Traditional Dominican Beef Pasteles en Hoja
Today I’m sharing how to make authentic Dominican Pasteles en Hoja. These savory plantain masa pockets are filled with seasoned beef, rich in flavor, and perfect for making ahead and freezing.
What Are Pasteles En Hoja?
Pasteles en Hoja are Dominican and Puerto Rican holiday favorites similar to Mexican tamales but boiled instead of steamed, made with plantain masa, savory beef, and plantain leaves.
Ingredients for Dominican Pasteles en Hoja
Masa: Green plantains, white cocoyam, pumpkin, annatto oil, garlic, and salt form a smooth, savory masa with a hint of sweetness.
Beef Filling (Picadillo): Ground beef is cooked with red onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, sazón, and salt until flavorful.
Wrapping & Cooking: Banana leaves or parchment paper and kitchen string are used to wrap and secure the pasteles before boiling.
How to make Pasteles En Hoja
1. Pasteles en Hoja take a bit of time, but the process is simple. Wrapping the masa in plantain leaves is the trickiest part, and it gets easier with practice.
2. Start by making the beef picadillo so it has time to cool. Sauté onion in olive oil, add the ground beef and seasonings, and cook until browned. Drain and set aside to cool completely.
3. While the filling cools, prepare the masa by peeling and grating the plantains and cocoyam. Mix with squash, onion, garlic, cilantro, and seasonings until well combined.
4. Once the masa is ready, it’s time to assemble. Prep the plantain leaves and beef filling, remove the leaf stem, and spread a scoop of masa into a rectangle. Add a spoonful of filling.
5. Fold the bottom, bring in the sides, and tie securely. Repeat until all the masa is used, then boil the pasteles for 30–40 minutes, until fully cooked.
About The Ingredients And Substitutes You Can Use
Some ingredients may be hard to find. Adobo can be replaced with common spice blends (see list of substitutes), and sazón culantro is often available online or at stores like Walmart.
If cocoyam isn’t available, cassava or sweet potato work well. Choose a root vegetable that’s not too watery. Kabocha squash is ideal, but any pumpkin works.
Keesha’s Tips & Tricks
- Grate It Fine or Use a Processor: For the smoothest masa, grate on the fine side or use a food processor for larger batches. It takes a little extra effort, but the silky texture is worth it and makes assembly much easier.
- Soften the Leaves First: Quickly warm plantain leaves over a flame or steam so they fold easily without cracking.
- Cool the Filling: Let the beef cool before stuffing to keep the masa firm and easy to wrap. You can also use this same method with my Dominican chicken Pasteles recipe.
How to Store Pasteles en Hoja
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat by steaming or boiling until heated through.
FAQs about Pasteles En Hoja
More Dominican Recipes
For a full traditional spread, try serving them alongside creamy Mangú, Ensalada rusa, Dominican Pollo Guisado, Dominican Kipes, or a warm, comforting bowl of Asopao de camarones.
Pasteles En Hoja (Dominican Plantain And Beef Pockets)
Ingredients
For the beef picadillo filling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tsp adobo
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pack sazon culantro
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable or beef stock
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Pasteles en Hoja
- 2 large green plantains, peeled, finely grated
- 1 pound white cocoyam (malanga or yautia root), peeled, finely grated
- 1 pound pumpkin (preferably kabocha squash), peeled, finely grated
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- 2 tbsp sofrito mix
- 1 tbsp annatto/achiote powder
- Plantain or banana leaves
Instructions
Make the beef picadillo filling
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leave it to sweat for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the bell pepper and allow it to cook for a minute or two.
- Finally, add the minced garlic and fry it for a minute.
- Once the garlic has been fried, break up the beef mince and add it to the pan. Allow it to become brown for a couple of minutes.
- Add the adobo, black pepper, pregano, and sazon. Mix the ingredients well so that the flavors are distributed well. Allow the flavors to cook for a minute or two.
- Next, add the tomato sauce and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes. Most of the liquid should evaporate.
- Once your beef picadillo is ready, stir in lime juice and the freshly chopped cilantro.
- Allow the beef filling to cool completely before using it in your Pasteles en Hoja recipe.
Prepare the plantain leaves
- Cut parchment paper into 10-inch squares. Set them aside.
- Wash your plantain leaves well and rinse off any debris.
- Then, blanch them in boiling water for about 30-60 seconds. This will help make them more pliable and easier to work with.
- Once they have softened, plunge them into ice-filled water to stop the cooking. Allow them to cool completely.
- Then, cut the plantain leaves into 6-inch squares. Set them aside.
Make the Pasteles en Hoja
- Combine the finely grated vegetables (plantains, cocoyam, and pumpkin) in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the adobo, sofrito, and annato powder. Mix these ingredients together well. Set them aside.
- Move to a big workspace. Stack the plantain squares on top of the parchment paper squares.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture (grated seasoned vegetables) into the center of the plantain leaf square. Spread it into a square, leaving a 1/2-1 inch border.
- Then add about 2 tablespoons of your cooled beef picadillo filling.
- Cover the beef with 2 more tablespoons of the vegetable filling.
- Fold the leaf over to make an enclosed envelope. Then, wrap the parchment paper around it and secure it with some twine.
Cook the Pasteles en Hoja
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, leave the pockets to cook for about 30-40 minutes.
- For frozen pockets, you should boil them for at least an extra 15-20 minutes.
- Once cooked, unwrap them and serve them with your favorite sauce or accompaniment.
