There's a day for everything, and today is no exception. We've put together another easy ground beef recipe to celebrate National Empanada Day! 

Empanadas are a fun way to combine several ingredients you may already have in your pantry with delicious 1 Source ground beef for a handheld treat that looks fancy but is super easy to make. 

Though there are a few steps, the process is really quite quick and simple:

1. Make the filling.
2. Fill the dough.
3. Fold and crimp.
4. Bake or fry. 

Onions and green bell peppers are the base of our zesty filling. We use chipotles in adobo sauce (easy to find at your local grocery store) to add a deep, smoky flavor. If your filling is too thick to combine well, add a couple of tablespoons of water to thin it out slightly. The filling should be fairly thick to hold up well in the wrapper, though, so be careful not to thin too much!

After stuffing your empanadas, you may have some filling left over. Use it up in tacos, scrambled eggs, omelettes, or queso! 

Once your empanadas are filled and folded, use a fork to crimp the edges, a perfect tool for the task! After sealing, be sure to brush with an egg wash to help the empanada crush form. Use a sharp knife or fork to make a couple of holes to allow steam to escape during cooking. 

You know your empanadas are done perfectly when they form a deliciously golden crust on top!

As with most of our recipes, you can customize this one to you or your family's likes! We use pre-made empanadas wrappers for ours, but you can make your own dough. Frozen pie crust or refrigerated crescent rolls will also work in a pinch. You can change up the flavors of your filling. We like sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use the cheese or your choice or omit entirely. We prefer our empanadas baked, but you can also give them a fry instead. And then we get into dipping sauces - SO many options here! We've included one of our favorites below, a chipotle aioli. You can flavor your aioli however you would like or try a flavored sour cream (like lime and cilantro). We also like a good salsa, such as a tomatillo salsa or even a fruit salsa. 

While you are spending a bit more time in your kitchen during this time of social distancing, give this recipe a try and let us know how you made it your own!