Sweet Plantain Fritters (Platanos Maduros Fritos)
Sweet plantain fritters are a popular side dish in many countries. Eaten as a side dish or as a snack, these tasty treats will soon be one of your favorites. Once you try them, you’ll see why. Sweet inside and crispy on the outside, they’re easy to make, so you’ll be able to whip up a batch for dinner in no time. This is a beginner friendly recipe, so don’t worry if you’ve never made them before.
Wherever plantains grow, this is where you will find numerous dishes using this cousin of the banana. Plantains grow from West to East Africa; Central America, the Caribbean; and even Southeast Asia and Oceania. While there are many dishes that use the plantain, this post focuses on the Sweet Plantain Fritter, known in Spanish as platanos maduros fritos. (pla-ta-noes ma-doo-roes free-toes) This sweet treat is made using ripe sweet plantains that are very yellow and have black spots on them; in contrast to tostones, which are savory fritters made using green plantains. Both are delicious, crispy fritters that you will find yourself making again and again.
What Is The Difference Between Tostones and Maduros?
Both tostones and maduros (sweet plantain fritters) are made from the plantain. The difference is in what stage the plantain is in when you fry it. To get maduros, you want to have very yellow plantains that are soft with dark spots on them. If you want tostones, you want the plantain to be very green and unripe. At this stage, they will also be quite hard. When plantains are very green, they have a taste similar to potatoes when they are fried. As the plantain ripens, the starches turn to sugar, making the plantain turn sweet, almost like a banana. While plantains are edible raw, they are best enjoyed baked or fried.
Ingredients
- Plantains Yellow, soft plantains with black spots are used in this recipe.
- Oil For best results, use a neutral frying oil, such as vegetable oil. If you like coconut oil, you could also use it in this recipe.
- Salt A nice, flaky sea salt makes a great addition to these sweet fritters.
Why I Love This Recipe
How do they taste? They taste like sweet, crispy fried bananas. The frying gives them a nice caramelization, which really adds to the flavor.
How do they smell? I think they smell like pancakes when they are frying. You can really smell how sweet they are when they are frying. So delicious!
Are they easy to make? They are not too difficult to make. The hardest part is making sure to watch them closely so they do not burn. After a coupe of tries, you’ll be an old pro!
Would I make it again? Yes, they make such a quick and delicious snack, it would be hard not to make them.
How To Make Sweet Plantain Fritters
First, we need to peel the plantain. Their skin is a bit tougher than a banana, though not quite as tough as the green ones. Cut the ends off the plantain, then, using a sharp knife, slit the plantain skin lengthwise being careful not to cut the fruit inside. You want to slit it just enough to be able to remove it. Once you have made the slit, remove the peel. It should come of pretty easily.
Add the oil. You’ll need to add about half a cup of oil to a medium-sized cast iron pan. Heat the oil up over medium heat while you slice the plantain into 1-inch pieces.
Add the plantains to the hot oil. I like to do half a batch at a time if I’m using two plantains. You don’t want to crowd them in the pan. Watch them closely because they do not take that long to cook. You’re looking for them to turn a deep, golden brown. Once you see the sides start to turn golden brown, flip them over and fry them on the other side. They’ll cook faster as the oil continues to heat up.
Remove from pan. Once they have cooked on both sides, remove them to a plate lined with paper towels using a slotted spoon to soak up some of the oil. I like to salt mine right away to help the salt stick to the plantains.
Serve hot! And there you have it, some absolutely delicious finger foods. They make a great side dish, or eat them on their own as an evening snack!
How Do I Store Sweet Plantain Fritters
Store fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, if you can resist eating them for that long. I do not recommend freezing fried plantains, they would be too mushy upon thawing out and would not have the delicious crispiness they are known for.
Other Recipes to Try
These sweet treats would make an excellent side dish for the The Best Cuban Sandwich or my Cuban Fricase de Pollo. And why not follow it all up with my Homemade Tres Leches Recipe?
Sweet Plantain Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe plantains
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil into a medium size cast iron pan. Turn the heat to medium while you slice up the plantain.
- Cut off the ends of the plantains. Using a sharp knife, slice the peel lengthwise, being careful not to slice the plantain. Then, slice the plantain into 1 inch pieces. I like to slice them on a bias cut, but you don't have to.
- Add half of the sliced plantains to the pan on the stove. Make sure they are not stacked on top of each other as they will not cook evenly this way. Let them cook for about 1 minute. You will see the sides of them begin to turn brown. At this point, you will want to flip them over.
- Once you have flipped them over, let them cook for about another minute, or until they start to brown. You want to be careful not to overcook them.
- The plantains cook quickly, so keep a careful watch over them. Once they are done, remove them with a slotted spoon and put them onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain the oil. Salt them as soon as they come out of the pan as this helps the salt stick to the fritters.
Notes
- Store fritters in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Nutrition
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