By: Nidianny Grullón | @cookwithnidi

Nochebuena—literally "Good Night"—is the night for many Latinos. Think Christmas Eve, but louder, longer, and packed with love, laughter, and legendary food. From roasting lechón to passing around abuelita’s pasteles, this night is about gathering with family and friends to eat, dance, and stay up way too late.

For many of us, it’s less about Christmas morning and more about the magic of the night before—sharing traditions passed down through generations, reconnecting with loved ones, and making space for anyone who wants to join in the fun. Join us in celebrating this special night and bring a little extra sabor to your holiday traditions!

Pastelón is one of those dishes that is relatively easy to make and the result is incredibly rewarding. If you're cooking with little ones, this is the perfect opportunity to get their apron on and have them help add in each layer of meat and plantains - they will probably have a lot of fun mashing up the plantains too!

There are so many different ways to make it - and trust us, we love them all, but for this year's Nochebeuna we're going with this delicious recipe from @cookwithnidi.