Colombian beef and potato empanadas (empanadas Vallunas)
Colombian recipes
Meat and poultry
Launch
Medium
170'
These flavourful Colombian empanadas, also known as empanadas vallunas, are made with yellow corn flour and a delicious, juicy filling of shredded beef and cooked potato. The secret lies in the seasoning of the filling and the way they are cooked. These empanadas are served at special occasions and family celebrations, but they are also part of everyday Colombian cooking — always accompanied by a spicy chilli sauce and slices of lime.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 kg beef for stewing
- 1 kg medium potatoes, peeled and cut into similar-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp of Adobo with GOYA pepper
- 1 packet of Sazón Goya
- 1 large red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 white onions, finely chopped
- 3 generous sprigs of fresh coriander
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 spring onions, inely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 celery stick
- 1 L vegetable or beef stock
For the dough
- 2 cups of Yellow Masarepa
- 3 cups approx. warm water
- 2 cdas of Único Olive Oil
- 2 packets of Sazón Goya
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp plenty of sunflower oil for frying
For the Colombian chilli sauce
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 4 sprigs of green spring onion
- 100 g fresh coriander
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp of fresh chilli to taste
- 1 tbsp de jugo de limón
- 3 tbsp of juice of one lime
- 5 tbsp of Único Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp of Adobo with GOYA pepper
Preparation
For the filling:
- Place the beef, cut into pieces, in a large pot with the stock, celery, 1 garlic clove, 1 packet of Goya Sazón and the coriander sprigs. Bring to the boil and cook for at least 1 hour until the meat is tender. Add 1 extra cup of water if needed.
- Once the meat is soft, add the potatoes to the pot and cook everything together until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Add all the remaining vegetables, finely chopped, and sauté together with the second packet of Goya Sazón and the Goya adobo with pepper. Cook for at least 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add this sofrito to the pot with the meat and potatoes. Cook slowly until most of the stock has evaporated and everything is fully tender.
- Shred the meat and roughly mash the potatoes. Mix everything together until you have a well-combined filling. Set aside and leave to cool before assembling. Once cold, the filling can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For the dough:
- Pour the Masarepa into a medium bowl with the warm water (not cold, not too hot), along with the olive oil, Goya Sazón and salt, already dissolved. Stir and knead for about 5 minutes until you get a smooth, even dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested and the filling is cold, divide the dough into small portions and roll them into balls.
- Use a sturdy piece of plastic as a base (the empty Masarepa bag works great, just as they do in Colombian homes). Oil your hands and the plastic, then press each ball out with your hands into a thin, round disc.
- Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the centre of each disc. Fold the dough over the filling using the plastic to help, and seal the edges firmly. Use a round bowl or container to press down and trim the edges, creating the classic half-moon shape. Make sure each empanada is well sealed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling — the quantity will depend on the size: approximately 30 small or 12–15 large empanadas.
- Heat plenty of sunflower oil in a deep pan or fryer until hot enough to fry. Be careful not to let the oil burn, but make sure it is hot enough. Fry the empanadas in batches until the dough is crispy and the filling is hot through. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
For the Colombian chilli sauce:
- Blend the tomatoes and garlic clove with a splash of water until smooth.
- Finely chop the spring onion, coriander and fresh chilli.
- Add the chopped vegetables to the blended tomato. Stir in the lime juice, vinegar, Goya olive oil and Goya adobo with pepper. Mix well with a spoon until fully combined. Adjust the chilli to taste.
- For best results, leave the sauce to rest in the fridge for at least one day before serving — the flavour improves significantly overnight.
