Pastelón with Ground Beef and Mozzarella

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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 comfort food featuring fried plantains, savory beef filling, and melted mozzarella cheese. This Mexican recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 65 minutes, pairs Plantains, Ground beef, Onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 500 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: 25 min Cook: 40 min Serves 6 Puerto Rican cuisine 500 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Peel 3 large plantains (about 2 lbs) and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add plantain slices and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and tender. Remove and set aside.
  2. Step 2: Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Step 3: Add 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Cook until beef is browned and no longer pink, breaking into small pieces with a spoon.
  4. Step 4: Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes while stirring.
  5. Step 5: In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer half of the fried plantains, then half of the beef mixture, then 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Repeat layers.
  6. Step 6: Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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