I don’t know about you but growing up in a Cuban family, the only vegetables I remember having on my plate were fried. Ha! While most families served broccoli and carrots as side dishes, we had yuca con mojo and crispy tostones which are twice-fried plantains.
But I’ll tell you, if I had to choose a favorite side dish, it would be these sweet fried plantains. In Cuban cuisine, sweet plantains, known as “Platanos Maduros,” are the perfect complement to any savory meal.
If you’ve ever had a sliced banana with your picadillo, then you know exactly what I’m talking about!
Sweet plantains are a staple in Cuban Cuisine making it the perfect side dish for any meal. Let me show you how to make them!
Sweet plantains vs Tostones
Ok wait, first things first, let’s talk briefly about the difference between sweet plantains and twice-fried plantains aka tostones. Both of these are made from green plantains but they differ in how they are prepared as well as texture and flavor.
Flavor & Texture
- Sweet plantains are made from green plantains that have turned yellow or black (meaning they have ripened). They have a sweet flavor with a soft, tender texture, similar to bananas.
- Tostones are made from green, unripe plantains just like my plantain chips. They have a starchy, mild flavor with a firm texture.
Preparation
- Sweet Plantains are peeled and sliced diagonally then fried in a bit of oil until golden brown and caramelized.
- Tostones are peeled, sliced into rounds, and fried until partially cooked. Then, they are removed from the oil, flattened with a tostonera, and fried again until crispy.
The Ripening Process
It takes about 10 days for a green plantain to be fully ripe and ready for sweet plantains.
If you need to ripen a plantain quicker, you can either place them in a brown paper bag for a few days OR you can place them in the oven, unpeeled, at 300ºF for 20 minutes.
To STOP plantains from ripening: If it’s been longer than 10 days and you’re not yet ready to make sweet plantains, you can place the ripe plantains in the fridge to stop the ripening process.
5-Star Review
“I was so scared to make this but was amazed as to how easy it was to make maduros. I have loved maduros ever since I was a kid. I made mine with a fried egg and some refried beans on the side for a nice desayuno.”
—Manny
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ripe plantains.You’ll know a plantain is ripe by the color of its skin. The darker the skin, the sweeter the plantains will be. If their skin is more yellow with black spots than very dark in color, that works too!
- Oil.Since we will be frying the sliced ripe plantains, you should use oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
Recommended For This Recipe
10 Inch Skillet
A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Start by cutting the ends off the plantains with a sharp knife. Using the tip of the knife, make a shallow cut lengthwise along the plantain. Gently peel the skin off with your fingers. It should come off easily since they are soft (ripe).
- Using a sharp knife, slice the plantains, diagonally, about 1/2-inch thick. Make sure they are all as close to the same size as possible so they cook evenly.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. The amount of oil depends on the size of your frying pan. It should be no more than 1/2 cup of oil. Keep in mind that sweet plantains absorb oil, so you may need to add more oil if frying multiple batches.
- Over medium-high heat, pan-fry the sliced plantains until they’re golden brown and the edges are crispy. Depending on the size and thickness of the slices, this can take anywhere from 3 minutes per side to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season them with salt and serve immediately. Enjoy!
When you’re done with this recipe, make my sweet plantain gnocchi with ripened plantains!
Making Sweet Plantains In The Air Fryer
To make sweet plantain in the air fryer, place the sliced plantains in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray, and cook for about 8-10 minutes at 380ºF.
Depending on your air fryer, you may need more or less cooking time. You may also need to cook them in batches. Adjust accordingly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these delicious sweet plantains with:
- Cuban Rice and Beans Recipe (Arroz con Frijoles Negro) or any rice dish, to be honest!
- Authentic Cuban Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Recipe)
- Cuban Pollo Asado (Grilled or Roasted Chicken)
Storage Suggestions
Keep cooked sweet plantains at room temperate for up to 2 days. After that, transfer them into an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
You can also freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven or skillet before serving.
15-Minute Fried Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros)
4.87 from 65 votes
By: Jamie Silva
Sweet plantains or Platanos Maduros are made from ripe green plantains that are sliced and then fried until caramelized and crispy on the edges. Plantains are a staple in Cuban Cuisine and make the best side dish for just about any meal. Learn how to bring this sweet side dish to life with just 2 ingredients, minimal prep, and ready in 15 minutes!
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Cuban
Servings 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe plantains (the darker the skin, the sweeter they will be)
- Oil (high smoke point)
- Salt
Instructions
Start by cutting the ends off the plantains with a sharp knife. Using the tip of the knife, make a shallow cut lengthwise along the plantain. Gently peel the skin off with your fingers. It should come off easily since they are soft (ripe).
Using a sharp knife, slice the plantains, diagonally, about 1/2-inch thick. Make sure they are all as close to the same size as possible so they cook evenly.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. The amount of oil depends on the size of your frying pan. It should be no more than 1/2 cup of oil. Keep in mind that sweet plantains absorb oil, so you may need to add more oil if frying multiple batches.
Over medium-high heat, pan-fry the sliced plantains until they're golden brown and the edges are crispy. Depending on the size and thickness of the slices, this can take anywhere from 3 minutes per side to 5 minutes per side.
Transfer the fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season them with salt and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
To make sweet plantain in the air fryer, place the sliced plantains in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray, and cook for about 8-10 minutes at 380ºF.
Depending on your air fryer, you may need more or less cooking time. You may also need to cook them in batches. Adjust accordingly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 170 kcalCarbohydrates: 29 gProtein: 1 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 6 gSodium: 4 mgPotassium: 447 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 1009 IUVitamin C: 16 mgCalcium: 3 mgIron: 1 mg
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