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    Home » Puerto Rican Recipes » Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling)

    Published: May 9, 2019 Modified: Jun 7, 2023 by Catherine Arena 12 Comments

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling)

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    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) are delicious flaky buttery meat pies filled with a savory and hyper tasty Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo) and baked to golden perfection.  Serve with a side of hot sauce and hot peppers if you like.

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    If you’re having a brunch or a get together with a few friends, these Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) will be perfect!

    Having a small luncheon for mom this weekend for Mothers Day?  These would truly be perfect, she will love them and certainly thank you!

    Since Pastelitos de Carne are not very big, they make a perfect appetizer.  Serve one or two per person with a side of hot sauce and everyone will thank you.

    They’re also great as a snack or even served for breakfast. 

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    What is in These Scrumptious Small Patties?

    Pastelitos de carne are very simply made.  A savory meat filling and puff pastry!  Yep that’s it!  Just two ingredients!

    To make the meat filling you can follow my carne molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo or Seasoned Ground Meat) recipe.

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    How to Make Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling)

    Ingredients for the pastelitos de carne in individual bowls.
    Raw ground meat in a skillet with onions and peppers.
    The following additional ingredients added to cooked ground meat to finish off the carne molida for the pastelitos de carne.

    Get all your ingredients together ready to go, veggies chopped etc..

    Note: My carne molida recipe uses Puerto Rican sofrito but if you do not have homemade sofrito or store bought you can prepare some really quickly or simply exclude it from the carne molida recipe.  Do not worry, your carne molida recipe will still be delicious!

    Begin with adding the ground meat to a skillet over medium heat.  Break ground meat apart with a spoon or spatula.

    Add the peppers, onions, sofrito, garlic, sazon, oregano, cumin and vinegar and mix well.  Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes covered.

    Final cooked ground meat (carne molida) for pastelitos de carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling).

    Note:  If ground meat is too oily, drain some of the oil out of pan.

    Add tomato sauce, olives, water, potatoes and cilantro.  Stir well.  Cook for 15 minutes covered.

    Drain excess oil if need be with a colander.

    Draining excess oil from ground meat (carne molida) for the pastelitos.

    Unfold puff pastry sheet and with a rolling pin roll out to an ⅛ of thinness.

    Then using a biscuit cutter or cup, cut circles.

    Brush circles with egg wash.

    Puff pastry sheet for pastelitos de carne.
    Rolled puff pastry and small circles cut out with a biscuit cutter.
    Brushing circles with egg wash to be able to seal pastelitos de carne.

    Add a tablespoon or more of the meat mixture to center of circles.

    Top with another circle and press down with your fingers all around circle.

    Brush the tops with egg wash again.

    Filling the puff pastry circles with the "carne molida," ground meat mixture.

    Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

    Serve with hot sauce and hot peppers.  Enjoy!

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    Yumminess all around!

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    For more delicious recipes you will also love these: 

    Empanadillas de Carne (Puerto Rican Empanadas)

    The Best Baked Pork Chops

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

    Fresas con Crema (Strawberries and Cream)

    Puerto Rican Rice and Beans

    Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)

    **FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF THESE DELICIOUS DISHES, THUMBNAILS ARE BELOW RECIPE**

    📖 Recipe

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling) served with a side of hot sauce and cherry peppers on a large white platter.

    Pastelitos de Carne (Puff Pastry with Meat Filling)

    Pastelitos de Carne are delicious flaky buttery puff pastry meat pies filled with a savory and hyper tasty Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo) and baked to golden perfection.  Serve with a side of hot sauce and hot peppers if you like.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: Puerto Rican
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 makes 12 meat patties
    Calories: 449kcal
    Author: Catherine Arena

    Ingredients

    Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)

    • carne molida follow link for full recipe

    Puff Pastry Dough

    • 2 sheets puff pastry dough
    • 1 egg whisked

    Toppings

    • hot sauce
    • hot peppers

    Instructions

    Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)

    • Follow recipe instructions from my carne molida post.
      Let meat cool.
      Note: Although my carne molida recipe calls for potatoes and sofrito, these two can be excluded from the carne molida you make for this dish.  You will still end up with delicious picadillo.

    Puff Pastry Dough

    • Unfold puff pastry sheet and with a rolling pin roll out to an ⅛ of thinness.Then using a biscuit cutter or cup, cut circles.
      Brush circles with egg wash.
    • Add a tablespoon or more to center of circles.Top with another circle and press down with your fingers all around circle.
      Brush the tops with egg wash again.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.Serve with hot sauce and hot peppers.  Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6 | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Click the stars above or below to rate or leave a comment down below!
    Empanadillas de Carne (Puerto Rican Empanadas) on a white platter with a side of hot sauce.
    Empanadillas de Carne
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    More Puerto Rican Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chelsea says

      March 24, 2022 at 12:38 am

      Would love to try these. What is the little side dish?

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        March 25, 2022 at 6:36 pm

        Hi Chelsea! One side dish is hot cherry peppers cut into pieces and the other side dish is simply hot sauce. Let me know if you try them and how you liked them! Also, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jacqueline Debono says

      May 14, 2019 at 5:08 am

      I sometimes make something similar to these pastelitos with left over beef stew or even meat ragu. Can’t wait to try this recipe. The carne molida filling sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 14, 2019 at 9:42 pm

        Thanks Jacqueline! You will love these!

        Reply
    3. Amanda Wren-Grimwood says

      May 14, 2019 at 3:38 am

      These look so delicious and perfect for picnics too. M<y family will love these!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 14, 2019 at 9:43 pm

        Thanks Amanda!

        Reply
    4. Veena Azmanov says

      May 14, 2019 at 1:32 am

      Cute little pockets, so tasty and delicious filling. Love to make them for a party. surely all to relish it.

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 14, 2019 at 9:43 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
    5. Natalie says

      May 14, 2019 at 12:36 am

      Looks so delicious and would make a perfect side dish! Love your photographs too!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 14, 2019 at 9:43 pm

        Thank you so much Natalie!

        Reply
    6. Beth says

      May 13, 2019 at 11:50 pm

      I have never heard of this dish but now I need it asap! So many great flavors all rolled into a cute little pocket!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 14, 2019 at 9:44 pm

        Thanks Beth! I know you will love these!

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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