Sweet Fried Plantains Recipe – Pan Fried Platanos Maduros

Love it? Pls Share it!

Enjoy a little taste of the Caribbean at your table with this quick and easy Sweet Fried Plantains recipe. With crispy outsides, and soft, creamy insides, these Sweet Fried Plantains, also known as Platanos Maduros, are sure to become a favorite!

The very first time I tried plantains, I was super disappointed! I’d heard countless times how delicious they were, but I just couldn’t see…ummm…taste it. Perhaps it was the way they were made. Or perhaps they were not as ripe as they should have been.

Fast forward a couple of years – and to a different cuisine region, and I tried them once again. This time they were pan-fried plantains, and they were amazing!

Fried plantains are absolutely delicious with their crispy outsides and soft, creamy insides. They can be enjoyed in a variety of ways at almost any time. They make a great gluten free snack (be sure to check your oil), a scrumptious side dish, and even an amazing appetizer to dunk in chunky salsa and creamy dips.

What Are Plantains?

Not sure what plantains are? Commonly enjoyed in the Caribbean islands and Latin America, plantains look similar to bananas, although they’re a bit larger and firmer.  They are actually part of the banana family, but that’s where the similarities end.

Plantains can be eaten ripe or unripe; although unlike bananas, they are not good to eat raw. Packed full of vitamins, fiber and potassium, plantains are quite healthy. And they are versatile, as well!

How Can You Cook Plantains?

Plantains can be baked or mashed, roasted (like these scrumptious Oven Roasted Red Potatoes) or fried! You can pair them with a salad, serve them with a protein and veggies, dip them in a bowl of New England Chili or enjoy them topped with homemade guacamole.

Whichever way you want eat them I definitely recommend you give this pan-fried sweet plantain recipe a try!

Picking the Perfect Plantain: How Ripe Should Plantains be for Frying?

With this incredibly easy fried plantain recipe, your plantains will turn out crispy on the inside and creamy on the inside. In fact, they’ll taste so good it’ll be hard not to eat them all by yourself! However, the key to making this recipe turn out amazing is using plantains that are at just the right stage of ripeness.

Like bananas, plantains start out green in color and quite firm. As they ripen, they slowly turn bright yellow, then a darker yellow with brown spots. Eventually they will become completely brown and mushy. And as they ripen, they also get sweeter. The riper the plantain, the sweeter it is.

Because you want to use perfectly ripened plantains, you’ll need to do a bit of planning before making this recipe by purchasing the plantains in advance and then letting them ripen for several days.

I find that it usually takes anywhere from a few days to a week or more for green plantains to ripen on the counter.

You can help speed up the ripening process by placing the plantains in a brown paper bag with an apple. Close the bag loosely and set it in a warm area. Once the skin has plenty of brown spots and the plantains are moderately soft, they will fry up nice and sweet.

How to Make Sweet Fried Plantains Recipe

Making this sweet fried plantains recipe is super easy. All you need is a few ingredients, some common cooking supplies and about 20 minutes.

As is, this recipe will serve 6 people.

Kitchen Tools I Used

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links for products or services I think you’ll like. This means if you make a purchase from one of these links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend items I use and love.

• sharp knife
• saute pan
• cooling rack
• metal tongs or a slotted spoon

Ingredients You Need to Make Sweet Fried Plantains

Believe it or not, this recipe calls for just 2 (or 3 if you choose to add some sugar) simple ingredients!

• large very ripe plantains (the browner, the better!)
• Vegetable, canola or another neutral-tasting oil for frying (enough to cover plantains)
• Sugar, optional

Sweet Fried Plantains Recipe Instructions

With crispy outsides, and soft, creamy insides, these Sweet Fried Plantains are sure to become a favorite!

Step One: Peel and Slice

• Use a sharp knife to peel and slice the plantains.
• To peel, I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is to cut about a quarter inch (1/4″) off of each end, and then carefully, without cutting into the ‘meat’ of the plantain, slice the skin down one side. Once you have slit the skin on one side, you can then use your fingers to gently pry the skin off.

• Next, slice the peeled plantains diagonally into 1-inch-thick pieces.

Step Two: Prepare Pan

• Add oil (about 1 ½ inches deep) to a large skillet
• Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches about 350° F. Test the oil for readiness by adding one piece of plantain. If the oil bubbles vigorously, then it is ready to go.

Step Three: Cook Plantains

• Fry the plantains in small batches until they are golden brown, turning once. Be careful not to overcook the plantains, removing them from the oil right when the begin to turn golden brown.
• Once finished, carefully remove the pieces from the oil with some tongs or a slotted spoon.

Step Four: Allow to Cool

• Allow the plantains to cool on a cooling rack or plate. Pro Tip: I personally would not use paper towels because the plantains may stick to them. Not yummy!

Step Five: Dust with Sugar (Optional)

• Make things a little sweeter by sprinkling the cooked plantains with sugar if so desired.

Step Six: Serve

• Serve while they are still warm and enjoy! Don’t they look amazing?!

Other Ways to Enjoy Fried Plantains

• if sugar isn’t your thing, try adding some a sprinkling of salt.
• or add some thinly shredded cheese. Just be sure to sprinkle the cheese on the plantains as soon as you place them on the plate, so they are still piping hot. The cheese will then melt over the plantains creating a sweet and savory treat everyone will love to eat.

Like It? Love It? Share It!

Did you make this easy Fried Plantains recipe? If so, I’d love to see how it turned out! Nothing makes me happier than seeing your take on my recipes.

So please be sure to tag me on Instagram @bullocksbuzz or using #bullocksbuzz and share a photo of your tasty creations!

And don’t forget to save it either by clicking on that little heart there to your right on this page or by pinning it on Pinterest. Then share with your friends and family by clicking the share buttons above the post title, too!

And finally, if you really liked this recipe, comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating on the printable recipe card below!

Fried Plantains Recipe Printable

To make this easy fried plantains recipe even easier, here is the printable version of the recipe.

What is your favorite way to cook plantains? Share with us in the comments below!

Looking for more easy recipes?

Try these:

Green Beans with New Potatoes and Garlic

Caprese Avocado Skewers

Ruby Tuesday’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip: Copy Cat Recipe