Pastelón is a Dominican lasagna with sweet plantains as pasta, picadillo as beef, and cheese as béchamel. You could also think of this as a plantain casserole.
It’s a popular dish that’s served during the holiday season in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. But there are lots of differences in the Dominican and Puerto Rican versions of pastelón.
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Difference between Dominican and Puerto Rican pastelón
In a traditional Puerto Rican pastelón recipe, you’ll find that they don’t mash their plantains. Instead of boiling and mashing the plantanos, they slice them long ways and fry them.
I’ve tried the technique myself and though it was unique in texture and very delicious, I prefer the Dominican technique because the plantains are smoother and it holds together a lot easier.
You can try making both versions to see which you like best. Just make sure to use sliced fried plantains and add a scrambled egg to help the layers stick together with my recipe!
You’ll need sweet, ripe plantains
The riper the better here. Since the plantains are boiled and mashed, even completely black ones work perfectly, and the riper they are, the sweeter your pastelón will be! You could use green plantains, but it would turn into a mangu casserole and wouldn’t be considered a traditional pastelón.
Add cheese into the mashed plantains
For an extra cheesy pastelón, mix 1 cup of shredded cheese into the mashed plantains. This is going to make the the plantain lasagna super cheesy all throughout and you definitely won’t be missing out on a satisfying cheese pull!
Pastelón Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ripe plantains
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¼-½ cup milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and cut the plantains into chunks, then boil until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash them with salt, pepper, butter, and milk until smooth. Mix in the cheese if you're adding it then set aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, cook the sofrito with onion, garlic, and bell peppers until softened. Add the ground beef, breaking up large chunks with a spoon.
- Once the meat starts to brown, season with sazón, adobo, oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, then simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a greased baking dish, first layer the mashed plantain, meat, cheese, then another layer of mashed plantain, meat, and cheese, ending with plantain and cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Buen provecho!
One Response
I liked this recipe because being once married to a Dominican man, I know this is accurate.