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Sweet Fried Plantains are the perfect combination of sweet and salty plus they are hot and crispy. These are one of my favorite foods to order at a restaurant, but the are so easy to make at home. All you need is about 15 minutes and 3 ingredients.
Enjoy these as a snack or appetizer or pair with rice and beans or any Mexican dish. Read below to find out how to pick out the perfect plantains and how to fry them easily.

How to make Sweet Fried Plantains
Cut each end off of the plantain and remove the peel. Cut the plantains into 5 or 6 pieces. Heat your oil in a pot or cast iron pan over medium heat. Make sure that the pan or pot has higher sides so they oil doesn’t splatter out easily.
Add the plantains into the oil one at a time. The oil should sizzle when you add the plantains in. If the oil is not hot enough it won’t sizzle. Turn the plantains every 30 seconds or so until they are golden brown on all sides.
Remove from the oil and squish them. I use a small glass or glass food storage container to do this. Anything with a flat surface that can touch hot foods will work for this step. Then, return to the oil and cook for another minute or two on each side.
Remove from pan, sprinkle with salt and let cool slightly on paper towels on a plate. Serve immediately!
How to Buy Ripe Plantains or Ripen Plantains
Ripe plantains will work best for this recipe. Look for plantains that are yellow and black. Green plantains are not ripe. A little yellow on the plantains is good because it makes them easier to work with than the all black plantains. If you have plantains that are not ripe enough, store them in a paper bag and let them ripen. This can take up to a week or two.

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For more delicious vegan recipes like Sweet Fried Plantains, check out our Crock Pot Blueberry Applesauce, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chickpea Blondies, Nutella Chickpea Brownies, Forbidden Rice and Beans, Almond and Mandarin Quinoa Salad, Garlic Broccoli Lo Mein, Polynesian Power Grain Bowl, Three Bean Salsa, Bruschetta, and Pear Pumpkin Applesauce.

Fried Plantains
Fried plantains are a perfect sweet and salty side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 plantains
- vegetable oil
- salt
Instructions
- Cut ends off of plantain. Then, remove the peel.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a pan or cast iron pan. Make sure the pan has higher sides to that the oil can not splatter easily.
- Add the plantains and turn them every day 30 seconds until they are light golden brown.
- Use a glass or flat dish to squish plantains. Return to the pot and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Remove from the pan and cool on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to stay near the pan and turn these frequently or they will burn.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 plantainAmount Per Serving: Calories: 339Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 303mgCarbohydrates: 75gFiber: 6gSugar: 34gProtein: 2g
This post was originally published on February 9, 2019 and updated on March 8, 2021.