Puerto Rican Yuca and Eggplant Pastelón with Sofrito Turkey and Queso del País

Name: Puerto Rican Yuca and Eggplant Pastelón with Sofrito Turkey and Queso del País
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 2 lb peeled yuca, cut into chunks; 14 oz medium eggplant; 1.1 lb ground turkey; 1/2 cup Puerto Rican sofrito; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 cup chopped yellow onion; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1/3 cup sliced green stuffed olives; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 cup chicken broth or water; 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup milk; 6 oz grated queso del país; 1 large beaten egg; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

An original Puerto Rican-inspired pastelón made with layers of mashed yuca and roasted eggplant, filled with sofrito-braised turkey, olives, and tomato, then topped with golden queso del país. It brings together classic island flavors in a comforting and distinctive bake.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

6Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g peeled yuca, cut into chunks (for hervir and majar)
400 g medium eggplant (1/2 in)
500 g ground turkey (preferiblemente muslo or mezcla jugosa)
120 ml Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
240 ml tomato sauce (without sugar added if preferred)
120 g chopped yellow onion (divided)
12 g minced garlic
45 g sliced green stuffed olives
2 g dried oregano
1 g ground cumin
2 g sweet paprika
120 ml chicken broth or water (for the relleno)
30 g butter (for the yuca)
120 ml milk (tibia)
180 g grated queso del país (divided)
50 g beaten egg (for ligar the capa of yuca)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
15 g chopped fresh cilantro (for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

454 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

28 g

Carbs

23 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

24 g

Net carbs

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

DairyEggs

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Lightly grease a baking dish about 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 in with a little of the olive oil.
2
Place the eggplant on a sheet pan, brush it with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and roast for 18 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, flipping halfway through. Set aside.
3
Meanwhile, boil the yuca in a pot with enough water and 1 teaspoon salt for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain well and remove any tough inner fibers.
4
Mash the hot yuca with the butter, milk, and beaten egg until thick but spreadable. Stir in 60 g / 2 oz of the queso del país, mix well, and set aside.
5
In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté half of the onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
6
Add the ground turkey and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink. Stir in the sofrito, tomato sauce, olives, oregano, cumin, sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
7
Pour in the chicken broth or water and add the remaining onion. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the filling is juicy but thick. Remove from the heat.
8
To assemble, spread half of the yuca mixture in the baking dish. Arrange an even layer of roasted eggplant on top. Spread all of the turkey filling, then cover with another layer of eggplant.
9
Finish with the remaining yuca, smoothing the surface with a spoon or spatula. Top with the remaining grated queso del país.
10
Bake the pastelón at 190 °C / 375 °F for 25 minutes, until thoroughly hot. Then broil for 2 to 4 minutes more at 230 °C / 450 °F, watching closely, until the cheese is golden.
11
Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle the fresh cilantro on top and serve hot.

Chef tips

For a firmer texture, let the yuca drain for a few minutes before mashing. If the eggplant releases a lot of moisture, lightly pat it dry with paper towels after roasting.

Substitutions

You can substitute the turkey with ground chicken. Queso del país can be replaced with low-moisture mozzarella or a mild semi-firm cheese. If you do not have sofrito, use a finely chopped mix of onion, sweet pepper, cilantro, and garlic.

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 image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori 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
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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