Posted on Sunday, January 24, 2016 in
Beef Recipes
Paula’s empadão is a comforting Portuguese cottage pie layered with seasoned ground beef, vegetables, and creamy mashed potatoes. This traditional recipe blends bold Mediterranean flavors — onion, garlic, paprika, and pimenta moída — with a touch of red wine and olive oil. The rich beef filling is topped with smooth, buttery mashed potatoes brushed with egg wash, then baked until golden and crisp. Every bite delivers a hearty, home-style taste that captures the warmth of Portuguese family cooking. Perfect for Sunday dinners or cozy gatherings, this Empadão offers the perfect balance of savory meat and creamy potato layers. Easy to prepare, it’s a delicious and authentic recipe for anyone who loves rustic comfort food. Serve it hot with a side salad or pickled vegetables for a complete, satisfying meal that celebrates Portugal’s beloved flavors.
| Preparation time | 15 min |
| Cooking Time | 45 min |
| Ready In | 1 h |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 6 |
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
| Calories | 601 |
| Fat | 33g |
| Carbs | 41g |
| Protein | 33g |
Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef10 medium potatoes (make mashed potatoes)1 onion, chopped1 bell pepper, chopped2 cloves of garlic, chopped2 tablespoons of tomato paste1 tablespoon of crushed hot red pepper sauce (pimenta moída)1 teaspoon of black pepper1 tablespoon of paprika 1 teaspoon of mustard 1 tablespoon of salt3 tablespoons of olive oil1 cube chicken or beef knorr 1/4 cup of red wine1 cup of mixed veggies1 egg (for egg wash)
Get Portuguese ingredients 
Preparation
- Over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, bell pepper and mixed vegetables to a medium pot and cook for a few minutes, than add tomato paste, hot red pepper sauce, mustard, knorr cube, paprika, black pepper, wine, salt and finally the ground beef, stir well and let it cook for 15 minutes or until cooked, and remove from heat.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.
- Assuming you made mashed potatoes with the potatoes, in a medium casserole dish, grease the dish with olive oil.
- Add the cooked ground beef, than top it off with the mash potatoes, brush the egg wash over the mashed potatoes, cook for 30 minutes, let it cool for a bit and serve.
Recipe Credit: Paula
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Comments
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LindaWould it be okay to use the sweet pimento paste instead of the hot pimento? My son in law is Portuguese but the rest of us, daughter included don’t like super spicy food. I’d like to make this for Easter.3 Years ago, Sunday, March 26, 2023 -
Sue CoelhoJust wanted you to know that my Hubby and 4 boys LOVE this recipe! I make it EVERY TWO WEEKS without fail. One of my boys wouldn’t be thrilled if I made it EVERY WEEK because he loves talking it for lunch. The bad part is that now I am PROHIBITED from buying or making it any other way🤣 So, Thank you for sharing it🙏3 Years ago, Friday, January 20, 2023
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ElizabethWell I made your recipe and it is truly delicious! I have forwarded the recipe to a few friends along with a photo I took of my pie. I will be making this again and again. Thank you!3 Years ago, Saturday, September 17, 2022
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ElizabethThank you for your quick response. You are very efficient. I am going to make this pie today. I will let you know how it goes. Have a nice day.3 Years ago, Saturday, September 17, 2022
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ElizabethI’m back- sorry for so many questions. The stock cube- throw it in whole or follow directions and make the amount of liquid meant for one cube?3 Years ago, Saturday, September 17, 2022
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ElizabethI should have asked this in my last question. The hot pimento paste- is it ok to use pimento moida (hot chopped peppers)?3 Years ago, Friday, September 16, 2022
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