Saute a small diced onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat until it becomes translucent.
Add 1 package of vegan beef crumbles, (or 2 cups of vegan ground beef, vegan taco meat, or vegan sausage crumbles) a diced jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, then cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of vegan cheese and stir well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the empanada dough
Place 3 cups of spoon-measured flour into a large food processor then add 1 stick (1/2 cup) of cold vegan butter cut into small pieces.
Pulse about 15-20 times until it has a sandy texture, then add 3/4 cup of cold water and pulse a few more times until a dough has formed.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is about 1/8 inch thick, similar to pie dough.
Use a 4 -4 1/2 inch circle to cut out rounds of the dough.
Fill the rounds with 2 tablespoons of filling and fold in half.
Start at one edge and pinch the two layers together with your thumb and index finger and twist the pinched area. Move down the edge a finger length and repeat the process until the whole edge is sealed shut. You can also simply crimp the edges with a fork to make it easier.
Cook the empanadas
Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
Place the completed empanadas on a cookie sheet so that they are not touching. (You can line it with parchment paper, but I find that it's not necessary.
Brush the empanadas with a vegan egg wash, or simply use some plant-based milk or oil to give them a little shine and help them turn golden brown.
Bake the empanadas at 375° F (190° C). for 15 minutes then turn the oven to broil for 3 additional minutes to make them golden brown.
Notes
Frying the empanadas - you can also deep fry the empanadas instead of baking them. To do this, you will need to submerge them in 370° F (187° C) oil for about 4 minutes until golden brown.
If you don't have a food processor to make the dough, you can make it in a large bowl and just mash up the butter and flour with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly, then add the water.
I know that 2 tablespoons of filling does not seem like a lot, but if you try to stuff too much in your empanada, it will not seal and it will break open.
The possibilities of fillings are endless, this is just an example of one thing to put in empanadas.