Fried sweet plantains (maduros) have a way of taking a meal up a notch.
Simple black beans & rice or a burrito becomes that much more of a celebration once they’re involved.
This delicious 2-ingredient vegan & gluten-free side dish can be pan fried or made in the air fryer.
Sweet fried plantains are the gold standard of side dishes.
On the outside, they’re sticky and caramelized with a bit of crispness around the edges.
On the inside, you get the flavor of creamy warm bananas.
Whether you’re adding them to a black bean bowl or stuffing them into a black bean burrito, they make every meal better.
If you’ve never fried plantains, you are in for a treat. Not only are they easy to make, they make any meal more fun.
In this post:
Why readers love this recipe
“I make these when I serve black beans & yellow rice & picadillo. I spritz them lightly with avocado oil and air fry them. They come out perfect, sticky & sweet. Brings me back to my years in Key West.” – Kris
Tip for best results
The first time I tried to make sweet fried plantains at home, I was confused when I cooked them, and they tasted like potatoes instead of bananas.
The problem? They weren’t ripe enough.
If the peel is still green or yellow, the flavor is going to be starchy and potato-like.
That’s fine if you want savory tostones. But not what you’re looking for if you want a sticky sweet side dish.
The key to sweet fried plantains is making sure the plantains are very ripe.
As you've seen with a standard banana, when it gets brown spots and dots, it's becoming sweeter and riper.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Plantain: For sweet fried plantains, use a plantain with lots of blackened areas or even a totally black peel. When you lightly press it, there should be a gentle give.
Oil: Choose a high-heat, neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil.
Tip: When you’re buying plantains, look for unblemished, unbruised fruit with green or yellow peels. Then let them ripen at home. That way you can be sure that black spots on the fruit aren't bruises from being dropped.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Once you're ready to use the plantain, cut off both ends. Using a knife, gently cut a seam down the middle.
(Skins of plantains are thicker than standard bananas and don't peel quite as easily.)
Then peel back the skin and discard it.
Cut the plantain into half inch pieces on a bias.
Lightly cover the base of a non-stick skillet with a high heat oil like organic canola or coconut oil. Bring to a medium to medium-high heat.
(Plantains are prone to sticking. So it's much easier to use non-stick instead of stainless steel when frying them.)
Put the plantains in the warm pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Let them fry for a couple of minutes until they are brown on one side.
Avoid moving them, so that they can get nice brown coloring.
Flip them and let the other side brown for a minute more. Then lower the heat, so that they can get fully done inside without burning.
At this point, if you need to move and/or flip them occasionally to keep them from burning, go for it. In total, expect the plantains to cook for about 10 to 14 minutes.
Tip: Unlike some fried foods, I don't put cooked plantains on towels to blot the oil, because they are prone to sticking. Plus, a little bit of sticky fried goodness only adds to the experience.
Air fryer instructions
Prefer to air fry the plantains?
Put the sliced plantains into the air fryer basket. Toss or spray with oil.
Then air fry for 9 minutes at 390 degrees, stopping to flip & spray with more oil halfway through.
Remember: Every air fryer runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own air fryer. Adjust as needed.
Serving suggestions
Sweet fried plantains are a perfect side dish for any of these main courses:
- Vegan burritos with seitan & tots
- Jackfruit carnitas tacos
- Tempeh tacos
- Double decker tacos
- Black bean tacos
- Refried bean quesadillas
- Grilled vegetable fajitas
Maduros are also a must for these dishes:
FAQ
Since plantains are often imported, the time it takes for them to ripen will vary. It may take several days or up to a week until they’re fully ready.
If you want to make sweet fried plantains tonight, look for ones that are already very ripe in the grocery store bin.
If you’d like them to ripen more quickly, pop them into a brown paper sack.
For sweet fried plantains, use a plantain with lots of blackened areas or even a totally black peel.
Then give the touch test. Lightly press on the plantain in the same way that you'd press on an avocado or mango. If it slightly gives under your thumb, that's a good indication that the fruit is ready.
If you’re not ready to use it yet, and it seems like the plantain is getting too soft, move it to the refrigerator to slow its ripening process.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Fried sweet plantains – air fryer or pan fried (Just 2 ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral flavored, high heat oil
- 1 plantain very ripe with blackened peel
Instructions
- First, make sure your plantain is ripe enough. You want the peel to be blackened and for the fruit to have a gentle give when you press on it. Once it's ready, cut off both ends. Using a knife, gently cut a seam down the middle. (Skins of plantains are thicker than standard bananas and don’t peel quite as easily.) Then peel back the skin and discard it. Cut the plantain into roughly half inch pieces on a bias.
- Lightly cover the base of a non-stick skillet with a high heat oil like avocado oil. Bring to a medium to medium-high heat. (Plantains are prone to sticking. So it's much easier to use non-stick instead of stainless steel when frying them.)
- Put the plantains in the warm skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. Let them fry for a couple of minutes until they are brown on one side. Avoid moving the plantains, so that they can get nice brown coloring.
- Flip them and let the other side brown for a minute more. Then lower the heat, so that the plantains can get fully done inside without burning.
- At this point, if you need to move and/or flip the plantain occasionally to keep it from burning, go for it. In total, expect the plantains to cook for about 10 to 14 minutes.
- Once they're ready, remove the plantains from heat and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Content updated April 25, 2024. Originally posted November 2014.
Kris
I make these when I serve black beans & yellow rice & picadillo. I spritz them lightly with avocado oil and air fry them. They come out perfect, sticky & sweet. Brings me back to my years in Key West.
Cadry Nelson
Sounds great!
Shell
These are so delicious! Definitely one of my favorite side dishes. I’m grateful you taught me to wait until the plantain is mostly black – that seems counterintuitive, but it is a very important part of the process!
Cadry Nelson
So glad you’re a fan!
Leesa G.
I know most recipes say use an oil that doesn’t have a strong flavor, but I’m wondering if frying plantains in coconut oil might be yummy? Seems like the two flavors would go well together (?)
Cadry
If you like the flavor of coconut oil, go for it! I think it would pair with plantains very nicely. Personally, I find coconut oil to be a bit overbearing, and so I don’t use it very often. It’s a good high heat oil, though. So if the flavor isn’t too strong for you, there’s no reason not to try it!
Becky Striepe
Oh man, I love fried plantains! These look so good, Cadry!
Cadry
Thanks, Becky! I really need to make plantains more often. I kind of forget about them!
Tracey
Yum!!
Shell
Plantains remind me of visiting you in California. Great memories! I’m going to try my hand at making these. I’ll have to resist the urge to make them before the fruit is super ripe. The plantain in the picture is much more ripe than I expected. Looking forward to trying it out!
Cadry
Oh, that’s sweet! I like that. It can be hard to wait until the fruit is fully ripe. I made that mistake a few times when I first started making plantains, because there’s an inclination to assume a black fruit means it’s overripe instead of ready. Trust me, they taste much more delicious when they’re ripe and sweet! 🙂
Nicole
Yum, I love plantains! I use coconut oil and then after they are done like yours I let them cool for a few minutes and then use a heavy mug or glass to smash them down, then put them back into the oil for another browning! Last time I ate them with a sriracha vegenaise dipping sauce, which was yummy but probably not very traditional!
Now that I’m over 20 years out of high school (yikes!), the thing I’ve been noticing recently is that when I’m out and about I keep thinking I see a girl or guy that I went to high school with, but then it dawns on me that they would be much, much older now and it can’t be them (haha then I feel really old lol!)
Cadry
That’s two votes for coconut oil! I’ll definitely try using that next time. I’ve heard of that smashing/double frying method for tostones, but I’ve never tried it with sweet plantains. It sounds super delicious!
Laura Black
I live here on Maui and I am blessed with cooking bananas from a local friend who owns not one but two farms. I am not much of a cooked banana fan, but I fell in love with cooked plantains. I make them and munch on them all morning while doing my daily routine. Although, I think the absolute best way to cook them is in coconut oil!!!! Not only does the coconut complement the bananas beautifully, but coconut oil can take the heat much better than other oils that oxidize under extreme heat, like frying!!! Try it, I think you will like it a lot! 🙂
Cadry
Oh, how lucky for you to have that kind of access to plantains! Thanks for the tip on the coconut oil. I have loads of it, and so I’ll definitely give that a try next time!
Becky Striepe
I have nostalgia for sweet plantains, too! They’re easier to find in south Florida where I grew up, and we used to fry or bake them often. The best!
Cadry
Plantains immediately take up the fun quotient in the meal, regardless of how they’re made. I haven’t made baked plantains in a while, but they are super tasty too!