Easy 15-Min Tostones | Dominican & Puerto Rican Recipe
Fried plantains are a staple in the Caribbean. This easy tostones recipe only requires 10 minutes and 3 ingredients. It is well-loved in Puerto Rico and the Dominican with good reason, I know you will love it too!
Jump to RecipeTwice-fried Green Plantains?
Yes! Savory and delicious twice-fried plantains or tostones, are a staple in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The only difference between each Caribbean country’s crispy tostones is where they are made. 😊 Tostones can also be found outside Caribbean cuisine in Latin American Countries.
Tostones are a traditional side dish in Puerto Rico. You can find them at any restaurant as our white rice and beans faithful companion. They are typically served with mayo ketchup or mojo sauce (garlic sauce). Mayo-ketchup sauce is made of mayonnaise, ketchup and typically Adobo seasoning or other seasonings you like. This is an easy and great addition to your sauce collection. On the other hand, Mojo is a garlic sauce made from fresh garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, parsley, and other spices. This is THE perfect pairing for tostones. Checkout this Quick & Easy Mojo Sauce 2-Ways Recipe to try it with your tostones today!
In the Dominican Republic, they make another plantain delicacy called mangú. Rather than frying, they boil plantains and mush them (with a potato masher). They are then served with pickled red onions and fried salami. Believe me when I tell you that dish is legit, one of my favorites from Dominican cuisine.
What Do I Need to Make Tostones?
To make tostones you only need 3 ingredients: vegetable oil, salt and, most importantly, unripe green plantains. While ripe plantains are sweeter, the consistency is different and frying it will not have a crispy result. We do fry the yellow plantain (ripe, sweet plantains) to make amarillos or maduros (a different side dish), and they have a soft texture with a sweet taste. However, the tostones recipe requires firm, green plantains.
The only other two ingredients you need are coarse salt (e.g. kosher or sea salt) and a good amount of vegetable oil. You also need a skillet or frying pan, long thongs, a sharp knife, and a tostonera or the bottom of a round glass.
What is a Tostonera?
A tostonera is a plantain masher. It is typically made of wood. Split into two attached parts with a handle and a round dip inside (on both sides) where you place the plantain after frying it the first time. Using the handle, you close the tostonera into itself and smash the plantain, giving it that nice look without crushing or breaking it.
How Do I Make Tostones?
Begin by using a sharp knife to cut the ends of the plantains, and slice lengthwise along the skin of the plantain to remove it. Once the skin is removed, cut the plantain into 1-1.5 inch diagonal rounds. You want them to be thick. Then pour vegetable oil in a skillet until it fills it over halfway, and set it to medium-high heat.
Place the plantain slices in the hot oil in a single layer, and fry them for 2-4 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once they are golden brown, move them from the pan to a plate lined with paper towel. If you are frying in batches, finish that step first.
Once the rounds are fried, smash them one at a time using a tostonera or the bottom of a glass to flatten them out into discs. Do not smash the plantain rounds too hard or they will break! The idea is just to flatten them into slices. They will be about ½ inch thick.
@lau_happy_wookiee Making some tostones tonight! What’s your favorite sauce to eat tostones with? Full recipe link in my bio! https://thehappywookiee.com #tostones #caribbeanfood #puertoricanfoodcheck #friedgreenplantains #greenplantain
Place the smashed plantain back in the hot oil and fry them again until golden brown. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on them during this process so they do not burn. Once fried a second time, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate lined with new paper towels to remove any excess oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of kosher salt, sea salt or salt of preference. If you want to, you can garnish with chopped parsley as well.
Serve the tostones at room temperature with mayo-ketchup, mojo (garlic sauce) as an appetizer or a side dish during dinner. For the perfect sides to these tostones, feel free to check out this Mojo 2-Ways Recipe as well as my super simple 20-Minute White Rice & Pink Beans Recipe. It will make you feel like you are at a Puerto Rican restaurant but instead, you are home eating ultra-tasty food!
A few notes.
The tostonera is common in Puerto Rican kitchens. However, if you do not have one, simply use the bottom of glass or place the plantain between two flat plates. You want to make sure to flatten the tostón, not crush it. Otherwise, it will fall apart before you even get to fry it.
When removing the skin of the plantain, be sure to cut lengthwise and not go so deep you cut into the plantain. To make it easier on your slice, make three long slices on the plantain, then pull them apart with your fingers. The peel will come off and easily reveal the plantain.
Some people like to soak the smashed plantain in a large bowl with water before frying it a second time as it adds moisture to the inside of their tostones. I normally skip this step as I have not had issues with the texture but if you do and want to try this method, you are more than welcome to.
All Done!
I hope you enjoyed this easy 15-min tostones recipe! Feel free to share how you liked it and if you used any special dipping sauce you really love. It is always nice to hear how people adapt recipes to their home taste. 😊
¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Easy 15-Min Tostones | Dominican & Puerto Rican Recipe
Equipment
- Large frying skillet
- Tostonera optional
- Long thong or slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 4 green plantains (unripe plantains)
- Vegetable oil (canola oil)
- Kosher salt or regular salt
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut the ends of the plantains, then slice lengthwise along the skin of the plantain to remove it. Cut into 1-1.5 inch diagonal rounds. You want them to be thick and even.
- In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil until it fills it over halfway. Set it to medium-high heat.
- Once hot, place the plantain slices in the skillet in a single layer, and fry them for 2-4 minutes. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once they are golden brown, move them from the pan to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Smash the rounds using a tostonera or the bottom of a glass to flatten them out into discs.
- Place the smashed plantain back in the hot oil and fry them again until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).
- Remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with new paper towels to remove any excess oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of kosher salt, sea salt or salt of preference. Serve with mayo-ketchup, mojo, or lime sauce.
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
