Puerto Rican Inspired Pastelon
Pastelon is nothing short of magical - crispy fried plantains layered between a rich and sort of “meaty” tomato sauce, bechamel and lots of vegan mozzarella cheese. For this I like to use a vegetable protein called, TVP to replace the traditional ground beef.
Growing up this one of the dishes that we would enjoy at family gatherings and I always lived for the arroz con grandules and the famous pastelon. Every holiday season someone would make and bring pastelon to a family gathering and no matter who made it by the end of the night, the dish was practically wiped clean !
Since going vegan, I naturally had to find replicate this holiday classic as just because we don’t eat meat anymore doesn’t mean we are skimping out on the holidays !
For convince I have sectioned out the recipe in 3 parts to make it more approachable as there are some steps involved. First is creating the red sauce with TVP, the bechamel and then frying the plantains before the final part where we put it all together !
What is TVP ?
Textured vegetable protein or TVP is a plant-based meat substitute. Just like tofu, it can be marinated or seasoned to your preferences. I also love that it is shelf stable as it goes in the pantry and can be used in so many recipes. TVP is made in the process of extracting and making soy bean oil, leaving the high protein remains behind creating TVP that can be made into different shapes for different recipes like nuggets or strips.
You can find TVP at most food stores, I have always used and like to reccomend Bobs Red Mill for multiple reasons but I also love that they are an employee owned company that gives back :)
* I am not an affiliate but that would be pretty cool - fingers crossed *Bechamel
Ingredients
* Oil for cooking *
1/4 - cup vegan butter
1/4 cup - minced shallot
3 tbsp - minced garlic
1/4 cup - all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups - warm vegetable stock
3 cups - full fat coconut milk
1 cup - white wine
1/4 cup - lemon juice
1 tsp - sea salt
1/2 tsp - white pepper
2 tbsp - nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp - nutmeg
1 tbsp - tapioca starch + ¼ cup cold water ( slurry )
2 - bay leaf
*Feel free to omit the white wine and just do extra vegetable stock*What you will need
A Cutting Board
A Chef Knife
A Spice Grinder
A Vessel for Deep Frying
Measuring Cups
Whisk
Metal Tongs
Spoon / Spatula for stirring
7 1/2 x 10 Baking Dish
Your favorite vegan shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions - Bechamel
Step 1 - Gather all ingredients and start the bechamel
There is nothing worse than going to make something and realizing you don’t have the stuff !
Sautee on medium heat, the shallot and garlic in the butter until it has reached a golden color before adding in the all purpose flour. Stir the roux to allow the flour to cook a bit before slowly whisking in the vegetable stock. I like to pour in 1 cup first, whisk till dissolved and then go back in with the remaining half cup.
Step 2 - Season & taste
Now that the roux is established, slowly pour while whisking in the coconut milk followed by pouring in some white wine that has been reduced. Let all this mingle for a minute or two before adding in the lemon juice, tapioca starch slurry, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, bay leaves and nutritional yeast. Whisk this all in very well and bring the heat down to a low heat to allow this sauce to simmer and thicken.
Once the sauce looks like it has started to thicken from the tapioca starch, move the sauce off the heat and let it carry over cook in the pan or pot. Just leave this to the side until its time to build the pastelon.
Red sauce with TVP
Ingredients
* oil for cooking *
1 cup - white onion diced
3 tbsp - minced garlic
1 1/2 cup - red wine
2 cups - warm vegetable stock
1 1/2 cup - textured vegetable protein
4 cups - chopped tomatoes ( canned works too )
1/4 cup - sofrito base
1/4 cup - chopped green olives
1/4 cup - chopped cilantro
1/2 tbsp - adobo seasoning
1/2 tbsp - sazon seasoning
1 tsp - garlic powder
1 tsp - oregano
1/4 tsp - black pepper
Instructions - Red Sauce
Step 1 - Gather all ingredients and make the “meat” sauce
There is nothing worse than going to make something and realizing you don’t have the stuff !
In a large saute pan, in a bit of some oil saute the onion and minced garlic till golden before pouring in the red wine and allowing this to reduce. Add in the TVP and giving this a good toss allowing it to soak up the lil sauce that was created with the wine. Pour over the vegetable stock and tomatoes followed by adding in some sofrito base. Allow this to come to a low simmer and add in the chopped cilantro, green olives, adobo, sazon, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper. Cover with a lid and let this cook on low heat for 35 minutes or so stirring as needed. When the sauce has come together and looks nice and hearty. Pull it off the heat and let it carry over cook and cool down in the pan. Just set it to the side until its time to build.
Building the Pastelon
* Serves 8 - 12 servings depending on portion size *4 -5 plantains - peeled and sliced long ways
Instructions
Step 1 - Plantain prep
Slice and fry your plantains and set aside for assembly towards the end. To slice the plantains, I recommend using a mandolin to get even slices. After slicing, add to a bowl or container of water to soak a bit. Once you have finished slicing all the plantains, pat them dry with some paper towel and set to the side.
Step 2 - Build the pastelon
Grab your trusty casserole dish, the one I used was 7 1/2 x 10. This process is practically the same as building a lasagna. Begin by layering some red sauce on the bottom of the dish followed by a even layer of the sliced plantains. Spoon over more of the meaty red sauce covering the plantains and then for the bechamel I find it easy to pour it over using a measuring pitcher and then spread the sauce around with a large spoon. Then go over everything with a generous amount of vegan mozzarella cheese. Then follow this process again until you have a total of 3 layers of red of tostones, red sauce, bechamel and cheese.
Step 3 - Bake
Pop this baby in the oven and let it bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit till its bubbling and looks golden and caramelized on top. This typically takes 30 - 40 minutes. Once its done, let it set and firm up a bit before cutting in to. Pastelon is commonly served with rice con grandules, or on its own with maybe some sprinkled cilantro over top.
Enjoy and save the left over for about 5 days in an air tight food safe container !
