Fried Plantains make a perfect side dish or snack. They are a well-loved Caribbean dish that you can make at home with just 3 ingredients!
One of the best parts about traveling is finding new amazing food to try. This plantain recipe makes a delicious new Side Dish to add to your regular weekday meals or to whip up as a quick and easy Appetizer. For more Caribbean-inspired dishes, try Slow Cooker Caribbean Pot Roast and Easy Rum Cake next!
About our Fried Plantains Recipe
Plantains are a type of fruit commonly eaten in West Africa, Central America, Caribbean countries, and pretty much anywhere they naturally grow. You may have tried them as dried plantain chips, but this freshly fried version tastes even more incredible. They cook up in just a few minutes and they are made with just 3 simple ingredients: ripe plantains, vegetable oil, and salt.
Fried Plantains Ingredients
- Plantains: You want ripe plantains for this recipe. Unlike bananas, plantains are at their best when mostly black with just a little yellow. However, be sure that they’re still firm to the touch. When the plantains start to get soft, they’re overripe.
- Vegetable Oil: Other than ripe plantains, you’ll just need two other ingredients. The first is vegetable oil to fry up the plantains. If you prefer, you can replace the vegetable oil with canola oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil. You want to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point to fry your Plantain slices.
- Season: The only other ingredient you need to make Fried Plantains is a little kosher salt to finish. The sweet fruit with the salty crust is an addicting combination.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Chef’s Knife: Every kitchen should have one good quality Chef’s knife that is sharpened properly. The sharp tip of these versatile knives can be used to gently slice the skin to make the plantains easy to peel, then quickly cut the fruit into beautiful slices.
- Skillet: When you are frying food, it’s best to use cast iron cookware because it retains heat the best. Use a shallow skillet to fry your plantains since you aren’t using a lot of oil.
How to Make Fried Plantains
- Peel and Slice the Plantains
Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off of each plantain and discard. Place the tip of the knife into the outer curved edge of the peel until it pierces through to the fruit inside. Cut a slice down the side and peel back the sides by hand. Discard the peels. Cut the plantain into 1/4″ thick slices diagonally.
- Fry the Plantain Chips
Add the vegetable oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the plantain slices in a single layer to the hot oil. Cook plantains for 2 minutes then use a spatula to gently flip them over and continue cooking for 1 minute or until they’re a beautiful golden brown color.
- Season and Serve
Transfer the hot plantains to a wire rack while you cook the remaining plantains. Season them with a little kosher salt while they are still hot. Do not drain on paper towels or they will soak up the oil and get greasy.
Nutritional Facts
Fried Plantains Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use a Mandoline
Slice your Plantains with a mandoline slicer for thin, even slices. The more even your slices, the more consistently they will cook for a whole batch of perfect chips every time. You want to peel the plantains before slicing them but the good news is they are much firmer than bananas so they will slice easily with a mandoline.
Keep an Eye on the Oil Temperature
The key to frying food so they are crispy and cooked perfectly is to maintain a good oil temperature. You aren’t using a whole lot of oil so it’s hard to use a thermometer to gauge the temp, but there are ways to tell. Watch to see that your oil isn’t smoking and that your plantains are only taking a few minutes to cook. Work in batches so that your oil doesn’t cool down because the longer they are in the pan, the more oil the plantains will absorb.
What to Pair With Fried Plantains
Drinks: Plantains are a well-loved dish in Latin America, especially in tropical regions, so enjoy them with tropical drinks like Pina Coladas or fresh squeezed juice.
Dinner: Fried Plantains are a staple in Caribbean meals so why not serve these delicious salty sweet plantains with Caribbean Cuisine inspired meat dishes like Jerk Chicken or Mojo Cuban Pork? They make a delicious side dish for Pork Loin too.
How to Store Fried Plantains
Store: You’ll want to refrigerate your cooked plantains after no more than 2 hours at room temperature. After they’ve had a chance to cool, you can transfer plantains to an airtight container to store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat: Pop your leftover plantains in the air fryer or oven to reheat them so they are crispy again. If you microwave them, they will still taste good but the texture will be much softer.
Freeze: These tasty plantain chips are a great dish to freeze for later! Allow them to cool completely then freeze on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Transfer the frozen plantain slices to a freezer safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Reheat them from frozen in the oven just like you would other frozen fried snacks for the best crispy texture.
Ideas to Serve Fried Plantains
Topping: Crispy Fried Plantains would make a delicious topping to savory dishes and stews like Chicken Stew or Coconut Rice.
Appetizer: For a tropical sweet and savory appetizer, serve your plantains with dipping sauces like Thai peanut sauce (try the peanut sauce in our Chicken Satay recipe!), tangy Dijon and honey mustard sauces, or your favorite salsa.
Alternative Plantain Cooking Techniques
While deep-fried anything is always delicious, you can make your plantains much healthier by baking them in the oven or using an air fryer. They are just as tasty and healthier means you get to enjoy more per serving!
Baked Fried Plantains
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Toss the plantain slices in oil.
- Spread the slices out on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake the plantain chips for 15-20 minutes until golden around the edges.
- While they are still hot, season with the salt.
Air Fryer Plantains
- Cut your plantains into slightly thicker slices, about ½ inch thick.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 380 degrees.
- Spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Spread out the plantains in single layer. You’ll need to cook them in batches the basket isn’t crowded.
- Cook the plantain slices for 10 minutes, flipping half way through, or until they are golden brown.
- Toss the hot plantains with salt and serve immediately.
FAQ for Fried Plantains
Plantains are somewhat healthy. They’re not as sugary as bananas. They’re also low in sodium and fat, and they’re a good source of fiber and potassium. As far as fried snacks go, this one is relatively good for you.
Plantains are quite similar to bananas, but there are some key differences. For one thing, plantains are starchier. They also have thicker skin. Their flavors also vary from bananas, and green plantains aren’t very sweet. However, as they ripen into yellow plantains they’re sweeter, and they’re even more sweet as they grow black spots.
Because they don’t contain cassava, like other starchy fruits from the tropics, plantains are perfectly safe to eat raw. However, they are much better cooked, especially when you deep fry them!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 plantains , firm but ripe
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cut both ends off the plantain.
- Cut a slice down the side and peel.
- Cut the plantain into 1/4″ thick slices diagonally.
- Add oil to a large heavy skillet on medium high heat.
- Add plantains and cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip gently, cook for 1 minute.
- Season with salt and serve.
Nutrition
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Fried Plantains Variations
Sweet Plantains: Try making your plantains into a delicious treat with a sweet flavor. For this version, replace the oil with butter, and start frying the sweet plantains. During the last few seconds of frying, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Continue cooking until the sugar starts to caramelize, then remove from heat. Enjoy the sweet plantains!
Seasonings: We’ve kept our recipe for Fried Plantains simple by just using a little salt for seasoning them. However, you can always experiment with adding different flavors to your recipe. Try adding chili powder, ginger, or onion powder along with the salt on top.
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