This plátanos fritos recipe highlights sweet, creamy, and perfectly ripe plantains. Try them served with vegan crema, strawberry jam, and cinnamon for an ultra-rich, caramelized treat you can enjoy morning, noon, or night!
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📖 About
There's nothing better than a quick and easy dessert (are we right, or are we right?). Good thing this recipe requires only a few ingredients and a little preparation — you're about to fall in love with this sweet Mexican snack.
History of plantains
Plantains are said to have originated in Southeast Asia. Although they grow best in tropical areas around the world, you can find them in a wide variety of cuisines.
Two groups of plantains (horn and French) now grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical areas of the Americas.
Because of the diversity in where they're grown, it's hard to distinguish who created a fried plantain dish first!
But, one thing is for sure...
Any dish involving fried plantains is delicious!
What are plátanos fritos?
Plátanos fritos (fried plantains) go by many different names depending on where you are in the world. There are of course slight differences in the preparation techniques, spices used, and other flavors added in.
In Mexico, plátanos fritos can be served either sweet or savoury.
One savoury version (tostones) is a staple throughout Latin America, and it's made from double frying flattened green-skinned plantains.
The sweet version includes very ripe plantains (plátanos maduros) that are fried and topped with a variety of things like crema, condensed milk, cinnamon, chocolate, jam, etc.
This recipe includes a sweet vegan crema, fruit jam, and cinnamon to make an ultra-rich, creamy, and satisfying dessert.
Serving
It's best to serve plátanos fritos straight after frying them for the crispiest and most caramelly treat. You can also serve them as a side dish, meal, appetizer, or snack depending on the toppings you use (if any at all).
Honestly, fried plantains are delicious with a simple sprinkle of salt. We eat them like this all the time!
Whichever way you serve them, this recipe is 100% vegan and gluten-free so the whole family can enjoy it!
🍲 Key ingredients
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
Plantains
Taste: ripe plantains (like the ones used in this recipe) have a sweet flavor like a banana with a little more tang. When the coins crisp up in oil, they become super caramelized with the most incredibly creamy texture.
Health: similar in health to a potato, plantains are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, A, and B6. And since they're filled with complex carbohydrates, eating plantains helps improve overall digestive health.
Toppings
On to the most fun part of making plátanos fritos — the toppings! With so many incredible choices, here are a few of our favorites to get you started:
- Crema & queso
- Crema & cinnamon
- Vegan ice cream & chocolate sauce
- Cinnamon & sugar
- Jam & crema
- Lime & salt
We're always experimenting and looking for more tasty combos to serve our fried plantains with. If you have any ideas, let us know in the comments!
🔪 Instructions
If you have questions about these fried sweet plantains, don't forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 8-12 hours, but preferably overnight. Place the can of coconut milk in your fridge to chill for the same amount of time.
Step 2: drain the cashews and transfer them to a small blender with the sugar. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop off the cream portion at the top.
Step 3: add 7 tablespoons of coconut cream to the blender and mix everything until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Note: if you have a larger blender, you may want to double the crema proportions.
Step 4: transfer the mixture to your fridge. In the meantime, wash and peel your plantains (they should peel quite easily), then slice them on a slight diagonal. Add them to a mixing bowl and toss in a little cinnamon.
Step 5: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, then cook the plantain slices in batches for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
Step 6: transfer the fried plantains to a paper towel-lined plate, then finish cooking the rest. Serve your plátanos fritos warm with a drizzle of crema, jam, chocolate sauce, or more cinnamon. Happy eating!
🌡️ Storage
We love plátanos fritos warm, but they're also great to keep in the fridge for a quick snack or sweet treat! Follow these storage instructions to keep them as fresh as possible.
Fridge
Plátanos fritos will last in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. We prefer keeping ours in glass containers to preserve the flavors best. If you're using toppings like jam, chocolate sauce, or any other liquids, try to store them separately.
Freezer
Although we find it easier to freeze tostones (twice-fried green plantains), this plátanos maduros recipe will last in the freezer for up to 4-6 weeks. Just make sure to keep them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Reheat
Reheat your already fried plantains on a pan over low-medium heat until warm throughout. Alternatively, you can re-fry the plantains to crisp them up again.
💭 Pro tips
Time to share our tips and tricks we learned while experimenting with this plátano maduro recipe for you:
- Prep your crema in advance. To save time on the day of, prep your crema a day or two in advance.
- Use very ripe plantains. The plantains you choose should be mostly black with some yellow spots for an extra sweet and creamy dessert.
- Don't over complicate things. If you don't have all the topping options, just add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar for a delicious treat!
- Lower the oil. If you want to reduce the calories, lightly brush the plantains with 1-2 teaspoons of oil and bake them instead.
- Cook low and slow. To avoid undercooking and burning your plantains, cook them over medium-low. It may take longer, but they'll taste much better!
🍴 Tasting notes
Plantains are such a versatile food, which makes them the perfect candidate for this dessert. It's:
- Warm
- Sweet
- Caramelized
- Crispy
- Creamy
If you try this plátanos fritos recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!
📋 Recipe
Plátanos Fritos
Equipment
- Knife & cutting board
- Large skillet
- Blender
Ingredients
Crema
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked ($0.86)
- 7 tablespoons coconut cream ($0.59)
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar ($0.01)
Plantains
- 3 large (very ripe) plantains ($1.00)
- 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil ($0.18)
- 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon ($0.04)
Other toppings optional
- Jam of choice
- Chocolate sauce
Instructions
Crema
- Soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least 8-12 hours, but preferably overnight. Place the can of coconut milk in your fridge to chill for the same amount of time.
- Next, drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a small blender with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Open the can of coconut milk and scoop off the cream portion at the top.
- Add 7 tablespoons of coconut cream to the blender and mix until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste and adjust the sugar. Note: if you have a larger blender, you may want to double the proportions.
Plantains
- Transfer the crema to your fridge while you prepare the plantains. Wash and peel the plantains, then slice them into ¼”-thick coins cut on a slight diagonal. Add them to a mixing bowl and toss with a teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, then cook the plantain slices in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
- Transfer the cooked plantains to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil, then finish cooking the rest. Serve warm with a drizzle of crema, jam, chocolate sauce, or more cinnamon. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- We calculate nutritional information for our recipes with Cronometer.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe-to-recipe.
- Since we reuse our frying oil, it is not calculate in the price of this recipe.
- All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
♻️ Similar recipes
For more scrumptious sweets and treats, check out our:
- Buñuelos for a crispy and delicious dessert sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
- Carlota de limón to try a creamy, tangy, and perfectly sweet icebox cake. Did we mention it's no-bake?!
- Strawberry tamales for a fruity version of this classic Mexican antojito.
- Fresas con crema if you love desserts that are sweet and creamy mixed with juicy and tart.
💬 FAQ
It won't technically be plátanos fritos if you bake them, but they're still extremely delicious without oil.
Yes, plátanos fritos are vegan. Some toppings include condensed milk, but this recipe is 100% plant-based.
If your plantains are still green, you will have to wait a few days for them to ripen. Otherwise, you can make a savoury version with lime, salt, crema, or queso on top.
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