Low Carb Pastelón (Puerto Rican Plantain "Lasagna")
Equipment
- 9x9" Baking Dish
Ingredients
Pastelón
- 1 Lb Regular Ground Beef
- 2 Ripe Plantains Approx. 300 grams.
- 1-2 Zucchini Approx. 400 grams.
- 2 Large Eggs Whisked.
- 250 Grams Grated Cheese Mozzarella, Cheddar or Monterey Jack,
- 1 Cup Diced Tomatoes Or low carb tomato sauce.
- 2-4 Tbsp Sofrito To Taste.
- 1-2 Tbsp Tomato Paste Optional, but recommended if using fresh diced tomatoes.
- 1/2 Beef Bouillon I use 1 tsp Better than Bouillon. Dissolve bouillon in a bit of hot water.
- 1/3 Cup Canola Oil For frying the plantains.
- 3 Tbsp Canola Oil Divided.
- 1-2 Tsp Adobo Seasoning
- Salt To Taste.
- Pepper To Taste.
Sofrito
- 1 Handful of Cilantro Approx. 25 grams.
- 1 Handful of Culantro Approx. 25 grams. Note: If you cannot find this, I've substituted this with fresh flat leaf parsley. Different flavor, but it works!
- 1/2 Red Onion Approx. 50 grams.
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Red Pepper
- 1 Green Pepper
- 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F; then reduce to 350°F (after zucchini is cooked).
- Prepare the sofrito by combining all ingredients (roughly chopped) into a food processor. Pulse until combined. Set aside.
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise so that they are 1/2" thick.
- Place the sliced zucchini on a lined baking sheet, brush with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the sliced zucchini in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Once the zucchini is done cooking, transfer to a paper towel to remove the excess moisture. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- Heat 2 tbsp of canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 2-4 tablespoons of the sofrito (to taste) and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned. Add adobo seasoning and continue to cook until fully browned.
- Add dissolved bouillon cube to the beef and combine.
- Stir in diced tomatoes (or low carb tomato sauce).
- Add tomato paste (optional, but recommended if uses fresh diced tomatoes).
- Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for approx. 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is reduced.
- Meanwhile, prepare the plantains.
- Heat 1/3 cup of canola oil in pan over medium-high heat.
- Peel the plantains and slice lengthwise. You should get about 3-4 slices per plantain.
- Once the oil is hot, fry the plantains in batches until both sides are golden brown.
- Transfer to a paper towel.
- Assemble the Pastelón
- Layer the cooked zucchini on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with half of the meat mixture and then half of the whisked egg mixture.
- Add half of the grated cheese.
- Assemble the fried plantains on top of the mixture.
- Finish off the Pastelón with the remaining ground beef mixture and whisked egg (final layer of mozzarella will be added later).
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and add the final layer of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Optional, broil at the last few minutes to brown the cheese.
- Once the Pastelón is done cooking, remove from oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information (6 Servings):
- 432 Calories
- 21.4g Carbohydrates
- 2.4g Fiber
- 27.3g Fat
- 26.4g Protein