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Gluten-Free Meat Empanadas

When I started my gluten-free diet, one of the first gluten favourite snacks that I missed was definitely Argentine empanadas. I grew up snacking on these delicious pastry parcels with exciting fillings of either spiced meat or gooey cheese & spinach every time I visited my family in Argentina. My maternal grandmother (aka Abuela) made them from scratch and loved to spoil us with platters of empanadas. The pastry was made crispy and the fillings were so juicy that you needed a napkin or a bowl to catch the drippings.

close up of gluten-free empanada meat filling with a wooden spoon in the pan

Empanadas in Argentina

In Argentina, you have different variations of empanadas. Meat-filled empanadas have regional styles ranging from being spicier in the northern regions to milder down south. Argentine empanadas often add plenty of hard-boiled eggs, olives and raisins. Although meat-filled empanadas are the most popular, there are vegetarian and fish empanadas from corn-filled, spinach & soft or hard cheese or tuna filled empanadas. It was more popular to deep-fry the empanadas in lard or oil, but the trend has changed to oven bake them as a healthier cooking method.

Adobe photo of gluten-free empanadas stacked on a platter

If you prefer to use your air fryer to make these empanadas, lightly drizzle some olive oil in the basket and over the empanadas, then set the temperature to 190°C/370°F for 15 mins.

A dozen cooked gluten-free empanadas on a wire rack

Gluten-Free Meat Empanadas from Argentina

Using my Argentine grandmother's empanada recipe, the filling is an authentic sweet, salty and slightly spicy meat mixture encased in my homemade oven-baked gluten-free pastry. These gluten-free meat empanadas are perfect as a snack, lunch-box addition, party food and even as a meal with a side salad.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 15

Resting Time for Dough 1

Total Time 2 45

Course Appetizer, Party Food, Snack

Cuisine Argentina

Servings medium size empanadas

Equipment

large cast iron pan (adds more flavour to empanada filling) or large regular frying pan

Ingredients

GLUTEN-FREE EMPANADA PASTRY

460 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
70 g butter or vegetable shortening, chilled & cubed
300 ml milk
1 egg, separated Use the egg white to seal the pastry discs together and the egg yolk with some water to brush the pastry before baking

HOMEMADE EMPANADA SEASONING

3 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

EMPANADA MEAT FILLING

500 g good quality minced beef with some fat in it
2 medium white onions, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
100 g sultanas
70 g Spanish green olives stuffed with red pimiento peppers, sliced
3 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped finely
3 tbsp store-bought or homemade empanada seasoning
2 tbsp tomato paste
50ml white wine or stock
olive oil
sea salt & freshly, cracked black pepper to season

Instructions

GLUTEN-FREE EMPANADA PASTRY

Blend the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder & salt with the cold butter or shortening in a food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs, or alternatively, rub the mixture using your hands.
Slowly add the milk until the dough feels soft and comes together nicely.
Place the dough in a bowl, cover and chill for at least one hour.

HOMEMADE EMPANADA SEASONING

Mix all the herbs, spices and salt together in a bowl using a whisk to combine them well. Set aside.

EMPANADA MEAT FILLING

Pour a thin layer of olive oil to cover the bottom of a large frying pan or cast iron pan.
Add chopped onions and fry them gently for about 15 mins, stirring often.
Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the minced beef and break up any clumps.
Add the garlic and empanada seasoning, stir and add more olive oil if needed. Fry for 15 minutes, or until the beef has lost its pink colour.
Lower the heat to medium and add the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the white wine or stock. Cook for a further 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Add the fresh parsley, the drained sultanas and the sliced olives. Cook for a final 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the chopped boiled eggs, plus season the empanada meat mixture with salt and pepper, adjusting according to your taste.
Allow to cool down slightly before assembling the empanadas.

ASSEMBLING THE EMPANADAS

Dust the kitchen counter with some flour or lay down a sheet of baking paper and roll out small batches of the pastry to 1 cm/ thick.
Using the rim of an upside-down bowl or small plate measuring approx 10 cm in diameter, cut a circle with a knife to form the pastry discs.
Add a heaped tablespoon of the meat filling to one half of the disc.
Brush the rim of the pastry with the egg white or water and fold over the disc.
Seal the discs by pinching the edges with a slight twist Dip your fingers in some flour to prevent your fingers from becoming sticky.
Or, use a fork to press down the pastry together.
Mix the egg yolk with some water to make an egg wash.
Brush the empanadas with the egg wash to give it a nice colour and sheen.