Puerto Rican Pastelon: The Perfect Plantain Lasagna
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If you’re someone who loves plantains and lasagna (honestly, who isn’t?), then let me introduce you to Pastelón—the perfect marriage of both. Imagine the savory layers of lasagna, but instead of noodles, you’ve got sweet, caramelized plantains. And between those golden layers? Spiced beef and melty cheese, all baked to bubbling perfection. This Puerto Rican classic is my idea of comfort food with a tropical twist.
Puerto Rican Pastelon
There are two things in this world that I will never say no to: plantains and lasagna. So, when I discovered Pastelón—a dish that basically combines my two favorite things—I was sold. It’s sweet, savory, cheesy, and has that same satisfying layered texture you get from lasagna, but with a Caribbean twist. If you’ve never had it, you’re seriously missing out. And if you’re already a fan? Well, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
The History of Pastelón
Pastelón is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that’s sometimes referred to as "plantain lasagna." It has deep roots in Puerto Rican cuisine, influenced by the island’s mix of African, Spanish, and indigenous Taino cultures. Plantains—introduced to the Caribbean by African slaves—play the starring role here.
Over time, Puerto Rican cooks found that the sweetness of the ripe plantains paired beautifully with the seasoned meat and cheese, creating a dish that’s rich, hearty, and oh-so-satisfying. Today, it’s a beloved comfort food in Puerto Rico, often enjoyed at family gatherings, holidays, and Sunday dinners.
Why This Recipe Works
Here’s why this recipe is a total winner:
Sweet and Savory Perfection: The ripe plantains offer a natural sweetness that perfectly balances out the spiced ground beef. It’s a match made in heaven—sweet, savory, cheesy, and just plain delicious.
Cheese, Glorious Cheese: The layers of mozzarella not only melt beautifully but add a creamy richness that ties the whole dish together. It’s comfort food, so of course, there’s plenty of cheese involved.
Well-Seasoned Beef: The beef is spiced with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, achiote powder, coriander, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. These bold spices make the ground beef flavorful and fragrant, perfectly complementing the sweetness of the plantains.
Easy to Assemble: If you’ve ever made lasagna, you can definitely handle this. The layering process is straightforward: plantains, beef, cheese, repeat.
Baked to Perfection: The dish is baked until golden and bubbly, allowing all the flavors to meld together into one glorious bite. Plus, the top layer of plantains gets a little crispy and caramelized—perfection.
Great for Leftovers: Just like lasagna, this dish is fantastic the next day. The flavors continue to develop, making it just as delicious (if not more) when reheated for lunch or dinner.
Tips for Making Pastelón
Pick the Right Plantains: You’ll want plantains that are very ripe—yellow with black spots. This ensures they’re sweet enough to create that perfect balance with the savory beef.
Layer Evenly: Just like lasagna, you want to make sure each layer is even. Spread the beef and cheese across the plantains to get a perfect bite of everything in each forkful.
Don’t Skimp on Cheese: Go heavy on the mozzarella for that gooey, melty, cheesy goodness. It’s what makes this dish so irresistible.
Let It Rest: After you bake it, let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the layers set so it’s easier to slice and serve.
Great for Leftovers: Just like lasagna, Pastelón is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld together. So go ahead, make it ahead of time and enjoy it over the next few days.
OTHER COMFORT FOODS TO TRY
HOW TO MAKE PUERTO RICAN PASTELON
Ingredients
4 (10 ounces) ripe plantains
3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 pound ground 90/10 beef
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon achiote powder (ground annatto)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1 white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup finely chopped orange bell pepper (about 1 small bell pepper)
3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 cups shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (8 ounces) divided
1 large egg, beaten
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a wire rack inside a large-rimmed baking sheet. Peel plantains, and cut in half crosswise. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 to 4 (1/4 inch thick) slices. Brush both sides of plantain slices evenly with 2 tablespoons avocado oil, and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Arrange in a single layer on wire rack. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside. Do not turn off oven.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add ground beef; cook, stirring often to break up meat into small crumbles. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, achiote powder, coriander, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until meat is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
Step 3:
Move meat to one side of skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to other side of skillet; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir together vegetables and beef. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is well combined and tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in cilantro. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Step 4: Arrange about one-third of plantain slices (8 to 10 slices) crosswise along bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (such as an 11 x 7-inch baking dish). Top with half of beef mixture (about 1 3/4 cups) and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering process 1 time using one-third of plantain slices, remaining beef mixture, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining plantain slices, overlapping slightly if needed to fit.
Plantains, beef, cheese, repeat.
Step 5: Pour beaten egg evenly over plantains. Bake pastelon at 375°F until top is golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro. Serve hot.
Final Thoughts: Your New Favorite Comfort Food
If you’ve never tried Pastelón before, this is your sign to get in the kitchen and whip up a batch. It’s the perfect dish for when you’re craving something hearty and comforting but still want that sweet and savory balance. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to use up those ripe plantains sitting on your counter.
So what are you waiting for? Give this plantain lasagna a try and let me know how it turns out. Trust me, once you’ve had a bite, you’ll be hooked—just like I was. Don’t forget to share your creations and tag me. I’d love to see your take on this Puerto Rican classic!
Beef Pastelon
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Choose plantains that are slightly firm and have a mostly black peel with a few yellow spots. Achiote powder (also called annatto powder or ground annatto) is available at most Latin and Asian grocery stores.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
337.11Fat
14.37 gSat. Fat
4.88 gCarbs
44.35 gFiber
3.33 gNet carbs
41.01 gSugar
23.49 gProtein
12.52 gSodium
1235.39 mgCholesterol
54.89 mg