Cheesy Rice and Beef Empanadas
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Carolina® Jasmine Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 oz ground beef
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
- 2 tbsp capers
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 16 square egg roll wrappers (5-inch wrappers)
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream
Instructions
Stuffed with delicious fillings, empanadas are an amazing meal to enjoy anywhere, anytime! These Air Fryer Cheesy Rice and Beef Empanadas are extra crispy made with egg roll wrappers.
Step 1
Heat oil in saucepan set over medium-high heat; cook ground beef, salt and pepper for 5 to 8 minutes or until slightly browned.
Step 2
Add onion, jalapeños, green olives, capers, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly softened.
Step 3
Add rice, broth and tomatoes; bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to large bowl; let cool completely. Stir in cheese and cilantro; refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 4
Brush edges of each wrapper with cold water. Place heaping 1/4 cup filling in center of each square; bring edges of each square together to create triangle shape and enclose filling. Crimp edges to seal.
Step 5
Preheat air fryer according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 6
Place 4 empanadas in air fryer basket. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Air fry at 400°F, turning empanadas halfway through, for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and filling is heated through. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
Step 7
Serve empanadas with sour cream for dipping.
Ingredient Substitutions
Substitute ready-cut empanada pastry, wonton wrappers or potsticker wrappers for egg roll wrappers if desired.
Recipe Video
Empanada Variations
These empanadas are incredibly delicious, made with a savory filling on the inside and a crispy and crunchy texture on the outside. The filling uses ground beef, and fluffy Carolina® Jasmine Rice simmered together in a combination of onion, jalapeños, green olives, capers, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano, so you’re bound to enjoy flavor in every bite! Learn how to cook long grain rice in our Cooking section for amazing results.
While we love this version, empanadas are wonderfully versatile for using all kinds of sweet and savory fillings. Try any one of these variations with a side of delicious homemade dipping sauce to go with.
– Turkey and Rice Picadillo Empanadas with a cilantro cream sauce
– Chorizo and Rice Empanadas with a chimichurri sauce.
– Sweet Empanadas with Rice Pudding and dulce de leche or chocolate sauce for dipping.
Whether sweet or savory, the versatility of empanadas allows you to experiment with the ingredients of your liking and will surely never disappoint. Check out Carolina® Rice recipe content to find some inspiration for fillings or even some dishes that you can accompany your empanadas with for any family or friend gathering.
Using an Air Fryer
The Air Fryer allows you to enjoy an infinite number of options without all the hassle of deep-frying in a lot of oil. These empanadas are simply placed into the Air Fryer and come out perfectly crunchy for anyone to love. There are an endless amount of recipes that you can now make using this convenient kitchen gadget, from Air Fryer Rice Balls with Arroz Rojo to Air Fryer Baja Fish Tacos Bowls. Each one uniquely delicious and fun to try out for a quick lunch meal or even a dinner with the whole family.
If you are looking for a new dinner idea recipe try our: What is arroz chaufa.
