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Overhead photo of a plate of chili cheese empanadas
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5 from 2 votes

Chili Cheese Empanadas

These baked Chili Cheese Empanadas are incredibly delicious and so easy to make at home. Flaky empanada dough stuffed with savory chili and cheese and they're baked, not fried. Enjoy as a snack, appetizer or main dish!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, Spanish
Keyword: Chili, Ground beef, Tony Chachere's
Servings: 22 empanadas
Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion
  • 1 box Tony Chachere's Original Flavor Chili Seasoning Mix, you will use 1/2 cup of the seasoning mix inside the box
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup pinto beans
  • 1 1/2 cups cheddar jack cheese, freshly shredded
  • 22 frozen empanada dough discs for baking, thawed
  • 1 large egg, plus 1 Tbsp. water for egg wash

Instructions

  • Preheat ovento 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large,deep skillet over medium-high heat add ground beef and onions. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain fat.
  • Return the meat in the skillet to medium-high heat and add the ½ cup Original Tony’s Chili Seasoning Mix, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes until warmed through. Remove from the heat and let slightly cool.
  • Place a few of the thawed empanada shells on a flat surface. Place about two tablespoons of the meat mixture in the middle of each dough round and top with some of the shredded cheese. Lightly moisten the edges of the dough round with some water. Fold the dough in half over the filling. Press the edges with your fingers and then use a fork to crimp the edges together. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough rounds.
  • Place the empanadas on the prepared sheet. Brush each empanada lightly with egg wash. Bake until warmed through and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Notes

As I mentioned above, feel free to use either the Tony Chachere's Original or Mild Chili Seasoning Mix.
You will not use the entire seasoning packet for the empanadas. Save the leftover seasoning mix in an airtight container.
I used pinto beans for this recipe. If you're not a fan of beans you can just omit. If you prefer black beans, just substitute.
You can find the frozen empanada dough discs for baking in the international section of your frozen food department at your market.