Argentina- Mango Habanero Empanadas
Argentina's beloved street food reimagined — flaky baked empanadas stuffed with spiced beef, green olives, and a Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce kick that brings tropical heat to every bite. Street food with serious backyard attitude.
INGREDIENTS
• 12.5 ounces plain flour
• 4.3 ounces cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten, for pastry
• 6 tablespoons cold water
• 0.5 teaspoons salt, for pastry
• 14.3 ounces beef mince, 80/20
• 3 tablespoons Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2.1 ounces green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoons salt and black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
• 2 tablespoons Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce, extra for dipping
• 4 tablespoons sour cream, for dipping
STEPS
1. Make the pastry: Combine 12.5 ounces plain flour and 0.5 teaspoons salt, for pastry in a bowl. Rub in 4.3 ounces cold butter, cubed until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg, beaten, for pastry and 6 tablespoons cold water gradually, mixing until the dough just comes together — don't overwork it. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté 1 white onion, finely diced and 3 garlic cloves, minced for 4 minutes until softened. Add 14.3 ounces beef mince, 80/20 and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned all over — about 8 minutes.
3. Season, add the Habanero & Mango, and cool: Stir in 1 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoons smoked paprika, 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoons salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and fold in 3 tablespoons Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce, 2.1 ounces green olives, pitted and roughly chopped, and 2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped. The mango sweetness lifts the spiced beef beautifully and the habanero heat builds a slow warmth through the filling. Spread onto a tray and cool completely before filling — at least 30 minutes.
4. Roll and fill: On a floured surface, roll the chilled pastry to about 3mm thickness. Cut into 12cm circles using a bowl or round cutter. Place a generous tablespoon of cooled filling in the centre of each circle, leaving a 1cm border clear around the edge.
5. Fold and crimp: Fold each circle in half over the filling to form a half-moon. Press the edges firmly together to seal, then crimp with a fork or fold and twist in the traditional Argentine repulgue style. Make sure there are no gaps or the filling will leak.
6. Egg wash and bake: Place empanadas on a lined baking tray with space between each. Brush generously with 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash for a deep golden finish. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–22 minutes until golden and flaky.
7. Make the dipping sauce and serve: Rest for 5 minutes before serving — the filling is molten straight from the oven. Mix 4 tablespoons sour cream, for dipping with 2 tablespoons Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce, extra for dipping to make a quick mango-habanero dipping sauce. Serve alongside with extra 2 tablespoons Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce, extra for dipping straight from the bottle for those who want full heat.
NOTES
The Habanero & Mango Hot Sauce is a natural fit for empanadas — the mango sweetness plays beautifully against the savory spiced beef while the habanero heat builds slowly with every bite. A small amount of cinnamon in the filling is a classic Argentine touch that bridges the fruity mango notes in the sauce without making the filling taste sweet. The filling must be completely cooled before filling the pastry — warm filling makes the dough greasy and impossible to crimp cleanly. The sour cream dipping sauce cools the habanero heat just enough while keeping the mango flavor front and center. Green olives and hard boiled egg are non-negotiable Argentine empanada classics — don't leave them out.
