The Tastiest Ways to Cook Plantains (Plus How to Slice Them)

If you love African, South American, and Caribbean food, you've probably come across plantains. Since these starchy fruits need to be cooked, peel them and slice them before you choose a cooking method. Fry them in hot oil for a crispy dish or bake them in the oven for a healthier option. To quickly make a side dish or dessert, sauté the plantains with a little butter until they become tender.

Ingredients

Fried Plantains

4 large, very ripe plantains, sliced in 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 ml) of vegetable oil
Kosher salt or sugar, optional

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Baked Plantains

2 ripe plantains, sliced into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon (14 g) of melted butter or oil
1 teaspoon (4 g) of sugar
1 pinch of salt

Makes 2 servings

Sautéed Plantains

2 plantains, sliced in ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces
2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of canola oil

Makes 2 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Fried Plantains^{[1]
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Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.}

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1
Heat 1 ¹⁄₂ cups (350 ml) of vegetable oil in a skillet to 375 °F (191 °C). Set a deep skillet on the stove and pour in the vegetable oil. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the skillet and turn the burner to medium-high heat. Heat the oil until it reaches 375 °F (191 °C).^{[2]
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- If the oil continues to heat past 375 °F (191 °C), turn the burner down a little.
- If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, heat the oil until it shimmers. When you think it's ready, lower 1 piece of plantain into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, it will immediately begin to bubble and fry. If it doesn't, wait another minute and check again.
2
Place 4 or 5 pieces of plantains into the hot oil. Set 4 large plantains that you've sliced into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces on your cutting board. Use your hands to slowly lower 4 or 5 of these pieces into the oil, taking care not to drop them or the oil could splash you.^{[3]
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- If you're concerned that the oil will burn you, place the plantain pieces on a slotted spoon and lower it directly into the oil.
- It's important to fry the plantains in batches so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop quickly.
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3
Fry the plantains for 4 to 5 minutes. Set a timer and let the plantain pieces fry until they're a rich golden brown. Use a slotted spatula or spoon to carefully flip them over halfway through the frying time. This ensures that they become crispy and brown on both sides.^{[4]
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- Lower the burner temperature if the plantains are browning too fast.
4
Transfer the fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate. Take the slotted spatula or spoon and carefully move the fried plantains to a lined plate. The paper towel will absorb excess grease.^{[5]
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- Remember to let the oil heat back up to 375 °F (191 °C) before you fry another batch of plantains.
Season the fried plantains any way you like or leave them plain. Enjoy the plantains while they're hot since they won't store well.^{[6]
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Did You Know? Fried plantains are sometimes called maduros, while plantains that are fried twice are called tostones.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Baked Plantains^{[7]
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Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.}

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1
Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C) and line a sheet with parchment paper. Set a rimmed baking sheet on your work surface and tear off a piece of parchment paper. Lay the paper on the sheet and set it aside.^{[8]
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- If you don't have parchment paper, you could lay down a silicone matt or spray the sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2
Stir the plantain pieces in a bowl with butter, sugar, and salt. Place 2 ripe plantains that you've sliced into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces into a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of melted butter or oil, 1 teaspoon (4 g) of sugar, and 1 pinch of salt. Then, use a spoon to toss the mixture gently until the plantains are coated.
- If you prefer, use your favorite vegetable oil instead of butter.
- If you don't want the plantains to be sweet, you can leave the sugar out.
Tip: Play around with your favorite spices. Instead of using salt or sugar, try a dash of cinnamon or curry powder.
3
Lay the seasoned plantain pieces on the sheet. Transfer the pieces to the parchment-lined sheet and arrange them so they're in a single layer. Ensure that there's at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) of space between each piece so they roast evenly.
- There's no need to grease the parchment since it contains silicone. This prevents the plantains from sticking.
4
Bake the plantains for 10 to 12 minutes. Put the sheet in the oven and roast the plantains until they become completely soft. Cook the plantains until they turn a rich brown color. Then, serve them while they're hot.^{[9]
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- Baked plantains are a great dessert or side dish for a rich meal.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  Randall Chambers
  Personal Chef
  
  Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Sautéed Plantains

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1
Melt the butter with the oil in a skillet. Put 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter into a large skillet on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of canola oil and turn the burner to medium-low.^{[11]
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- Stir the butter occasionally to help it mix with the oil.
- Substitute coconut oil for a slightly tropical flavor.
Variation: For an even sweeter dish, add an extra 3 tablespoons (42 g) of butter, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons (25 g) of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of vanilla extract to the skillet. Stir well to create a delicious dessert sauce that the plantains cook in.
2
Place plantain pieces into the skillet. Take 2 plantains that you've sliced into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces and lay them in the skillet. Arrange the slices so they're in a single layer and aren't overlapping.^{[12]
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- If you'd like to cook more than 2 plantains, sauté them in batches.
3
Sauté the plantains for 10 to 12 minutes and turn them every few minutes. Keep the burner at medium-low so the plantains don't brown too quickly. Use a spatula or spoon to flip the plantains over every few minutes and cook them until they're golden brown on both sides.^{[13]
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- The plantains will also soften as they sauté.
4
Turn off the burner and serve the plantains with their buttery sauce. Spoon the plantains onto a serving plate and carefully pour the butter that's left in the skillet over the slices. Then, serve them plain or sprinkle a little salt or sugar over them.^{[14]
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- For the best flavor and texture, eat the plantains immediately.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Peeling and Slicing

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1
Select plantains according to how sweet you like them. You've probably seen plantains that are almost black at the market or grocery store. These are the ripest, so they're the sweetest. If you prefer them less sweet, look for a plantain that's mostly yellow with some black spots. Green plantains are the firmest and least sweet, so you might choose these if you want a more savory dish.^{[15]
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- You can usually find plantains near the bananas at the grocery store. Although plantains are similar, they contain more starch and less sugar than bananas.
2
Trim 1 inch (2.5 cm) from each end of the plantains. To make it easier to peel a plantain, take a sharp knife and carefully cut off each end. Discard the stem and tip of each plantain.^{[16]
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- Avoid bending the stem to peel it back. A plantain's peel is thicker than a banana's so you can't peel them the same way.
Hold the plantain in place on your cutting board and carefully make a thin slit from 1 end of the plantain down to the opposite end. Ensure that you only cut through the peel and not through the plantain's flesh.^{[17]
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Tip: If you're peeling a green plantain, make another lengthwise slit on the opposite side of where you made the first cut. This makes it easier to pull back the firm peel.
Use your fingers to pull the peel away from the plantain flesh. This is easier to do with a very ripe plantain, which will almost fall away on its own. If you made 2 slits on a green plantain, pull both sides of the peel away from the flesh in opposite directions.^{[18]
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5
Slice the plantain into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) or 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Read the recipe you're using to determine how large to cut your plantain pieces. Most recipes recommend that you cut across the plantain to make lots of ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) or 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces.^{[19]
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- If you like, slice the plantain diagonally. This increases the surface area of the plantains so they become crispier and more flavorful.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I eat plantains without the skin and uncooked?

Community Answer

Only if ripe (black skin). Try a little bit first to ensure your stomach can handle it.

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How do I quickly ripen plantains?

Community Answer

Put them in a bag with a ripe or overripe vegetable or fruit or in a warm, humid spot. Don't put the plantains in the refrigerator to ripen them.

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Can the bananas be boiled in water instead of frying?

Community Answer

Plantains can be boiled. What you do is leave them in the skin and cut the whole plantain into thirds or quarters, depending on how big you want them. Then you put them in the water and boil them. They turn out soft and can be served with a stew, or you could fry the boiled plantains.

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Tips

You can also cut and fry your plantains as chips!^{[20]
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Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.}

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Consider serving plantains instead of mashed potatoes or rice at your next meal.

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