Puerto Rican Pastelón
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Imagine if lasagna flew to the Caribbean, got a tan, and learned how to dance salsa. That’s pastelón!
Pastelón tastes like your cousins laughing too loud, like Sunday in the Bronx with Héctor Lavoe on the radio, like sunshine, spice, and that sweet-salty Caribbean realness. It’s a dish that doesn’t whisper—it sings!
So if you’ve never had it, get ready because pastelón isn’t just food. It’s culture. It’s home. It’s a Puerto Rican love letter written in plantains.
What is Puerto Rican pastelón?
Pastelón is a glorious Puerto Rican comfort food made by stacking sweet, ripe plantains (not your average bananas, these are golden, caramelized beauties) with savory picadillo, a rich, well-seasoned ground beef mixture simmered with sofrito-like seasonings, olives, garlic, and a kiss of soulful seasonings, including adobo and sazón.
You bake it all together until those flavors are harmonizing like a bomba y plena chorus, an Afro-Puerto Rican ensemble. Pastelón is sweet, salty, tangy, and earthy, all doing a little two-step in your mouth, topped with gooey melted cheese, because why not? It’s a celebration!
Ingredients
Pastelón thrives on that sweet-savory balance, so green plantains (tostones style) are a big no-no here. That’s a whole different dish, mami.
Go for the ripe ones. That means yellow plantains with big black spots, or even ones that are nearly black all over. Don’t let that scare you. The darker they are, the sweeter and softer they’ll be when cooked. That’s exactly what you want.
- Sweet plantains are the star of the dish, and just like casting the lead role in a telenovela, you need drama, sweetness, and maturity! Sweet ripe plantains, sliced lengthwise and fried until golden and slightly crispy.
- Picadillo is the ground beef filling with onions, olives, garlic, and tomato pa.
- Cheese —think cheddar (preferred) or mozzarella for a creamy, melty lasagna topping.
Pro tip: If you can’t find ripe plantains at the store, buy green ones and let them ripen on the counter for a few days to a week. Want to speed things up? Throw them in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana, then… Boom—plantain magic!
How to make authentic pastelón
It’s typically baked in a casserole dish, cut into squares, and served hot. Muy caliente, just as Abuela intended!
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet or large pan with the tomato paste, onions, olives, and seasonings, then drain and set aside.
- Cut the plantains into strips and fry them on the stovetop.
- Layer the plantains and meat in a casserole dish or baking pan, and top with the cheese.
- Bake, serve, and enjoy!
Storing leftovers
Ahhh, the idea of leftover pastelón… If you’re lucky enough to have any left, because this dish usually disappears faster than chisme at a family party! Here’s how to store it Boricua-style like a pro. Slice it into portions and store it in an airtight container. Pastelón keeps beautifully for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Pro tip: The flavors of pastelón taste even better the next day when the plantains and beef get all cozy overnight. Like lasagna on its honeymoon!
Equipment
- Large frying pan with a lid
- Colander to drain the cooked ground beef
- 9×13 casserole or baking dish
Ingredients
Ingredients for the ground beef
- ¼ cup water
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ cup pimento green olives sliced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Sazón seasoning 1 packet
Ingredients for the sweet plantains
- 1 cup water
- 4 plantains large & ripe (plantains are black in color when ripe)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ tablespoon butter
Pastelón topping
- 2 cups cheese shredded cheddar (preferred) or mozzarella
- ¼ cup cilantro Optional, chopped to garnish
Instructions
Instructions for the ground beef
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, combine the water, ground beef, onion, garlic, olives, and tomato paste.
- As the meat begins to cook and changes from pink to light brown, add the adobo and sazón seasonings.
- Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned.
- After that, use a colander to drain the grease from the cooked meat and set it aside.
Instructions for the plantains
- Grease the baking dish and set it aside.
- Start by cutting off the ends of each plantain. Then, carefully score them lengthwise to remove the thick outer peel, ensuring you don’t cut too deeply into the plantain flesh.
- Once the peel is removed, slice each plantain lengthwise into 1-inch strips, which should yield about 3 to 4 strips per plantain.
- Next, place the butter in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat and allow it to melt. After the butter has melted, add water, the sliced plantains, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the pan.
- Cover the pan and cook the plantains for 20 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, remove the pan from the stove to begin assembling your pastelón in the baking dish.
Assembling pastelón
- First, arrange a layer of plantains in the prepared baking dish.
- Next, spread an even layer of ground beef over the plantains.
- Then, sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese on top of the ground beef.
- Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Once the pastelón is baked, remove it from the oven and optionally garnish with cilantro. Slice while warm, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Yumm! I want this!
This recipe is indeed super yum!! (and easy!)