Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican Sweet Plantain Lasagna with Criollo Beef and Roasted Garlic Bechamel
An original recipe inspired by Puerto Rican flavors: layers of sweet ripe plantain, ground beef simmered with sofrito, olives, and spices, a touch of tender beans, and a creamy roasted garlic béchamel, all baked until golden and luscious.
Ingredients
- 4 approx. 900 g large ripe sweet plantains (pelados and cut a lo largo thinly sliced of 5 mm)
- 45 ml vegetable oil (divided, for frying and cocinar)
- 500 g ground beef (preferiblemente 85-90% magra)
- 120 ml Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
- 120 g yellow onion (chopped small)
- 1 cabeza garlic (for roasting and hacer the bechamel)
- 100 g red bell pepper (en cubitos small)
- 240 ml tomato sauce (without sugar added si prefieres)
- 40 g green olives stuffed with pimento (slices)
- 100 g cooked green beans (chopped en trozos small)
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 2 g sweet paprika
- 8 g salt (divided, or to taste)
- 2 g black pepper (or to taste)
- 45 g butter (for the bechamel)
- 32 g all-purpose flour (for the bechamel)
- 480 ml whole milk (tibia)
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 170 g shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 40 g grated Parmesan cheese (for cubrir)
- 15 g fresh cilantro (chopped, for terminar)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 200 °C. Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, place it on a piece of foil, rub it with 5 ml (1 tsp) of the vegetable oil and a pinch of salt, wrap it, and roast for 25 minutes until soft. Set aside. Then lower the oven temperature to 375 °F / 190 °C for baking the lasagna.
- 2
While the garlic roasts, heat a large skillet with 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the sweet plantain slices in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until softened and lightly golden. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- 3
In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up well.
- 4
Stir in the Puerto Rican sofrito, tomato sauce, green olives, cooked green beans, dried oregano, ground cumin, sweet paprika, 5 g (3/4 tsp) salt, and black pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat until the filling is juicy but thick. Adjust salt if needed and set aside.
- 5
For the béchamel, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the warm whole milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Add the roasted garlic, nutmeg, and 3 g (1/2 tsp) salt. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes until creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in 100 g (about 3 1/2 oz) of the mozzarella until melted.
- 6
Lightly grease a baking dish about 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in). Arrange a layer of sweet plantains, then a layer of the criollo beef mixture, then some béchamel, and repeat until finished with a top layer of plantains and béchamel.
- 7
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and all the Parmesan over the top. Bake at 375 °F / 190 °C for 20 minutes. Then raise the temperature to 425 °F / 220 °C and bake 5 more minutes to brown the top.
- 8
Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Finish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
Chef tips
If the plantains are very ripe, fry them briefly so they do not fall apart during assembly. You can also prepare the beef filling a day ahead to deepen the flavor.
Substitutions
You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey. The green beans can be replaced with a small amount of cooked pigeon peas for a more classic profile. Mozzarella can be swapped for Monterey Jack cheese.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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