Beef empanada calories come to 433 for one regular 130 g empanada, or 333 per 100 g. The detail worth noticing is the fat: 52% of the calories come from fat, not from the beef. Size matters just as much, because a small 35 g cocktail empanada has only 117.
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Nutrition facts
Beef filling, prepared · per 130 g
Calories
433 kcal
Protein
15.7 g
Carbohydrate
36 g
Fat
25 g
Saturated fat
9 g
Cholesterol
40 mg
Sodium
597 mg
Potassium
243 mg
Iron
2.7 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central
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Verified nutrition data
Numbers on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food composition database, and from manufacturer labels where a branded product is named. Last verified September 2026. How we verify our data →
Beef empanada: calories, protein and sodium by serving
Percent of daily value uses the FDA reference of 2,000 kcal a day.
Serving
kcal
Protein
Carbs
Fat
Sodium
% DV kcal
1 regular (130 g)
433
15.7 g
35.7 g
25 g
597 mg
22%
1 small (35 g)
117
4.2 g
9.6 g
6.7 g
161 mg
6%
Restaurant piece (89 g)
298
10.1 g
27.8 g
16.3 g
392 mg
15%
100 g
333
12.1 g
27.5 g
19.2 g
459 mg
17%
3 × 1 regular (130 g)
1,299
47.2 g
1,790 mg
5 × 1 regular (130 g)
2,165
78.6 g
2,984 mg
One regular empanada is a 433-calorie meal
A regular 130 g beef empanada carries 433 calories, about 22% of a standard daily value. That is lunch territory, not a snack. It also brings 15.7 g of protein, 35.7 g of carbs and 25 g of fat, so one empanada behaves more like a small meal than a side.
The size of the pastry changes everything. A small 35 g party empanada has 117 calories, and a restaurant piece of 89 g sits in between at 298. If you are counting, check which one is on your plate before you log it. Bakery and frozen empanadas vary a lot in weight, and the pastry shell is where most of that difference hides.
Second helpings add up fast. Two regular empanadas reach 866 calories and 1,193 mg of sodium. Three come to 1,299 calories, and a plate of five at a party reaches 2,165. A tray of small ones is the easier way to taste the filling without eating a full dinner's worth.
Fat supplies more than half the calories
Per 100 g, a beef empanada has 19.2 g of fat, 27.5 g of carbs and 12.1 g of protein. Turned into calories, fat makes up 52%, carbs 33% and protein only 15%. The beef is there, but the fried or buttery dough and the fat in the filling do most of the work.
Saturated fat is 6.9 g per 100 g. Compare that with plain beef at 262 calories and 26.5 g of protein per 100 g: the empanada has more calories and less than half the protein for the same weight. The pastry dilutes the meat.
Fiber is low at 1.6 g per 100 g, and sugars are just 2.1 g. So this is a savory, fat-forward food with modest protein. One regular empanada still gives 31% of the daily protein value, which is respectable, but you pay for it with 25 g of fat.
Sodium is the row to watch
One regular empanada has 597 mg of sodium, 26% of the daily value. That share is higher than its 22% share of calories, which tells you the seasoning and dough are salty for the energy they bring. Per 100 g the figure is 459 mg.
The real issue is the second and third empanada. Two regular ones bring 1,193 mg, three bring 1,790 mg, and five push to 2,984 mg, which is past a full day's daily value. A salsa, chimichurri or salty side on top adds more.
If you watch sodium, the small 35 g size is the friendlier pick at 161 mg, or 7% of the daily value. A restaurant piece lands at 392 mg. Brands such as Goya, La Fe and Delimex sell frozen beef empanadas, and the label is the place to compare sodium between them.
Pair it with vegetables, not more pastry
Because a beef empanada is low in fiber and high in fat, the best partner is something that fills the gaps. A big green salad, a cabbage slaw or grilled vegetables add volume and fiber for few calories. Black beans or a lean protein side make the meal more filling without another layer of dough.
Skip the fries and the second empanada if you want to keep the meal near the 433-calorie mark. Fried sides repeat the same fat-heavy pattern. A fresh tomato salsa adds flavor with little extra energy.
For logging, weigh the empanada once or compare it with the small and regular sizes above, since that is where most counting errors happen. BodyPal can also log the empanada from a photo, which helps when you are eating out and the size is a guess.
How does beef empanada compare?
Here is how a beef empanada compares with a cheese empanada, chicken dumplings and plain beef, per 100 g and per usual serving.
Verdict: For fewer calories pick the cheese empanada at 265 per 100 g, or chicken dumplings at just 144 per 100 g with 15.7 g of protein. For staying full on protein, plain beef wins easily with 26.5 g per 100 g and only 57 mg of sodium.
Most popular beef empanada brands in the United States
Ranked by popularity in the BodyPal database
# Productkcal / 100 g
1Goya Beef Empanadas1 piece · 71 g268 kcal
2Goya Baked Beef Empanadas1 piece · 71 g282 kcal
3Delicias de la Abuela Beef Empanada1 unit · 80 g212 kcal
4La Fe Beef Empanadas1 empanada · 85 g271 kcal
5Lisa Produce Beef Empanadas1 empanada · 113 g239 kcal
6Feel Good Foods Beef Empanadas2 pieces · 85 g224 kcal
7Delimex Beef Empanadas79 g278 kcal
Packaged empanadas are labeled per the frozen piece as sold, and most are baked rather than fried, so they read lower per 100 g than the prepared numbers above. Source: manufacturer labels / USDA FoodData Central.
Beef empanada FAQs
How many calories are in one beef empanada?
A regular beef empanada of 130 g has about 433 calories. A small 35 g one has about 117 calories, and a restaurant piece of 89 g about 298.
Is beef empanada good for weight loss?
One regular empanada is 433 calories with 25.0 g of fat and 35.7 g of carbs, most of it from the pastry shell. A small 35 g empanada is 117 calories.
Beef empanada vs cheese empanada: which has more calories?
Beef empanada is 333 calories per 100 g and cheese empanada 265, so the beef version is 68 calories higher per 100 g.
How much protein is in a beef empanada?
Beef empanada has 12.1 g of protein per 100 g, so a regular 130 g one gives 15.7 g and a small 35 g one gives 4.2 g.
How many calories are in a cheese empanada?
A cheese empanada has 265 calories per 100 g, against 333 for beef. It is lower in fat at 13.2 g, but it also has less protein, only 5.8 g per 100 g compared with 12.1 g for beef.
How many calories are in empanadas of different sizes?
A regular 130 g beef empanada has 433 calories, a restaurant piece of 89 g has 298, and a small 35 g empanada has 117. The weight of the pastry decides the total more than the filling does.
What are the macros of a beef empanada?
One regular beef empanada has 15.7 g of protein, 35.7 g of carbs and 25 g of fat. By calories that splits into 52% fat, 33% carbs and 15% protein.
What are the nutrition facts for a beef empanada?
Per 100 g, a beef empanada has 333 calories, 19.2 g of fat, 6.9 g of saturated fat, 459 mg of sodium, 1.6 g of fiber and 31 mg of cholesterol. Sodium and fat are the notable rows.
Are empanadas fattening?
A beef empanada gets 52% of its calories from fat, with 25 g of fat in one regular 130 g piece. One fits a normal day, but three regular empanadas reach 1,299 calories, so portions decide the outcome.
