Ripe Sweet Fried Plantains or Maduros as they are referred to in Latin America, have a caramelized and creamy texture that can be enjoyed in so many different ways! The darker the plantains the sweeter they will be, they start to get sweet when you start to see black speckles on the skin of the plantain. This is a great way to use ripe plantains (maduros), which is when the skin of the plantains is mostly black. Serve this dish as a side, an appetizer, or a snack.
If you’ve never cooked with plantains before, this is the recipe to start with! We pan-fried plantains in coconut oil, though you could use vegetable oil, olive oil, or butter. Since the plantains are fully ripe, they have a naturally sweet flavor that caramelizes and creates the most delicious dish! Serve them with rice and beans, as a side dish, or even with dessert. There’s no wrong way to enjoy Sweet Fried Plantains!
fried plantains vs tostones
What Are Plantains?
Plantains look like large bananas, but they’re actually quite different! Plantains are a plant found mostly in Central America. They’re bigger, tougher, and heavier than bananas and have a starchier taste. Like bananas, plantains sweeten as they ripen. Plantains are high in fiber and vitamins A and C as well as magnesium and potassium.
Green vs. Black Plantains
Plantains are really easy to cook with because they can be used in different ways depending on how ripe they are. Green plantains are more savory and work perfectly for 3-Ingredient Tostones, but if you let them ripen on the countertop until they’re just right they'll be ready to make these Sweet Fried Plantains. It takes roughly 10 days for plantains to go from green to black, so plan your cooking accordingly! Sometimes, you can also find already ripened plantains at the grocery store.
How to Peel a Plantain
Since they look just like bananas you might be thinking it’s the same to peel them! Plantains are quite different to peel thanks to their tough skin, though. To peel a plantain, slice both ends off and then score the skin with a knife and separate the plantain skin from the flesh.
How to Serve Sweet Fried Plantains
We love how versatile these fried plantains are! They can be served alongside rice and beans with salt and chili lime seasoning, but they can also be sweet and prepared with a sprinkle of cinnamon to eat with ice cream. Yum!
Top ice cream with fried plantain Serve fried plantains with a homemade cranberry sauce
More Latin Inspired Recipes
Black Beans & Rice with Plantains
The Best Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Yellow Rice Burrito Bowl with Tostones and Tomatillo Salsa
Tostones with Black Bean Salsa
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Sweet Fried Plantains (Maduros)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 24 pieces 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ripe Sweet Fried Plantains or Maduros as they are referred to in Latin America, have a caramelized and creamy texture that can be enjoyed in so many different ways! The darker the plantains the sweeter they are.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains. See note 2
- 2 ½ tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- You can eat fried plantains as is, with Cranberry Sauce or as a topping for ice cream or rice and beans
Instructions
- Diagonally slice the plantains into ¼" -½" slices. See Note 1
- In a medium-size non-stick skillet heat coconut oil
- Cook on medium-low heat until golden brown about 3-5 minutes per side, seasoning each side with salt cinnamon, and pepper. The time will depend on how ripe the plantains are.
- Watch the plantains carefully, they can go from done to burnt in no time.
Notes
- Plantains that have just a few black speckles, cut into ¼" slices, if the skin of the plantain is almost black cut them into ½" slices. They will fall apart if they are too thin.
- For fried plantains the darker the skin the sweeter the plantain. Choose plantains with dark black speckles or that is almost all black.
- The nutritional information is based on the plantains not absorbing all the oil they are cooked in.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Side
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: Latin
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plantain slice
- Calories: 24
- Sugar: 2.2
- Sodium: 24.8
- Fat: .7
- Saturated Fat: .6
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 4.8
- Fiber: .4
- Protein: .2
- Cholesterol: 0
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