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Sweet fried 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. A delicious vegan & gluten-free side dish.
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 warm bananas.
Whether you’re adding them to a bowl of beans and rice or stuffing them into a 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.
Buy when the peels are green or yellow
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.
How long does it take for them to ripen?
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 plantains, the peel should be very dark
The first time I tried to make sweet fried plantains at home, I was confused when I cooked them & 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.
How to check for ripeness
First, look at its outward appearance. Lots of blackened areas or even a totally black peel are good.
Next, 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.
How to prepare & fry them
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.
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.
Sweet fried plantains (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon organic canola oil* or other 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 organic canola. 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 and photos updated April 2020. Originally posted November 2014.
Becky Striepe says
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 says
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!
Laura Black says
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 says
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!
Nicole says
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 says
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!
Shell says
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 says
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! 🙂
Tracey says
Yum!!
Becky Striepe says
Oh man, I love fried plantains! These look so good, Cadry!
Cadry says
Thanks, Becky! I really need to make plantains more often. I kind of forget about them!
Leesa G. says
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 says
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!