This Cuban Lasagna is the perfect answer to your leftover problem. The recipe will explain what exactly a Cuban Lasagna is, and guide you and show you just how delicious your leftovers can be.
What is Cuban Lasagna
This recipe is the flavor power combo we didn’t know we were missing in our lives. In this recipe we are taking traditional Cuban flavors and layering it in the traditional Italian way. It is kind of genius (not to toot our own horn). Yet another example of food bridging the gap between cultures.
If you really think about it, it makes perfect sense. After all, lasagna, at its core, is just layers of ground beef with pasta sauce and cheese. There is no hard rule that says this can’t be mixed up a little. What if the ground beef was actually Picadillo? What if we put a little Cuban into this?! The birth of the Cuban Lasagna.
This Cuban Lasagna takes all the traditional flavors of the Cuban table and marries them, delicately. It is layers of picadillo, sweet plantains and cheese baked to perfection.
In Puerto Rico they make a similar dish called Pastelon, but it’s usually bonded together by eggs to get a more dense texture. Here we are keeping it lighter. There are no eggs required. You just layer and bake.
Some Tips for Making Your Cuban Lasagna
This recipe is built on the back of leftovers. In this recipe we call for Picadillo leftovers. The ideas is to make Picadillo one night, and intentionally make extra to have this later in the week. You can also make Picadillo especially to make it. No right or wrong!
Cuban Lasagna isn’t traditional, you may as well make it your own! If you don’t want to use Picadillo, try this with Ropa Vieja or Chicken Fricasee or Congri instead of the Picadillo.
Try Our Picadillo, Ropa Vieja and Fricase de Pollo Recipes
You can use store bought or frozen Plantains. You do not have to make them from scratch. We do have a delicious Platano recipe if you’re in the mood to try.
Our recommendation is to use a baking dish at least 8″ x 11″.
After you set down the first layer, try to press it down a little to make it more compact. This will help keep it together and make room for the additional layers.
It is a great thing to do with leftover, or to prepare for a friend had a baby, has been sick, or who just needs a pick me up. This Cuban Lasagna makes the ultimate comfort dish.
Happy Cooking!
Try Some of Our Other Leftover Ideas
Cuban Lasagna
Course: EntreeCuisine: CubanDifficulty: Easy8
servings9
minutes40
minutesIngredients
7 -8 cups of Abuela’s Picadillo, previously prepared and cooled
40 pieces of previously fried or baked sweet plantains (you can use frozen ones if that’s what you have)
2 1/2 cups of mozzarella, shredded
1 1/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano, shredded
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice each sweet plantain vertically in half to make them as thin as possible. Or if they are freshly baked, squish them down as much as possible but try not to break them apart. Set them aside
- Lightly grease a baking dish* (see above) First line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the plantains. It doesn’t have to be perfect or precise. Then top with half of the picadillo.
Follow with a layer of mozzarella and parmigiano and gently press down so it is more compact. - Continue to layer again. Another layer of sweet plantains, the remaining picadillo and finally the cheese.
- Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes. Until the top is golden brown and the center is completely warmed through.
- Let the lasagna sit and rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Then serve. We like to serve it with fresh salad or rice and beans for a complete Cuban plate.
