Puerto Rican Pastelón Is The Epitome of Comfort Food

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey reduces fat content while still providing protein.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

tomato sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade tomato puree

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Homemade puree avoids preservatives and can be more flavorful.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and is heart-healthy.

Start by preparing the sofrito: chop 1 Cubanelle pepper into manageable pieces.

Add 1/4 cup culantro, 3/4 cup cilantro leaves and stems, 1/2 onion quartered, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 3 garlic cloves into a food processor.

Pulse until coarsely chopped, about 12 to 14 pulses.

Cut 3 pounds of ripe plantains in half, then into thirds to create thin slabs.

Heat 3/4 cup vegetable oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Fry a third of the plantain slabs for 3 to 4 minutes until browned on the bottom.

Flip the plantains and fry for another 2 to 4 minutes until the second side is browned.

Remove the plantains and let them drain on a sheet, sprinkling with 1/2 teaspoon table salt immediately.

In the same skillet, add 1 pound of 90% lean ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula.

Add 2 1/2 teaspoons sazon and 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar to the beef, cooking for about a minute.

Transfer the beef to a bowl and add the prepared sofrito to the skillet, cooking until the onion softens, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add 8 ounces of tomato sauce to the sofrito and cook until it reduces and begins to brown on the sides.

Return the beef to the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of alcaparra, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through.

Prepare a 13 by 9-inch baking dish by lightly spraying the bottom.

Layer half of the fried plantains in the baking dish for even coverage.

Beat 2 eggs with a pinch of salt and pour over the plantains, shimmying to distribute evenly.

Spread the beef mixture over the plantains in the baking dish.

Add the remaining plantains on top, pressing down gently.

Top with cheese (amount not specified) before baking.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: