Cassava Casserole (Pastelón de Yuca)
Creamy mashed yuca layered with a savory sofrito-spiced beef picadillo and melted cheese, baked until golden on top. A Puerto Rican home-cooking classic that stands in for lasagna on any family table.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Boil the yuca
Put the chunks in a large pot, cover with the water by about 5 cm, and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until a knife slides in easily.
- 1.5 kg
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the yuca is fork-tender and falling apart at the edges, about 25 minutes
Mash the yuca
Drain the well and, while it is still hot, pull out and discard the thin woody fiber running through the center of each piece. Mash with the butter and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt until smooth, then let it cool for 5 minutes before beating in the eggs so they don't scramble from the heat.
- 1.5 kg (boiled, from step 1)
- 60 g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
✅ Done when: the mash is smooth, holds together, and is no longer piping hot when the eggs go in
Make the picadillo
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Assemble the layers
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Bake
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Rest and serve
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Boil the yuca
Put the chunks in a large pot, cover with the water by about 5 cm, and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until a knife slides in easily.
- 1.5 kg
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the yuca is fork-tender and falling apart at the edges, about 25 minutes
Mash the yuca
Drain the well and, while it is still hot, pull out and discard the thin woody fiber running through the center of each piece. Mash with the butter and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt until smooth, then let it cool for 5 minutes before beating in the eggs so they don't scramble from the heat.
- 1.5 kg (boiled, from step 1)
- 60 g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
✅ Done when: the mash is smooth, holds together, and is no longer piping hot when the eggs go in
Make the picadillo
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Assemble the layers
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Bake
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Rest and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Yuca (cassava) was a staple of the Taíno people long before colonization, and it has remained central to Puerto Rican cooking ever since. Pastelón de yuca grew out of the island's love for layered, savory casseroles, using mashed yuca the way other dishes use mashed potato or lasagna sheets, wrapped around a classic sofrito-based picadillo.
It sits alongside its cousins pastelón de amarillo (sweet plantain) and pastelón de papa as one of the great home casseroles of Puerto Rican tables, each built on the same idea: a starchy mash, a seasoned meat filling, and plenty of melted cheese.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It turns a humble root vegetable into a rich, satisfying main course, with the mild, slightly nutty yuca balancing the bold, briny flavor of the beef picadillo and gooey cheese.
💡 Fun Fact
Yuca must be peeled and boiled carefully to remove its tough central fiber and, in some varieties, bitter compounds, which is one reason experienced cooks always buy it fresh and firm rather than soft or discolored.
Puerto Rico
18.47°N, -66.11°W
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