Pastelón

Pastelón is a cherished Puerto Rican casserole often likened to Italian lasagna but with a tropical twist. Instead of pasta, this dish features sweet plantains. Typically, it’s filled with seasoned ground meat and vegetables, and bound together with beaten eggs. Contrary to some misconceptions, authentic Puerto Rican pastelón doesn't include cheese or tomato-based sauces.

In the Dominican Republic, a similar dish is prepared where sweet plantains are boiled and mashed, then layered with ground meat, beaten eggs, and occasionally cheddar cheese before baking.

In Puerto Rico, pastelón is sometimes referred to as Puerto Rican lasagna. To prepare it, sweet plantains are boiled and mashed with milk, eggs, and either olive oil or butter. This plantain mash is layered with a savory ground meat mixture that includes bell peppers, onions, basil, raisins, olives, capers, tomatoes, and garlic. Additional layers of vegetables such as mushrooms, eggplant, green beans, or spinach can also be added. Some versions even incorporate cheese and béchamel sauce, enhancing the lasagna-like quality. The entire dish is baked for about 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld beautifully.