Chilean-Style Empanadas de Pino

Written by
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Marian Blazes
Updated 03/24/21
Chilean style beef empanadas recipe

The Spruce
Prep: 65 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Chill : 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Yields: 18 empanadas
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
632 Calories
36g Fat
54g Carbs
23g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 632
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 14g 68%
Cholesterol 216mg 72%
Sodium 654mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 19%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 431mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

You can find as many types of empanadas as cooks in the world. These turnovers are a flavorful portable meal that can be packed with local ingredients. And while empanadas are great as appetizers, many countries in Latin America have a bigger version that can be served as a main dish. Empanadas de pino, one of the most popular in Chile, are an example of a thick, big, and generously stuffed empanada.

From the Mapuche term "pirru," which refers to the onion and beef mixture, "pino" became the name for these marvelous crispy empanadas. Although for outsiders, a filling of beef, raisins, onions, olives, and hard-boiled eggs seems like something unusual, take our word for it. They are amazing.

An easy-to-make empanada dough wraps these savory treats, and both the dough and filling can be made the day before and kept refrigerated until it's time to assemble. Serve with pebre for a traditional Chilean meal.

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Click Play to See This Chilean-Style Empanadas de Pino Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

For the Empanada Dough:

  • 4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

  • 12 tablespoons cold lard (or vegetable shortening)

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 1 cup water

For the Beef Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 large onions, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 2 teaspoons cumin

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 1 cube beef bouillon

  • 1/4 cup hot water

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup raisins

  • 1/2 cup black olives, chopped

For Assembly:

  • 2 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Steps to Make It

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this empanada dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for empanada

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  2. Sift the flour into a bowl and then stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt and all of the sugar.

    Sift flour

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  3. Mix the butter and lard (or vegetable shortening) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, or with 2 knives, until fairly well incorporated.

    Blend butter

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  4. Whisk the egg yolks with 1 cup of water.

    Whisk eggs

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  5. Stir in 1/2 cup of the water-egg mixture, a little bit at a time, until the dough starts to come together smoothly.

    Stir in butter

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  6. Keep kneading the dough, adding more of the water-egg mixture as needed. You may need a few tablespoons extra of water. The dough will become smooth, although somewhat soggy until it has thoroughly chilled.

    Dough

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  7. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. The dough can also be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to use, the dough should be soft and smooth, not elastic. If you poke a hole in the dough with your finger, the indentation should remain. Reserve.

    Plastic wrap

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Prepare the Beef Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for empanada filling

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  2. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. 

    Oil

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  3. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Onions

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  4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

    Onions

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  5. Add the ground beef, cumin, chili powder, paprika, beef bouillon (dissolved in the hot water), and salt and pepper to taste.

    Beef in pan

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  6. Cook the beef, stirring and crumbling the meat with a spatula, until cooked through.

    Beef

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  7. Add the flour and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

    Add the flour

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  8. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the raisins and black olives into the beef mixture.

    Berries

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  9. Let the filling cool completely. The filling will keep up for up to two days in the refrigerator.

    Add filling

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Assemble the Empanadas

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Eggs

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  2. Separate the empanada dough into 18 golf-ball-sized pieces and roll into smooth balls. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

    Ball dough

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  3. Let the dough balls rest for 5 minutes.

    Set timer

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  4. On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a 6-inch circle of about 1/8 inch in thickness.

    Roll out dough

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  5. Add 2 tablespoons of the ​beef filling and 1 slice of hardboiled egg into the middle of the circle.

    Add filling

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  6. Lightly brush the edges with water and fold the pastry in half over the filling to make a semicircle. Seal the edges by pressing down with your fingers.

    Fold empanada

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  7. Brush the sealed edge lightly with water, then turn the edge toward the middle and press with your fingers to seal.

    Wrap empanada

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  8. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk and brush the empanadas with the mixture.

    Brush

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  9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

    Bake empanadas

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  10. Serve and enjoy.

    Serve empanadas

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Can I Freeze Empanadas de Pino?

You can freeze these delicious empanadas once they're assembled. Choose to freeze them with the egg wash on or without. Simply place the empanadas on a baking tray and freeze horizontally for at least 6 hours before transferring them into freezer bags. If you freeze them together they will stick to each other, thus freezing them individually beforehand guarantees they'll keep their shape. Keep in the freezer for up to three months.

For cooking, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add the egg wash if you froze them without, and bake them at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.