Pastelón de yuca portoricain
Purée de yuca en couches avec un picadillo de bœuf épicé et du fromage fondu, gratiné au four.
Portions
Ingrédients
Nutrition
Par portion
Étapes
Boil the yuca
Put the yuca 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 yuca
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : the yuca is fork-tender and falling apart at the edges, about 25 minutes
Mash the yuca
Drain the yuca 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 yuca (boiled, from step 1)
- 60 g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
✅ C'est prêt quand : the mash is smooth, holds together, and is no longer piping hot when the eggs go in
Make the picadillo
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Assemble the layers
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Rest and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Boil the yuca
Put the yuca 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 yuca
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : the yuca is fork-tender and falling apart at the edges, about 25 minutes
Mash the yuca
Drain the yuca 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 yuca (boiled, from step 1)
- 60 g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
✅ C'est prêt quand : the mash is smooth, holds together, and is no longer piping hot when the eggs go in
Make the picadillo
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Assemble the layers
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Rest and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
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
Recettes similaires
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!