Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas packed with veggies and meat and wrapped in flaky pie crust make for an irresistibly fun and filling meal the whole family will appreciate.

The last few months could be titled “The Summer of the Un-schedule” for our family. We’ve bent the routine almost to breaking, squeezing fireworks and festival trips into the time slot that used to be reserved for bedtime. We’ve eaten at least half of our meals outside, with little P eating two bites of whatever comes off the grill before begging to return to the important work of digging and building in his sand pile. We’ve stayed up until the fireflies appear and we’re smacking mosquitos off our legs, then slept until an hour that can only be described as “brunch.”

It’s been a fun season. I’ve always considered myself a summer girl, and P seems to be the same. I love spending my days outside, coming in late smelling like sunscreen and chlorine and bonfire smoke. I love grilling and sweet mint tea and basically living off garden veggie sandwiches. I like bending the rules a bit to make memories. After all, an 8 PM bedtime can never give me the sight of Patrick’s face mesmerized by a sky lit up with fireworks, or him yelling “Boom boom, pow, boom!” for the next month straight.

And yet. Every year, at about this time, I find myself craving a return to something a little more normal. I look forward to eating around a dinner table like civilized human beings and turning in before the clock rolls past 10 PM. Suddenly menu planning feels more like a refreshing bit of structure and less like a pointless chore I’ll just put off another week. Then I start dreaming of stews and casseroles and I know. Back to school time is almost here.

It feels bittersweet, this return to routine and order, but I also know the change of pace will be good and healthy for all of us. While we don’t have to worry about backpacks and school supplies quite yet, I enrolled P in a once a week morning program to give both him and myself a little taste of preschool life. For the first time, I’ll be packing lunches and dropping him off. It feels scary and exciting and impossible that we’ve reached this point.

I’ve already determined I’ll be the weird mom sending my kid to preschool with a lunch box full of empanadas and guacamole. I’ll throw in a PB&J every now and then just so he doesn’t feel left out, but I’m going to keep feeding my kiddo Mexican food as long as he’ll let me. These empanadas are perfect for a school lunch. Hand held pockets of ground beef, vegetables, and cheese wrapped in flaky pie crust have all the fuel your kids need for the day. Did you know a 3-ounce serving of beef provides more than 10 essential nutrients and half the daily recommended protein? All that protein and B vitamins help keep kids satisfied and energized for their day.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that these are also deliciously kid friendly. I kept the spice to a minimum and added a spoonful of shredded cheese to keep everyone happy. I liked eating these with salsa, but they’re also good plain or with a dollop of sour cream. The recipe makes 10-11 empanadas, and they can be made ahead and frozen if you want to save them for busy weeks. They’re like a Mexican hot pocket, only a thousand times better. Pack a little cup of salsa or guacamole and fruit on the side, and your kiddo will be set for the day!

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Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 0

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, crumbling the beef as you go. Add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and pepper and saute until softened. Drain off any excess oil, then season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, paprika, and chili powder and cook until mixture is slightly thickened and heated through, 2-3 minutes. Add additional salt if necessary, then remove from heat.
Roll the pie crusts out on a lightly floured surface or piece of wax paper so that they're slightly larger and thinner than the traditional pie crust. Use a bowl that's about 4 inches in diameter to cut circles out of the pie dough. Put about 2 heaping Tablespoons of the beef mixture on one half of each of the circles. Fold the other half over the beef then use a fork or crimp to seal the edges. If you're having trouble getting them to stick, put a little water along the edge with your finger.
Gather up any scraps and re-roll and cut circles until no dough remains. You should be able to get 10-11 empanadas. Place all of the empanadas on the sheet pan. Whisk together the egg with a Tablespoon of water and brush the tops of the empanadas. Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden and crisp on the edges.

Notes

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391 Total Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 60mg Sodium: 408mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Protein: 13g

This post was developed in partnership with Ohio Beef. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the wonderful businesses who keep NeighborFood afloat. There are also Amazon affiliate links in this post. If you click on a link and make a purchase, a small percentage will come back to NeighborFood.