These steamed savory treats are soft, comforting, and totally delicious. Whether you plan to make and eat your pasteles on the sunny shores of the Caribbean or somewhere a little less toasty, they will go down a treat, that’s for sure.
Pasteles are basically small meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable-stuffed cornmeal pies. The filling is full of chopped herbs and olives, caper berries, and raisins.
The pies are wrapped up and steamed in a banana leaf. The banana leaves are wrapped in parchment paper or aluminum foil before being cooked. Pasteles are traditionally eaten across the Caribbean during the holiday season and bring out the festive feelings.
The meat or veggie filling is cooked up as a stew, and the most common types are a Boston butt and other pork and smoked pork cuts, a caper and olive mixture, chickpeas, pickled pimento, or dried fruit.
Here are some mouth-watering recipes to try. I love that you can accommodate so many different flavors and dietary profiles with these little bundles of joy.