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    Home » Recipes » Traditional Puerto Rican Classics

    Modified: 14 May, 2025 · Published: 14 Jan, 2025 by Zoe Forestier Villegas · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Lasaña de Berenjena, Puerto Rican Eggplant Lasagna

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Lasaña de Berenjena is a flavorful Puerto Rican dish that layers tender eggplant slices with a savory meat filling, rich tomato sauce, and gooey melted cheese. Often referred to as an "eggplant lasagna," this recipe swaps pasta for eggplant, making it both low-carb and packed with wholesome ingredients. It’s a comforting and versatile dish for family dinners or special occasions.

    A serving of eggplant lasagna on a plate.

    Lasaña de Berenjena is a proud member of Puerto Rican comfort food, standing alongside other layered dishes like Sweet Plantain Lasagna (Pastelón de plátano maduro), A pie where the crust is ripe plantains and it is stuffed with picadillo and cheeses. Another one-pot wonder is Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice), a mixture of rice, chicken, and all the bold flavors of Puerto Rican Garlic Paste and Achiote Oil.

    White Rice can accompany this Eggplant Lasagna; yes, we would serve it with rice on the side in Puerto Rico. If we serve white rice, we might as well add Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans) or Arroz con Gandules. Or serve it as part of a brunch along with Easy Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelette), Roasted Chicken Thighs, and Tropical Carrot Cake with Bananas and Coconut.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Better for you: It’s a healthier alternative to traditional lasagna, with eggplant as a low-carb substitute for pasta.
    • Flavor Powerhouse: Packed with bold Puerto Rican flavors, it’s a comforting dish that feels hearty and light.
    • Customizable: Easy to customize with different fillings and toppings to suit your preferences. Try it with leftover Instant Pot Pernil as a filler.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for Lasaña de Berenjena: eggplant, flour, salt, pepper, picadillo, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, butter, egg, cooking oil, provolone, swiss and ricotta cheese (optional).
    • Eggplant: The star ingredient, providing a tender, slightly smoky base.
    • Picadillo: Traditionally beef or a beef-pork mix, seasoned with Puerto Rican spices and sofrito for a rich, savory filling.
    • Sofrito: A blend of garlic, onions, peppers, and cilantro, giving the dish its signature Puerto Rican flavor.
    • Swiss Cheese: Instead of mozzarella or provolone, Swiss cheese is an unusual alternative with great flavor.

    For a complete list of ingredients, please see the recipe card.

    Variations/Substitutions

    • Vegetarian: Swap the ground meat for a mix of sautéed mushrooms, lentils, or plant-based meat alternatives.
    • Dairy-Free: Use vegan cheese or omit cheese entirely for a lighter version.
    • Eggplant Alternatives: Replace eggplant with thinly sliced zucchini or sweet plantains for a twist.
    • Low-Fat: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef and reduce the cheese, making it a great application for this dish.

    Heartwarming

    This recipe always brings a sense of home to me. Lasagna is already a classic comfort food, but using eggplant instead of pasta adds a unique texture and a hint of floral flavor that feels extra comforting.

    How to make Lasaña de Berenjena

    Steps for eggplant lasagna 1 to 4. Top left: Eggplant on a cookie sheet sprinkled with salt. Top right: picadillo with diced canned tomatoes and tomato sauce in a small pot. Bottom Left: small pot with completed meat sauce. Bottom right: cake pan with flour, salt, and black pepper for dedging the eggplants.
    1. Prep 30 minutes before cooking: Peel the eggplant and cut it into log slices. Place slices on a cooling rack, sprinkle with salt, and let the moisture seep from the eggplant.
    2. Please prepare the picadillo recipe (this step is what distinguishes this recipe as more of a Puerto Rican version than an Italian one); add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce towards the end of preparation to...
    3. . . . create a meat sauce.
    4. Prepare the flour for the eggplant by placing it in a cake pan and seasoning it with salt and pepper.
    Steps for eggplant lasagna 5-8. Top left: dredging eggplant with seasoned flour. Top right: Frying the eggplant. Bottom left: golden brown eggplant in frying pan. Bottom right: A bowl with ricotta cheese, an egg, and shredded parmesan cheese.
    1. Dredge the eggplants in the flour and tap off any excess flour, while heating the frying oil.
    2. Fry the eggplants on one side until golden and crispy.
    3. Flip over to the other side and fry until golden and crispy. At this point, make sure both sides are nice and crispy.
    4. While frying the eggplants, prepare the ricotta mixture, if you opt to use it, by mixing the ricotta, an egg, and approximately a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. (This is my addition to this dish; it traditionally does not have ricotta cheese.
    Layering the lasagna steps 9 to 12: In the top left corner, meat sauce is placed at the bottom of the baking dish—the top right first layer of fried eggplant. On the bottom left, a ricotta mixture and sliced cheeses are layered. Bottom right: The top layer of the casserole is topped with sliced cheese and butter.
    1. Begin to layer the lasaña: In a lasagna pan or baking dish, add homemade meat sauce.
    2. Followed by fried eggplant.
    3. Add the ricotta mixture. Continue layering with meat sauce and more eggplant until you reach the top.
    4. On the last layer of eggplant, top with meat sauce, then slice cheese and dabs of butter. (I admit my pan was too small, but the butter will be placed on top and into any crevices available.)

    Top Tip

    This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. So consider making it ahead of time and reheating before service. Just remember to bring it up to 165℉ before serving.

    Two plates of eggplant lasagna were served on a table with the casserole near the plates.

    Expert Tips

    • Salting the Eggplant: This step reduces bitterness and prevents sogginess in the final dish.
    • Make Ahead: Assemble the pastelón a day in advance and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
    • Custom Seasoning: Adjust the spices in the meat filling to suit your taste, adding more garlic or a pinch of cayenne for heat.
    • Storing Leftovers: Allow the pastelón to cool completely before storing. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through (165℉) or microwave individual portions when temped with an instant-read thermometer.
    • Freezing Instructions:
      • Before Cooking: Assemble the pastelón in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, cook directly from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for about 45-50 minutes or up to 165℉.
      • After Cooking: Let the cooked pastelón cool completely. Wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or store them in airtight containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated to 165℉.
    • Keeping the oven clean: Consider using a baking sheet under the pan holding the casserole. This is a cleaning tip more so than a cooking tip. If the dish becomes greasy or watery and overflows, it will spill onto the baking dish, not the oven floor.

    Recipes FAQ's

    Can I freeze pastelón de berenjena?

    Yes! Assemble the dish, cover tightly, and freeze before baking. When ready to eat, bake straight from the freezer at 375℉ for about 45 minutes.

    What side dishes pair well with pastelón de berenjena?

    Serve it with a simple green salad, arroz con gandules, or tostones for a complete Puerto Rican meal.

    Can I make this pastelón vegan?

    Absolutely! Use plant-based meat, chop some mushrooms, Zucchini, and squash, and vegan cheese to make a delicious vegan version of pastelón de berenjenas.

    More Traditional Puerto Rican Classics

    • A hand holding a smashed plantain. The rest of the plantains are in a towel-lined bowl sits behind it.
      Tostones de Plátano (Puerto Rican Smashed Fried Plantains)
    • Guineitos en escabeche served in a bowl with onions and green olives, a traditional Puerto Rican green banana salad
      Guineitos en Escabeche, Puerto Rican Pickled Green Bananas
    • Bananas in a bunch are still hanging off the plant.
      Guineos, Platanos, and Banana Leaves: Puerto Rican Staples
    • Completed Sofrito sitting on a table with other ingredients to make sofrito.
      Puerto Rican Homemade Sofrito
    See more Traditional Puerto Rican Classics →

    📖 Recipe

    A serving of eggplant lasagna on a plate.

    Lasaña de Berenjena, Puerto Rican Eggplant Lasagna

    Zoé Forestier
    Lasaña de Berenjena is a flavorful Puerto Rican dish that layers tender eggplant slices with a savory meat filling, rich tomato sauce, and gooey melted cheese. Often referred to as an "eggplant lasagna," this recipe swaps pasta for eggplant, making it both low-carb and packed with wholesome ingredients. It’s a comforting and versatile dish for family dinners or special occasions.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Rest time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins
    Course Entree, Main Course, Main Dish, Puerto Rican Inspirations
    Cuisine Puerto Rican
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 728 kcal

    Equipment

    • lasagna pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 small eggplants or one large one
    • 1 cup flour
    • salt to taste
    • black pepper to taste
    • ½ lb picadillo
    • 4 oz tomato sauce
    • 1 can diced tomatoes
    • cooking oil for frying
    • 1 lb sliced cheese your choice
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 4 oz ricotta drained
    • 4 oz parmesan cheese grated
    • 1 egg
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Prep 30 minutes before cooking: Peel the eggplant and cut it into log slices. Place slices on a cooling rack, sprinkle with salt, and let the moisture seep from the eggplant.
    • Prepare the picadillo recipe (this step is what pushes this recipe to a more Puerto Rican version than Italian); add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce towards the end of preparation to . . .
    • . . . create the meat sauce.
    • Prepare flour for eggplant by placing flour in a cake pan and seasoning it with salt and pepper.
    • Dredge the eggplants in the flour and tap off any excess flour while heating the frying oil.
    • Fry the eggplants on one side until golden and crispy.
    • Flip on to the other side and fry until golden and crispy. At this point, make sure both sides are nice and crispy.
    • While frying the eggplants, make the ricotta mixture, if you opt to use it, by mixing the ricotta, an egg, and about a cup of shredded parmesan cheese. (This is my addition to this dish; it traditionally does not have a ricotta mixture).
    • Begin to layer the lasaña: In a lasagna pan or baking dish, add homemade meat sauce.
    • Followed by fried eggplant.
    • Add the ricotta, meat sauce, and more eggplant until you reach the top layer.
    • On the last layer of eggplant, top with meat sauce, then slice cheese and dabs of butter. (I admit my pan was too small, but the butter will be placed on top and in any crevices available.)
    QR Code

    Notes

    Top Tip

    This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. So consider making it ahead of time and reheating before service. Just remember to bring it up to 165℉ before serving.
      • Salting the Eggplant: This step reduces bitterness and prevents sogginess in the final dish.
      • Make Ahead: Assemble the pastelón a day in advance and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
      • Custom Seasoning: Adjust the spices in the meat filling to suit your taste, adding more garlic or a pinch of cayenne for heat.
      • Storing Leftovers: Allow the pastelón to cool completely before storing. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through (165℉) or microwave individual portions when temped with an instant-read thermometer.
    • Freezing Instructions:
        • Before Cooking: Assemble the pastelón in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, cook directly from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for about 45-50 minutes or up to 165℉.
      • After Cooking: Let the cooked pastelón cool completely. Wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or store them in airtight containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated to 165℉
    • Keeping the oven clean: Consider using a baking sheet under the pan holding the casserole. This is a cleaning tip more so than a cooking tip. If the dish becomes greasy or watery and overflows, it will spill onto the baking dish, not the oven floor.
    •  

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4OzCalories: 728kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 41gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 595mgPotassium: 762mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1329IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 990mgIron: 3mg
    Did you try this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review, and if you loved it, give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating too! It helps others find the recipe and tells Google it's worth a try. 😊
    « Carne Guisada, Puerto Rican Beef Stew
    Chicken and Chorizo Stew »

    Comments

    1. Zoe Forestier Villegas says

      January 09, 2025 at 7:49 am

      5 stars
      This recipe gets better every time I make it!

    5 from 1 vote
    Zoe standin in the kitchen smiling

    Hola! I'm Zoe. I love all things food and enjoy cooking. I created this site to reconnect with my Puerto Rican heritage while living in the United States. This is a great place to reconnect if you are floating in the diaspora. I would love to hear from you!

    About Zoe →

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