Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. When hot, add the onions to the pan and cook for until tender and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper to the skillet and continue cooking until veggies are soft.

Add the vegan ground beef, potatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, vinegar, and salt to the skillet of cooked vegetables. Stir everything together and cook until well combined.

Stir in the diced scallions and allow to cool completely.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a couple times to combine.

Next, add the shortening and pulse until your mixture is crumbly in texture with most pieces smaller than a pea. Add in half the water and pulse again until a soft dough begins to form. Add more water as needed to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just enough for the dough fully to come together fully, adding flour as needed to help the dough form. When ready, it should be soft but not sticky.

Once mixed, shape into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes or until you’re ready to roll.

Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove dough from fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out even sized discs using a 4 ½ - 5 inch cutter.

Place one heaping spoonful of the filling into center of each disc. Fold circle in half to enclose the filling and press tightly. Seal edges of each shaped empanada using a fork.

Brush the tops with melted coconut oil and place the empanadas in a hot oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden in color. Rotate the tray 180° F halfway through cooking.

After this time remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.