Baked Pastelón with Ground Beef and Tomato Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-11 · Updated 2026-04-11

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A layered Puerto Rican casserole featuring fried plantains, seasoned ground beef, and rich tomato sauce, topped with melted cheese for a satisfying dinner. This Puerto Rican-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs green plantains, vegetable oil, ground beef for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Serves 6 Puerto Rican cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 large, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds green plantains
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium, finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves, minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup, shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup, grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry plantain slices for 5 minutes per side until golden; remove and set aside.
Step 2: In same skillet, cook ground beef until browned. Add onion and garlic, cooking 3 minutes until softened. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3: Spread half the tomato sauce mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer half the fried plantains, then top with remaining sauce. Cover with remaining plantains. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for 22 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Rest 10 minutes before serving.