My love affair with fried plantains started so long ago. I ordered them whenever I grabbed Jamaican takeout. It wasn’t until I tried them at the crib for the first time that I realized how low maintenance they are. I slice ripe sweet plantains then fry them until that golden and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. And all it takes is 2 ingredients. Serve them up with some jerk chicken and rice and peas and get your whole life.
The amazing Aline from Brazilian Kitchen Abroad showed me how to make them.
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How to Fry Plantains
Step 1: Prep the Plantains and Start Frying
- Start by peeling your ripe plantains then slice them on a diagonal about an inch thick. You can slice thinner if you want them a bit more crisp.
- Toss some butter into a large skillet over medium heat then add in the plantain slices in an even layer. Make sure you don’t overcrowd.
- This process takes some time but you will start to notice some browning happening. Use your kitchen tongs to flip them as they cook and watch the butter so it doesn’t burn.
PRO TIP: It can sometimes bit a bit harder to peel ripe plantains because they are so sticky. To make it easier, cut off both ends then make a lengthwise slice along the ridges of the skin to peel away super easy.
Step 2: Fry Until Golden
- Keep adding in your butter as they continue to brown.
- In the end, they should be a nice golden brown color. Remove and rest them on a paper towel to absorb excess butter then serve them up crispy and hot.
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Sweet Fried Plantains Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 very ripe plantains peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup cold butter divided into 4 cubes
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 cube of cold butter.
- When the butter starts to melt add the plantains – be sure to not crowd the pan.
- Add another cube of butter, and let the plantains fry in the butter for about 3 minutes, or until they are golden.
- When the plantains are golden, flip them using a pair of tongs so they can fry on the other side and add another cube of cold butter and fry.
- Add the last bit of butter and let the plantains fry until they are golden and nicely caramelized.
- When the plantains are golden, remove them from the pan using a pair of tongs, and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
Notes
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- Fridge: Make sure the fried sweet plantains are cooled to room temp then wrap in plastic wrap or add to an airtight container. They will stay for up to 2 days.
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- Freezer: Flash freeze by adding in a single layer to a baking sheet and freezing for about 2 hours then add to a zip-top bag removing as much air as possible then keep frozen for up to 3 months.
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- Reheating: Maintaining the crispy texture is key. Toss in the oven at 400 F or in an air fryer at 375 F to crisp them back up. About 5 minutes should do it.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Ripe: I’m talking ripe ripe. Make sure your plantains are mostly black in color with very little yellow on them before you fry them up.
- Uniform: Make sure the slices are uniform in size so they all fry evenly.
- Pat Dry: Make sure you dry those slices super well to get rid of as much moisture as possible. This will help them crisp up better.
- Grab a Great Skillet: Make sure you get a good non-stick pan or use a well-seasoned cast iron to fry plantains in.
Recipe Help
Usually, grocery stores will sell plantains while they’re still green (or yellow if you’re lucky) which means you’ll need to plan ahead before you can make fried sweet plantains. I like to leave mine on the kitchen counter until they get black and super ripe.
Listen boos, and listen carefully. Your sweet plantains won’t be sweet if they ain’t basically black. I’m talking mostly black with little yellow remaining. If you fry them while they are green or yellow, they won’t be sweet.
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I would love to make these for a friend’s birthday party…but I’ll have to transport them, and won’t have time to cook them the day of…could these be made a day ahead and reheated?
You have me drooling! Fried plantains are a personal favorite of mine! Your recipe is just delicious!
How do you make tostones? Please, please, puh-leeeze make a post on that!!!
Ok adding to the list.
Oh these look so appetizing! These caught my eye with the caramelized texture, I am definitely adding to my list to try it..so excited 🙂
I usually sprinkle mine with a dash of salt…just enough to enhance the flavor. However, if I plan to eat them alongside a seasoned dish in which I can mix them-like saltfish and callaloo-I omit the salt. Great recipe!
I eat the ripe plantains this way almost everyday as part of my breakfast. Goes good with ham and eggs.
Best part of Costa Rican food that I brought home with me.
Walmart usually has a lot of plantains that are usually ripe.
Hey Frank! Same here – in my Brazilian household we eat a lot plantains pretty often, especially with rice and beans! And that’s a really good point about Walmart! To add to that, a bunch of 99 cent stores also have them ripe/browning! Hope to see you over Brazilian Kitchen Abroad one of these days! Take care xx
These definitely do look irresistible! You had me at the caramelized texture. I love how easy they are too.
What a tasty snack! Love these easy plantain chips!
I’ve never tried fried plantains but I’m literally drooling on my keyboard right now!
Girl! We gotta work that out! hahah You wipe that drool LOL and go make this easy dish – It’ll change your life its so good!! If you have any questions, just let me or Jocelyn know!
This is hands down the most underrated dish! I absolutely LOVE it from the first time I tried it! It’s so good!