Puerto Rican Pastelón with Ground Beef and Sweet Plantains

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 casserole featuring savory ground beef spiced with sofrito, layered between sweet ripe plantain slices and topped with melted cheese. This Puerto Rican-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs ground beef, sofrito, tomato sauce 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: 25 min Cook: 35 min Serves 6 Puerto Rican cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry 4 medium ripe plantains sliced lengthwise for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and soft. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
  2. Step 2: In the same skillet, cook 1 lb ground beef over medium-high heat until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
  3. Step 3: Add 1/2 cup sofrito, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup sliced green olives, 2 tbsp raisins, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the beef. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
  4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a greased 9x9-inch baking dish, layer half of the fried plantain slices to cover the bottom.
  5. Step 5: Spread all the beef mixture evenly over the plantain layer.
  6. Step 6: Top with the remaining plantain slices, then sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
  7. Step 7: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

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