Pastelón de Arroz [Video+Recipe] Cheesy Beef and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil ([20 g])
• 1 medium red onion (chopped [65 g])
• 3 cloves garlic ([20 g])
• 1 pound ground beef ([454 g])
• 1 cup tomato sauce ([115 g])
• 1 bell pepper (diced [76 g])
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
• 1 sprig cilantro (chopped, or parsley)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups large tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons butter (plus extra for greasing the pan)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese ((amount divided))
• 6 cups cooked white rice ((link to the recipe))
• 1 1/2 cups chopped spinach (blanched, or frozen (thawed beforehand))

Instructions

1. 1

   --- 1. Make tomato sauce ---

2. 2

   Dice the tomatoes.Place the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a pot, and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are soft.💡 You can mash the tomatoes with a tomato masher for smoother sauce.

3. 3

   --- 2. Cooking ground beef ---

4. 4

   In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Stir in onion and cook and stir until it turns translucent. Add garlic and cook and stir for a minute.Add ground beef and cook and stir, breaking it into small clumps until it browns. Pour in tomato sauce. Add bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir and cover. Simmer for 3 minutes.Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Mix in cilantro. Remove from the heat and set aside.⚠️ See the video to cook the beef.

5. 5

   --- 3. Making the cheese sauce ---

6. 6

   Making sauce: In a skillet heat the butter over low heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously until the two are well mixed and the flour has turned a bit more translucent.Add the milk and stir vigorously until it reaches a uniform consistency. Add ½ of the cheese and keep stirring until it becomes a thick cream.Remove from the heat and set aside.

7. 7

   --- 4. Prepping ---

8. 8

   Prepping: Grease the baking pan, and heat up the oven to 350 °F [175 ºC].

9. 9

   --- 5. Mixing rice ---

10. 10

    Mix the rice with the white sauce. Divide into two equal amounts of rice.Mix the other half of the rice with the spinach.

11. 11

    --- 6. Layering ---

12. 12

    Layering: Place the rice mixed with the white sauce in the mold. Press down. Cover with the ground beef and top with the rice and spinach. Press down.

13. 13

    --- 7. Baking ---

14. 14

    Baking: Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.Remove from the oven, uncover, and cover with a layer of the remaining cheese.Place under the broiler until the cheese is golden brown. Remove from the oven.

15. 15

    --- 8. Serving ---

16. 16

    Serving: Serve with the tomato sauce on the side.