Ground Beef Puff Pastry Rolls (Easy Cheeseburger Appetizer)

Name: Ground Beef Puff Pastry Rolls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 cup onion (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (finely minced); 1.5 pounds ground beef ((Mince)); 1 teaspoon thyme; 1/4 cup red wine (or beef broth); 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons sour cream; salt and pepper (to taste); 2 sheets puff pastry dough; 2 cups cheese (grated (we like either a cheddar or Colby jack) Use whatever you enjoy.); 1 egg (beaten)

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Kick off your next gathering with our easy crowd-pleasing cheese and ground beef puff pastry rolls. This savory cheeseburger-style appetizer is filled with seasoned minced beef and melty cheese, rolled in a puff pastry sheet, and baked to perfection. Biting into the light, crispy exterior and savory meat-and-cheese filling will have you craving seconds—or even thirds! It’s the perfect hearty tailgating snack.

Baked cheese and ground beef puff pastry roll sliced into on a white cutting board.

This meat-in-puff-pastry recipe makes two large rolls and feeds a big crowd! Serve it up as a hot appetizer at your next tailgating party or as an easy dinner with a side salad.

Just like our turkey curry puffs recipe, you can assemble everything in advance and pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat. Our time-saving hacks like baking both rolls on one tray and using store-bought puff pastry gives you more time to spend with family and friends. Let’s get started on the recipe!

Ingredients

Puff pastry in French is referred to pâte feuilletée. This is just a fancy way of saying pastry that is made with lots of layers of dough between lots of layers of rich butter and folded. It’s a bit of work to make from scratch so we used store bought to save time. The Pepperidge Farm puff pastry is 17.3 ounces (1.1 pounds or 490 grams). It comes with 2 folded sheets. There are even a few gluten-free brands, or you can make your pastry dough from scratch as well.

Ground beef (mince) or you can substitute with ground turkey, chicken or even ground lamb. Different types of protein will add a different flavor and different fat content. We like to use lean ground beef for this recipe because it makes it taste like the ultimate cheeseburger while minimizing the fat content.

Grated cheese – a cheddar or Colby jack is a good pairing because it taps into that cheeseburger flavor. However, go ahead and use whatever grated cheese you like or have at home.

Aromatics – onions and garlic, but of course, right?

Thyme – dried or fresh. You can also use an Italian seasoning mix or skip it if you do not have at home.

Red wine or beef broth – to deglaze the pan.

Worcestershire Sauce – You only need a little to add a ton of flavor. This is one staple condiment we love having around to make bloody Mary’s, BBQ ribs or even our Wasabi Bloody Mary Flank Steak.

Sour cream just to add a little creaminess to the beef mixture.

Beaten Egg helps the puff pastry get a beautiful bronze glow and acts as binder to keep the roll together.

How to Make a Cheeseburger Puff Pastry Roll?

This is just a basic overview of the steps with photos. You can find the complete ground beef puff pastry directions in the recipe card below. As this recipe makes enough for 2 rolls, set up your cooking station like the Ford Motor assembly line. You can bake both rolls in the same sheet pan.

Frying up aromatics and browning ground beef.

In a medium sized frying pan, cook the onion until aromatic. Then add the garlic and ground beef and cook until browned.
Add thyme, red wine or beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and add the sour cream.

Rolling out puff pastry and adding ground beef mixture on top.

Either flour your work surface or place your thawed puff pastry sheet between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out to remove any creases. Repeat the process for the other puff pastry sheet.
Add half of the cooled beef mixture in a thin layer on top of the puff pastry leaving about 1-1.5 inches along the edges. Repeat the process for the other puff pastry sheet.

Adding cheese and brushing egg on the sides of the puff pastry sheet.

Top the beef mixture with half of the grated cheese mixture. Repeat the process for the other puff pastry sheet.
Brush the egg mixture on the edges of the puff pastry.

Folding in sides of the puff pastry with meat and cheese and rolling it up.

Fold the edges of the puff pastry sheet over the seasoned beef and cheese filling.
Roll the beef and cheese stuffed puff pastry like a burrito.

Pinching the edges of meat stuffed pastry roll and brushing with egg wash.

Pinch to seal the edges. Repeat the process for the other puff pastry sheet.
Brush the roll with egg and create a couple of fork holes for steam to escape.

Using a fork to make steam holes and baked puff pastry hot out of the oven.

Bake at 400°F (204°C) for about 25 - 30 minutes or until it is puffed and golden brown.

Recipe Tips and Hacks

Puff pastry can be finicky. It needs to be thawed so it does not crack but it needs to be COLD to be worked with. Keep the second puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator until you can work with it.
Use two pieces of parchment paper (one under and one over) the puff pastry sheet to prevent sticking while rolling it flat. You can also use a little flour on your work surface and on your rolling pin.
Don’t overfill the puff pastry sheets with filling! Leave about 1- 1.5 inches (2.5 – 3.8 cm) around the edges. If you overfill, it will be difficult to roll. In addition, the beef puff pastry roll may burst open while baking in the oven.
Try not to roll it too tight or the puff pastry will not rise.
Slather the egg wash on the sides and edges before rolling to help seal. Add another brushing of egg all over the top so that the puff pasty gets a beautiful golden color while baking.
If the pastry dough is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the puff pastry puffs up.
Bake the ground beef puff pastry roll with the seam side down.
Make a few small pokes on the top of the puff pastry so that steam has a place to escape during the baking process.

Baked Cheeseburger puff pastry sliced showing the melty cheese.

How to Serve Game Day Appetizers?

Best enjoyed hot out of the oven. Hold off on slicing it until you are ready to eat- so it stays warm.
Serve the puff pastry with beef on a cutting board for easy cleanup.
Place sliced pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, chili oil or any of your favorite cheeseburger toppings nearby so that your guests can help themselves.
Keep it simple and serve with more fun grab and go tailgating snacks like rosemary party nuts or antipasto skewers.

Whole puff pastry with beef on a cutting board - not yet sliced into with ketchup, mustard and pickles on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

How to Thaw Puff Pastry?

There are 3 ways to thaw out frozen store-bought puff pastry.
Refrigerator Method: Remove the 2 individually wrapped puff pastry from the box. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for approximately 4 hours until pliable. Do not remove the paper wrapping on the individual sheets until you are ready to use.
Room Temperature Method: Remove the puff pastry box from the freezer and remove the 2 individually wrapped puff pastry out of the box but don’t remove the wrapping on the individual pastry dough. Thaw at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes but not longer than 40 minutes.
Microwave Method – Remove one puff pastry sheet from the box and remove the external paper. Wrap loosely in a paper towel and microwave on high for 15 seconds. Turn and microwave for another 10-15 seconds. Assess to see if the puff pastry sheet can be opened easily without cracking. If the pastry dough still needs more heating, add 5 seconds at a time until just pliable.

How to reheat a baked beef puff pastry?

Bake the meat and cheese stuffed puff pastry rolls at 350°F (171°C) for approximately 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 160 °F (71.1 °C). If the puff pastry is getting too brown, cover lightly will a piece of aluminum foil or until warm and toasty.

Can you make this puff pastry with beef in advance?

Yes, you can prepare, assemble, and roll these ground beef puff pastry appetizers up to 24 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator.

More Puff Pastry Recipes

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