Previously I have written about my vegan food adventures in Puerto Rico. In an effort to continue exploring vegan Puerto Rican food I took a chance at veganizing my favorite Puerto Rican dish, pastelón (a sweet plantain lasagna). It’s perfect for a party or feeding a large group and so incredibly versatile.
This past Christmas I visited Puerto Rico and ate at a vegan Puerto Rican restaurant in the Ocean Park part of San Juan called Berlingeri Cocina Artesanal. There I had the most delicious vegan pastelón and in honor of that dish, I am sharing with you my own vegan pastelón recipe!
Enjoy!
Vegan Pastelón
Ingredients
- 2 yellow plantains (or one package of frozen maduros/amarillos)
- Black beans (you can also use lentils or any other type of beans you like)
- Coconut oil
- 1-2 yucas for the mashed yuca (you can also use mashed potatoes or another mashed root vegetable)
- Salt + pepper
- Garlic (optional)
- Vegan cheese (optional)
- Nutritional yeast (optional)
- Any other spices you would like to add to the dish!
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and cut the yellow plantains (if using fresh plantains).
- Peel and cut the yellow plantains (if using fresh plantains).
- Put pan in oven for 20 minutes, until the plantains are starting to brown.
- Prepare the pastelón filling. You can use any recipe you prefer for cooking black beans. I will link the recipe I love below. (Filling can be prepared in advance of putting the pastelón together.)
- Prepare mashed yuca. Link to preparing mashed yuca below. (Mashed yuca can be prepared in advance of putting the pastelón together.)
- Remove yellow plantains from the oven. Layer beans on top of plantains, spreading them out evenly, about an inch thick. On top of the beans, scoop the mashed yuca, spreading it on like you would for a shepherd's pie.
- On top of the mashed yuca you can sprinkle vegan cheese and/or add nutritional yeast.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes, uncover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the top is brown.
- Take out of the oven, let it sit for 10 or so minutes and serve hot with your favorite side dish!
For the filling of the pastelón you can really use anything you would like.
Alternative pastelón fillers include:
- Roasted vegetables
- Rice
- Scrambled tofu or eggs
As I said, I love pastelón because it is so versatile. Also, this is a great meal prep option since it can be assembled ahead of time and kept in the freezer for nights when you just don’t have time to cook. Try out the different types of fillings and toppings to see what flavor combinations you like the best!
