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Rosana Rivera

Beef Empanada
S22E10 Mexican/Latin · 2019

Beat her OWN HUSBAND in Round 1, then beat Bobby with empanadas. Dedicated her win to Latina and female chefs everywhere.

First Latina woman to beat Bobby Flay; operates Chef Rosana lifestyle brand (luxury catering, private fine dining, cooking classes in Tampa, Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami, NYC); previously co-created Piquant, Xilo Mexican, and Chef & the Baker in Tampa
● @chefrosanarivera

She beat her own husband in Round 1, then beat Bobby Flay with empanadas, then dedicated the win to Latina and female chefs everywhere, which makes S22E10 one of the most complete narrative arcs in the show's run. Rosana Rivera — the first Latina woman to beat Bobby Flay — is currently building the Chef Rosana lifestyle brand, which is a platform built on the credibility she earned in the room.

Rivera's empanada dough is the foundation: cold butter cut into flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand, then ice water added by the tablespoon until the dough just comes together — no more, or the gluten tightens and the dough shrinks back when you roll it. She bakes rather than fries, which is the higher-difficulty move in competition because the oven finish gives you no visual cues until the last three minutes. Her filling is a sofrito-based beef composition that is chilled before filling — a cold filling on warm dough means the dough doesn't steam and the seal holds.

The win is documented, the dedication is on record, and the brand is growing. Bobby Flay, to his credit, has had the grace to lose to someone who deserved to win.

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Beef Empanada

30 min Prep
50 min Cook
12 Serves
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup sofrito or tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup olives (green or Castelvetrano), sliced
  • 2 tbsp raisins, chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 large eggs, divided
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 8 tbsp cold butter, cubed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp ice water
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Make the dough: Pulse flour, salt, and cold butter in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 1 egg and apple cider vinegar, pulse briefly. Drizzle ice water in while pulsing until dough just comes together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces. Drain excess fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and jalapeños, cook 2 minutes. Stir in sofrito, cumin, oregano, and cook 3 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Fold in olives and raisins, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove filling from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. The filling should be moist but not wet.
  5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll chilled dough between parchment paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch circles using a round cutter. Place 2 tablespoons filling on each circle, fold into half-moon, and press edges with a fork to seal.
  6. Arrange empanadas on parchment-lined baking sheets. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water, brush over each empanada for a golden finish.
  7. Bake for 25-28 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Inspired by Rosana Rivera’s winning beef empanada. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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