Pastelon (Plantain Lasagna)
This Puerto-Rican-style pastelón is a delicious plantain lasagna combining sweet and savory flavors. Spicy beef sandwiched between layers of plantains and topped with cheese and eggs is incredibly tasty and naturally gluten-free. An excellent meal for special days or even just a regular weeknight dinner.
Are you still on the fence about plantains? I get it. If your culture doesn’t incorporate them, you might not know what to do with these extra-large bananas. The good news is that they’re easy to come by, delicious, versatile, and super easy to cook with, so you can find a ton of plantain recipes here on Immaculate Bites.
Today’s recipe will make you hop right over the fence and join Team Plantain. And if you are already a plantain fan, then here is one more recipe to add to your plantain cooking arsenal. Seriously, you can do so much with plantains, am I right?
Piñon vs. Pastelon
More than once, people have told me that this recipe is actually called piñon instead of pastelón. So I did a bit of research on the matter. As with most dishes, I found that there’s more than one way to prepare pastelon. In fact, even different regions of the same country often have different preparations or names for similar dishes.
That said, the main difference I found is that although both piñon and pastelón are popular Puerto Rican dishes that layer plantains, the plantains in piñon are typically mashed before they’re layered out. Another thing is that piñon also has canned green beans and kidney beans mixed into the beef filling. No matter what you call this dish, we can all agree that it’s truly an indulgent, wholesome recipe!
How to Make Pastelon
- Peel and slice the plantains into long strips. You can get 4-5 pieces per plantain, depending on its size. (Photos 1-2)
- To fry: From here, you can either fry or bake the plantains until lightly golden. Fry in about ½ inch of oil in batches, turning once, until lightly browned for about 5 minutes. Drain cooked plantains on a paper towel. (Photos 3-4)
- To bake: Spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking oil (preferably canola) and arrange the plantains in a single layer. Lightly spray the side of the plantains facing up. Bake at 400℉ (205℃) for 12-20 minutes, turning the slices over after 8 minutes.
- Sauté the onions, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, and coriander for about a minute. Add the bell pepper and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. (Photos 4-5)
- Add the ground meat and beans and cook for about 7-10 minutes while stirring frequently. (Photo 6)
- Season with salt, chicken bouillon or sazon, and black pepper. Add the olives, green onions, and parsley, adjusting the seasonings to taste. Set the filling aside. (Photos 7-8)
- Layer the bottom of the baking pan with the plantain slices. Spread a decent amount of the beef mixture over the plantains just like you would prepare lasagna. (Photos 9-10)
- Repeat, alternating rows of plantains and meat until both are used up. Add grated cheese between each layer if desired. (Photo 11)
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and pour them over the top of the pastelon, covering the entire casserole. Top with grated cheese if desired. (Photo 12)
- Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25-30 minutes, or until the egg has cooked through and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool the pastelon for 5 minutes, and serve hot.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- This recipe is remarkably flexible, and you can tweak the ingredients however you like. For example, leave out the cheese for a paleo-friendly version. And simply omit the meat for a vegetarian version.
- Some pastelon recipe call for raisins. Feel free to add them if you are a raisin lover.
- Moderately ripe plantains don’t fall apart or soak up tons of oil, making them just right for layering.
- Add a little cayenne pepper to taste for a bit of spice!
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Lasagna-style recipes usually taste better the next day. So you can assemble everything the day before, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes and bake.
Store any leftover pastelon in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will keep for 3-5 days. You can also freeze pastelon in an airtight container for 4-5 months.
What to Serve With Pastelon
Pastelon is super good all by itself, but I definitely like to pair it with a tropical drink, like coquito. A little fusion with this recipe with East African chapati or a basic flatbread tastes fabulous with it.
More Flavorful Puerto Rican Recipes
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”hlR7CN3D” upload-date=”Tue Aug 07 2018 11:48:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Plantain Lasagna” description=”Plantains Lasagna aka Pastelon – a Latin-Style (Puerto Rican) lasagna that is a combination of sweet and savory, with spiced beef, sandwiched in layers of plantains, and topped with cheese and or eggs. Have I picked your interest yet?”]
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This blog post was originally published in April 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Pastelon (Plantain Lasagna)
Ingredients
- 3-4 large ripe plantains
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 teaspoons (15g) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (2g) cumin
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- ½ -1 teaspoon (1-2g) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (1g) dried oregano or thyme
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) ground coriander
- 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped or 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef or ground chicken
- 1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) water
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) salt
- 1 packet Sazón (or 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon)
- ½ teaspoon (1g) freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup (30g) sliced olives
- 2-3 green onion, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons (8-12g) parsley, chopped
- 2 cups (470g) shredded cheese
- 2-3 large eggs
Instructions
The Layers
- Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off the plantain for easier peeling. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, cutting only as deep as the peel. Remove the peel. Slice the plantains horizontally into 4-5 pieces, depending on the plantains. You can either fry or bake the plantains.
- To fry: Heat a large cast-iron skillet with ½ inch of oil on medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the plantain in batches, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the pan (the plantains will absorb excess oil and become soggy).
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried plantains and drain them on paper towels.
- To bake: Spray a baking sheet with oil and place plantain slices on it in a single layer. Spray plantains lightly with canola oil and bake at 400℉ (205℃) until slightly browned (12- 20 minutes), turning the slices over after 8 minutes.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet, and saute the onions, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, and coriander for about a minute.
- Then add the bell pepper and tomatoes or tomato sauce, and bring to a simmer. Add the ground meat and beans, and cook for 7-10 minutes, while stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add broth or water as needed. Season with salt, chicken bouillon, or sazon and black pepper.
- Finally, add olives, green onions, and parsley, and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Assembly
- Spray a deep 8"x8" baking pan with cooking spray or rub with butter or oil.
- Line the bottom of the baking pan with the plantain slices, making sure there are no spaces between the plantains.
- Spread enough of the beef mixture over the plantains to make a layer, just like you would for lasagna. Alternate rows of plantains and meat until both are used up. Add cheese in between if desired.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and pour over them the pastelon, covering the entire casserole. Top with grated cheese if desired.
- Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 25-30 minutes, or until the eggs have cooked through and the filling is bubbly. Let it cool for a few minutes and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Add a small amount of broth or water as needed while cooking the filling to avoid burning.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Heard Sunny talk about this fish on the view ,them the recipe just pop up on my on one day ,so today am making it because I love plantins and this dish sound so maxing !!
I have been binge reading your recipe. Not only do you give a detail step by step instructions, the picture guides are so useful to ensure I’m doing it right lol.
Moving to my new spot with a renovated kitchen I cannot wait to try ALL your recipes…
Amazing site Imma!!!!! Xo
Glad you find those step-by-step photos helpful. Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Ashley! More recipes to come. 😉
I will be making this dish for Christmas but I will steam my plantin
Made this, was so delicious. My son loved it. Will be making it again very soon. Thanks for sharing
Holy Crap. Just got linked to your site and I think I’m going to bookmark so. many. recipes. Thanks for linking the plantain recipes together I went from the plantain (not bacon) wrapped things to this and truly this is not a dish I would have ever imagined. Okra, plantains and spices? Your site is great, thanks for sharing – I’m feeling inspired.
So glad to hear this ! Thanks for stopping by!
My family loved this recipe! I will be making it again. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!!!
The picture of this pie is one of the most appealing I have seen for this particular dish. I hope to try the recipe for a Christmas meal.
Thank you so much Paulette! You are going to love it .
Merry Christmas!!!
Can’t wait to try the plantain I’m from jamaica and plantains are my fav’ fried’ baked or boiled
Me Too! Just LOVE It!
Can’t wait to try it!
However, I would like to leave out the meat, as I am a vegeterian. Any recommendations of a substitution for the beef? Or could I just leave it out altogether?
Thanks!
I would just leave it out all together.Sub with extra beans and vegetables.
Hello Imma, this recipe looks tasty so I wanna try it. But I have 2 questions: how many plantains should I buy more or less to make this? And does this recipe keep well in the fridge like lasagne or is it better to eat when cooked? I’m asking because I want to bring this to a party.
Thank you for posting these tasty and unusual (for me) recipes
Hi Angorinie!I would say it’s best when made the same day because of the plantains. Plantains are very tricky-some would come out fine but others are very stringy.Be sure to pick out those that are plump and really ripe- just like in the picture. You can prepare everything else and refrigerate. Then just fry the plantains the day of the event, layer and bake. You should buy 4 or more plantains. I usually get about 1 or two extra just in case . Let me know how it works out for you. Happy Cooking
Thank you for the answer Imma, you explained it very well and were very sweet. I’ll be making other recipes from your blog because I love plantains and coconut too.
Got really excited for the recipe, glanced over ingredients and rushed to store to get them. Didn’t realize until I was in too deep that this recipe is incredibly confusing!! You list 3 different types of tomato, when really you only need one I gathered?? You listed to bake plantains but then to fry them, but I’m thinking you either do one or the other?? You don’t list what temp to cook the plantains. I love the idea of this recipe, just wanted to reach out and suggest that you tighten up the ingredient list and give better instructions for future people like myself who’ve never made this before! Thanks!
Recipe updated!
I tried this recipe and I think next time I am going to steam the plantain, I baked them and it was to dry. I used ground turkey, but I loved it and can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Karol! Next time make sure you bake use plantains that are plump and really ripe. Glad you liked it enough to want to make it again. And thank you for taking the time to leave feedback!
My dearest Imma I can’t thank u enough,its so delious . I doubled d ingredients cos of d population of my family oh! My gosh! My husband n his friends kept on eating n eating n even wants some but have finished.oh Imma they were praising me even give me some money for giving them a wonderful dish like that. Thanks a million
Wow! Juliet, I can share your excitement the first time I made it . Hubby ate half of it , then turned around and accused me of making him put on some extra calories. Can you believe it? Not a dime for me.
Hello Imma,how u doing? Pls can I omit cumin spice & olive cos there’s no where to get them at my place or what I can substitute for cumin & olive.tnx
Yes, you sure can. I have made this without cumin or olive.
Hello Imma,u are incredible. Pls can I use red kidney bean to replace d black beans?
You sure can!
YES you have piqued my interest! I jumped on this as soon as I saw it. I love this! It’s so unique – and yet so familiar, if that makes sense??
Hi Rose! Let me know how it works for you !!!
Wow, this is fascinating, never imagined that. I can’t wait to tuck into it.
This is interesting…Do I have to fry the plantains before baking them?
Hi Uneku! Yes you do. You can fry, or bake the the plantains in the oven before doing the layering.
Oh my. I’ll try this, and then look at Jerking it up. Especially thinking of your Jerk Seasoning. Woo hoo.
Oh Boy! This would taste even better with Jerk Seasoning- What a great idea Greg. Please do tell when you make it! Thanks
Any reason I couldn’t use ground pork?
Hi Liz. Ground pork would work just fine! Let me know how it turns out!