't overlap your air fryer basket. (Because they will not turn crispy if they are too close together).
8. Cook it for 3 minutes per side at 350F/180C. After 3 minutes, turns the side and cook for another 3 minutes. It will turn crispy outside and tender, soft, and juicy inside.
9. Note: The temperature varies for different air fryers. Check your air fryer instructions for temperature scaling.

Empanada Filling Variations.

• Turkey empanadas: You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef for this recipe.
• Chicken Empanadas: Use chicken mince if you don't like turkey meat or beef.
• Chilli Empanadas: Use chili filling if you are a chili lover.
• Pizza Empanadas: Fill pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and chicken chunks in the tortillas.

How to make Empanadas in the oven?

If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake them in the oven. Use the same ingredients that are in the recipe card. 

Preheat the oven for 15 minutes at 400F. Put the empanadas on the baking tray and place them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. They may not be as crispy as in the air fryer, but they turn yummy.

Can I Freeze Empanadas?

Yes, you can freeze the uncooked empanadas for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Whenever you crave empanadas, just put some from the freezer and put them in the preheated air fryer for 10 minutes, and they turn deliciously crispy and yummy.

How to Serve air fryer empanadas?

You can serve them with your favorite sauce or dipping.

Here are some serving suggestions:

• Salsa
• Hot sauce
• Guacamole

Other Air Fryer Hacks.

• Donuts. Made from Pillsbury Flaky.
• Air fryer Mini Pizzas.
• Blueberry Cheesecake Roll-ups.