Pastelitos de carne are a Cuban bakery staple, descended from Spanish empanadas but using flaky puff pastry instead of empanada dough. The filling is Cuban picadillo (beef with olives, raisins, cumin). They are eaten warm, often with a sweet glaze brushed on top.
A golden, flaky, rectangular pastry, glazed with sweet syrup. The first bite gives crisp layers; the second reveals hot, savory beef filling with the characteristic Cuban sweet-savory profile. The glaze adds unexpected sweetness that works.
Puff pastry provides the flaky layers (via laminated butter). The picadillo filling must be pre-cooked and thick (not runny) to prevent soaking the pastry during baking. The sweet glaze (simple syrup brushed on after baking) is a uniquely Cuban touch — the sweet-savory combination.
Variations
Some use guava paste instead of meat (pastelitos de guayaba); the glaze is optional; some use cream cheese.
On the Palate
Where Pastelitos de Carne sits in the Cuban flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6
How it's made
6 steps · 45 min active + 15 min waiting
- 115 min
Prepare picadillo filling: brown beef with onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, olives, raisins; cook until thick; cool.
Watch outCook the picadillo down until no liquid pools — a wet filling steams the pastry from inside and it never flakes.
- 25 min
Roll out puff pastry; cut into rectangles.
- 35 min
Place filling on one half; fold over; crimp edges with a fork.
- 41 min
Brush with egg wash.
- 520 min
Bake at 200°C for 15-20 min until golden.
Watch outBake until the pastry is deep golden and the layers have visibly puffed and split — pull it pale and the inside stays raw and doughy.
- 61 min
Optional: brush with simple syrup while warm.
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