🥟 Flaky Sourdough Discard Empanadas — Golden, Savory & Baked Crispy

🥟 Flaky Sourdough Discard Empanadas — Golden, Savory & Baked Crispy

Hand-held, golden, and stuffed with something worth fighting over.

Makes 12 empanadas • Beginner Friendly • Discard-Powered • Ready in ~90 Minutes

You know that container of sourdough discard sitting in the fridge, quietly judging you? Today it earns its keep. These sourdough discard empanadas turn that unfed starter into a flaky, golden crust wrapped around a savory spiced beef filling — the kind of hand pie that disappears before it hits the table.

No deep fryer, no special equipment, no dough drama. Just a buttery discard crust that bakes up crisp and tender, and a filling so good you will be tempted to eat it straight from the pan.

They freeze beautifully, pack beautifully, and make you look like the kind of person who casually whips up hand pies on a weeknight.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• ✔ Flaky, golden crust made from discard you were about to toss
• ✔ Baked, not fried — crisp without the oil-splatter chaos
• ✔ A savory beef filling with warm spices, olives, and egg
• ✔ Beginner friendly: if you can roll dough and pinch an edge, you can make these
• ✔ Freezer friendly — bake a batch now, thank yourself later
• ✔ Endlessly swappable: beef today, chicken or veggie tomorrow
• ✔ The ultimate portable lunch, picnic food, and party snack

Sourdough Discard Empanadas Ingredients

Dough

• 300 g all-purpose flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 120 g sourdough discard, unfed (about 1/2 cup)
• 115 g cold unsalted butter, cubed (about 1/2 cup)
• 5 g fine sea salt (about 1 teaspoon)
• 60 g cold water (about 1/4 cup), plus a splash more if needed

Savory Beef Filling

• 225 g ground beef (about 1/2 lb)
• 150 g yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 medium onion)
• 15 ml olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3 g smoked paprika (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 g ground cumin (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• 6 g garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 40 g pitted green olives, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 5 g fine sea salt (about 1 teaspoon), plus more to taste
• 2 g black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)

For Baking

• 1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water (for egg wash)
• 15 ml water (about 1 tablespoon, for sealing edges)

🥣 Step 1: Make the Discard Dough

Whisk the flour and salt together in a big bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until you have a mix of pea-sized bits and flat flakes — those flat bits are what make the crust flaky, so do not overwork it into sand.

Stir in the sourdough discard, then drizzle in the cold water a little at a time, mixing until the dough just holds together when you squeeze it. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, not sticky.

Beginner Tip: Keep everything cold. Cold butter, cold water, cold discard straight from the fridge — cold is what keeps those layers distinct instead of melting into one sad, tough sheet.

🥩 Step 2: Cook the Savory Filling

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes until soft, then add the beef, breaking it up, and cook until no pink remains, about 5–6 minutes.

Stir in the paprika, cumin, minced garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook one more minute so the spices bloom. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped egg and olives. Taste and adjust the salt — the filling should taste bold on its own, because the crust will mellow it out.

Pro-Level Move: Let the filling cool completely before you fill anything. Warm filling softens the dough, and soft dough leaks. Patience here is the difference between a crisp empanada and a crime scene on your baking sheet.

❄️ Step 3: Chill the Dough

Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it snugly, and chill it for at least 30 minutes. This rest relaxes the gluten (so the dough rolls out without springing back) and firms the butter (so the crust bakes flaky instead of greasy).

While it chills, line two baking sheets with parchment and preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).

🔪 Step 4: Roll, Cut & Fill

Roll the dough to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick and cut circles about 13 cm (5 inches) across — a small plate or large cutter works fine. Re-roll the scraps once; after that, the dough gets tough.

Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each circle, leaving a clean 1 cm (1/2 inch) border. Brush the border lightly with water, fold the dough over into a half-moon, and press the edges firmly to seal.

Beginner Tip: Do not overfill. A modest spoonful that stays sealed beats a generous one that bursts in the oven. Your future self, scraping filling off parchment, agrees.

🍴 Step 5: Crimp & Egg Wash

Crimp the sealed edges with a fork for the classic look, or fold and pinch a little rope braid if you are feeling fancy. Press firmly — a good seal is everything.

Arrange the empanadas on the lined baking sheets, leaving a little breathing room between them. Brush each one generously with egg wash for that deep golden shine.

🔥 Step 6: Bake Until Golden

Bake for 20–25 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes — the filling is molten-hot — then move to a rack.

Pro-Level Move: For extra crunch, bake on the lowest oven rack for the last 5 minutes. The bottoms crisp up beautifully without drying out the tops.

👩🍳 Squirrelly Girl Baker's Tips

1. 🧈 Cold butter is non-negotiable. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start.

2. 🥚 The egg and olives are the secret. They give the filling that classic empanada richness and briny pop — skip neither.

3. 🔄 Swap the filling fearlessly. Shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms and peppers, or black beans and cheese all work in this same dough.

4. ❄️ Chill filled empanadas for 10 minutes before baking. It firms the crust and helps the seal hold through the oven.

5. 🧂 Season boldly. Underseasoned filling is the number one empanada disappointment. Taste before you fill, every time.

🧊 Make It Ahead

Baked empanadas keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 175°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes until crisp again — the microwave will make them soft, so skip it if you can.

To freeze, arrange unbaked empanadas on a tray until solid, then bag them with parchment between layers. They keep for up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen — just add 5–8 minutes to the bake time.

🚨 Sourdough Discard Empanadas Troubleshooting

The dough tears when I roll it

It is too cold or too dry. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

My empanadas leak in the oven

Usually overfilling, a weak seal, or warm filling. Fill modestly, crimp firmly, and chill before baking.

The crust is tough, not flaky

The dough was overworked or the butter melted. Handle it as little as possible and keep everything cold.

The bottoms are pale and soft

Move to the lowest oven rack for the last few minutes.

The filling tastes bland

Taste the filling before filling — it should taste a touch bolder than you would eat on its own.

⚠️ Baker's Warning

Make one batch and you are officially the hand-pie person. Friends will request them, family will hover near the oven, and you will double the batch "just in case." There is no going back.

🐿️ Ready to Bake Better Sourdough?

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And if you are on a roll with discard baking, our crispy sourdough discard fry bread is the perfect next project — same no-waste energy, totally different vibe.

❓ FAQ: Sourdough Discard Empanadas

Can I use active starter instead of discard?

Yes — active starter works fine in this dough. Discard is ideal because it is unfed and tangy, but a fed starter will give you a slightly puffier, milder crust. Either way, do not waste a good thing.

Do I have to use beef filling?

Not at all. This dough is a blank canvas: shredded chicken, seasoned beans and cheese, sautéed vegetables, or spiced pork all work beautifully. Keep the filling fairly dry so the crust stays crisp.

How do I stop the empanadas from bursting?

Fill modestly, seal firmly, and chill the filled empanadas for 10 minutes before baking. Cool filling, a clean border, and a hard crimp are the whole trick.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Absolutely. The dough keeps wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.

What should I serve with empanadas?

Chimichurri is the classic partner, but salsa verde, a simple yogurt-herb dip, or even a squeeze of lime all work. They are also perfectly happy completely on their own.

❤️ Happy Baking!

Go rescue that discard.

Roll it, fill it, crimp it, bake it.

Watch them vanish.

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