Yautía Pastelón with Sofrito Braised Shredded Beef and Queso del País

Name: Yautía Pastelón with Sofrito Braised Shredded Beef and Queso del País
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb beef flank or skirt steak for shredding; 2 lb white yautía; 1/2 cup Puerto Rican sofrito; 1 cup yellow onion; 1 cup cubanelle pepper; 1/2 cup sweet ají peppers; 1 tbsp garlic; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 1/2 cups beef broth; 1/4 cup green olives; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 leaf bay leaf; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp butter; 7 oz queso del país or Puerto Rican semi-firm cheese; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tbsp culantro leaves

An original Puerto Rican pastelón where tender yautía slices replace pasta and cradle sofrito-braised shredded beef with sweet peppers, olives, and a touch of tomato sauce, finished with golden baked queso del país.

35 minPrep

70 minCook

105 minTotal

6Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g beef flank or skirt steak for shredding (cut en 2 or 3 trozos large)
900 g white yautía (1/4 in)
120 ml Puerto Rican sofrito
150 g yellow onion (chopped en cubitos)
120 g cubanelle pepper (chopped in strips finas)
60 g sweet ají peppers (without semillas and chopped)
15 g garlic (chopped)
240 ml tomato sauce
360 ml beef broth
45 g green olives (slices)
2 g dried oregano
1 g ground cumin
1 unit bay leaf
45 ml olive oil (divided)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (or to taste, divided)
15 g butter (for engrasar the molde)
200 g queso del país or Puerto Rican semi-firm cheese (grated)
2 units eggs (batidos)
120 ml milk
10 g culantro leaves (chopped for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

498 kcal

Calories

34 g

Protein

24 g

Carbs

29 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

20 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 190°C / 375°F. Grease a roughly 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 in baking dish with the butter.
2
Season the flank steak with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
3
Add the onion, cubanelle pepper, sweet ají peppers, and garlic around the beef. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the sofrito, oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4
Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, and green olives. Once it reaches a gentle boil, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 45 to 55 minutes, until the meat is very tender.
5
Remove the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks. Return it to the sauce and simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes so the mixture thickens slightly. Taste and adjust with the remaining salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
6
While the beef cooks, place the yautía in a pot with enough water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, just until barely tender but not falling apart. Drain carefully.
7
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and set aside. This mixture helps bind the layers of the pastelón.
8
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, or brush the yautía slices directly with the oil. Lightly brown the yautía slices in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side to build flavor. Set aside.
9
Assemble the pastelón: place a layer of yautía on the bottom of the baking dish, cover with half of the saucy shredded beef, add one-third of the queso del país, and drizzle with some of the egg-and-milk mixture. Repeat with another layer of yautía, the rest of the beef, another third of the cheese, and more egg mixture.
10
Finish with a final layer of yautía, pour the remaining egg-and-milk mixture over the top, and cover with the remaining queso del país.
11
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 190°C / 375°F, until the cheese is golden and the pastelón is bubbling at the edges. For extra color, broil for 1 to 2 additional minutes, watching closely.
12
Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Finish with the chopped culantro and serve hot.

Chef tips

For cleaner slices, let the pastelón rest for the full 10 minutes. If the beef sauce seems too loose, cook it a few more minutes before assembling so the casserole holds together better.

Substitutions

You can substitute the flank with brisket or chuck suitable for shredding. If queso del país is unavailable, use low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack. White yautía can be replaced with malanga, though the flavor will be slightly earthier.

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
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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Illustrative image
T-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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