Pastelillos de Carne y Queso (Puerto Rican Turnovers)
Thin, flaky turnovers filled with seasoned minced beef and melting cheese, crimped with a fork and fried until blistered and golden. Made with ready-made discos for an easy party snack. Makes 12.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the filling
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add the beef and , raise to medium-high heat and cook about 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes until dry, then let the filling cool completely before using.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp
- 300 g minced beef
- 1 tsp seasoning
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
✅ Done when: beef reaches 71°C/160°F and the sauce has dried out
Fill
Lay out the 12 on a work surface. Put about a tablespoon of the cooled beef filling and a little mozzarella on one half of each disc, leaving a 1 cm border free.
- 12 empanadilla wrappers
- all of it beef filling from step 1
- 120 g mozzarella
✅ Done when: all 12 discos are filled with a clear border left around the edge
Seal
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Fry
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Serve
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Cook the filling
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add the beef and , raise to medium-high heat and cook about 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes until dry, then let the filling cool completely before using.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp
- 300 g minced beef
- 1 tsp seasoning
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
✅ Done when: beef reaches 71°C/160°F and the sauce has dried out
Fill
Lay out the 12 on a work surface. Put about a tablespoon of the cooled beef filling and a little mozzarella on one half of each disc, leaving a 1 cm border free.
- 12 empanadilla wrappers
- all of it beef filling from step 1
- 120 g mozzarella
✅ Done when: all 12 discos are filled with a clear border left around the edge
Seal
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Fry
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Pastelillos (also called empanadillas) are Puerto Rico's take on the Spanish empanada. They're a fixture at bakeries, beach kiosks, parties and the famous food stalls of Luquillo beach.
Fillings range from beef and cheese to chicken, pizza, guava and cheese, and even lobster or conch on the coast.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Thin, crisp and quick to make, they're Puerto Rico's favourite party snack.
💡 Fun Fact
The row of food kiosks at Luquillo beach, over 60 stalls, is a pilgrimage for pastelillo and alcapurria lovers.
Puerto Rico
18.39°N, -65.72°W
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