This recipe, if you can even call it a recipe, is so SIMPLE you could make it with your eyes closed. It doesn’t require any additional ingredients or complicated cooking methods. Making them is straightforward, yet these sweet fried plantains always hit the spot! I grew up enjoying anything with plantains. From plantain pancakes and bread or cake to plantain chips – they will always hold a special place in my heart. Plantains are a staple from West and East Africa all the way to Latin America and the Caribbean. Finding and making international comfort food is my passion, but fried plantains are the easiest. Green bananas and plantains have a mild flavor, making them useful as starchy vegetables in savory recipes. However, plantains (also called cooking bananas) are used as a vegetable more often than bananas. Bananas are traditionally eaten raw after ripening and are sweeter than plantains. They have thinner skins, and you know they’re ripe when they turn a beautiful yellow. Plantains have thicker skin and last longer. And a black plantain is not spoiled. While a black banana isn’t appetizing, a black plantain is perfectly ripe. Plantains also have more vitamins C, A, and potassium than bananas.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredient list is incredibly short. What more do you need than good plantains? A little oil and salt.
How to Fry Sweet Plantains
There’s no reason to get overwhelmed. Simplicity is the best, and these easy, fried will always be the best way to enjoy plantains. Perfect as a side to your favorite savory dish or as a snack. Enjoy!
Slit – Cut off both ends of the plantain with a sharp knife to make it easy to grab the skin. Cut a shallow slit down the long seam of the plantain. (Photo 1) Cut Diagonally – Cut plantains in diagonal pieces or medium-sized slices and set them aside. (Photo 2 -3) Or you can cut them smaller. (Photo 4) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Test if the oil is ready by carefully frying a slice of plantain. Oil should bubble on contact; if it doesn’t, wait a minute or two before proceeding. Or if the oil is too hot, remove it from the heat and wait about 2 minutes before proceeding. Fry in batches until plantains have reached the desired color (golden brown), turning once. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side. Then continue cooking, turning plantains occasionally until soft and deep golden brown, 5-7 minutes. (Photos 5-7) Transfer – Carefully remove fried sweet plantains with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate or tray. Season with salt (and cinnamon sugar if desired), and enjoy a bite! Serve hot.
See! Wasn’t that easy?
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
These guys are one of the few dishes that are best fresh. You could partially fry, flash-freeze, and then store them in a freezer ziplock bag for a couple of months. Then, you could fry, air-fry, or bake them straight from the freezer. Spritz them with some cooking oil first.
What Goes Well With Fried Sweet Plantains
Almost everything! Rice is a given, and several meat dishes love to be with sweet fried plantains. My favorite is jollof rice topped with either chicken stew or Asun, spicy roast goat. Pork also goes well with plantains. Arroz con gandules and pulled pork are sublime with them. Fish is excellent, too. Try them with this Caribbean grilled whole red snapper and enjoy a taste of heaven!
More Delicious Ways to Enjoy Plantains
But to show you how versatile a plantain is, let me run down some of my favorite plantain recipes. (You’re welcome! 😉)
Stuffed Baked Plantains – This is my favorite plantain recipe. These are delicious roasted plantains filled with well-seasoned ground meat, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and spices, then topped with cheese. Plantain Chips – Crunchy and addictive fried (or baked) plantain chips paired with sweet and tangy mango avocado salsa make a wonderful late-night snack or appetizer! Kelewele or Aloco – A mouthwatering African spicy fried plantain recipe with cayenne pepper, ginger, lemon, nutmeg, garlic, and bouillon. The soft, spicy, and sweet snack pairs well with crunchy peanuts or any protein. Plantain Frittata – Baked plantain frittata, aka plantain and eggs, is a healthy and delicious take on fried plantains and eggs. Grilled Plantains – Take this tasty fruit to your next cookout and serve with syrup. Yum!
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”f3p3VzOu” upload-date=”2019-05-07T05:46:45.000Z” name=”Fried Plantains” description=”Fried Plantains – sweet ripe plantains, sliced and fried to perfection. It’s somewhat crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Sooo good that you can eat it as a side dish to rice & beans, stews or on its own! Amazingly delicious!”] This blog post was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
