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Twice-fried green plantains are a Puerto Rican staple. These crispy golden brown tostones make the perfect appetizer or side dish for any Caribbean meal.
![Tostones stacked on a blue plate with a small bowl of mayo-ketchup sauce.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-26-683x1024.jpg)
Table of Contents
Growing up in the Bronx with a Puerto Rican mom meant crispy tostones were often on our dinner table, and I didn’t mind this at all! Twice-fried plantains always make me feel at home no matter where I eat them. They are perfectly golden brown, crunchy, and salty– all things I look for in a savory treat.
![Dipping a tostone into mayo-ketchup sauce.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-28-683x1024.jpg)
What Are Tostones?
Fried green plantains go by many names in Latin American countries, including tostones in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, patacones in Colombia, and tachinos in Costa Rica. They are a popular side dish in Puerto Rico, served alongside many meals (such as pernil—roasted pork shoulder—and churrasco—grilled skirt steak). They are often served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce like mayo ketchup (a mixture of equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup) and mojo de ajo (garlic sauce).
The Difference Between Tostones And Maduros
Tostones are savory and made from unripe green plantains. Maduros are sweet and made from ripe yellow plantains! You can ripen green plantains in a brown paper bag for a few days, and they will eventually become sweet plantains. Use the greenest plantain you can find in the grocery store for the best tostones. For the best sweet maduros, use the yellow plantains with black spots or patches. The darker the plantain gets, the sweeter your maduros will be.
![Golden brown green plantains frying in a large skillet with vegetable oil.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-13-683x1024.jpg)
What Type Of Oil Should You Use To Fry Tostones
A neutral cooking oil is always best when deep-frying anything, not just tostones. Oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, and avocado oil all have a high smoking point, which means they will not burn at high temperatures. Extra-virgin olive oil is not suggested, as it has a low smoke point of 350°F, so the oil would burn before frying the plantains thoroughly.
Ingredients
This recipe only uses four ingredients:
![Ingredient flat lay for twice fried tostones: green plantains, kosher salt, garlic cloves, neutral oil, and water.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-1-683x1024.jpg)
Green Plantains:
This starchy root vegetable looks like a jumbo green banana; however, it has a thicker skin and cannot be eaten raw (it must be cooked, fried, boiled, steamed, or stewed).
Water, Garlic Cloves, and kosher Salt:
These three ingredients are combined to make a brine for the plantain slices. The brine is used twice in the cooking process: once before the first fry and again before the second fry.
How To Make Tostones: Crispy Twice-Fried Green Plantains
Green unripe plantains are peeled using a paring knife and your fingers to slide off the skin and then cut into 1-inch thick slices.
![Cutting off the ends of a whole green plantain with a paring knife.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-3-683x1024.jpg)
![Slicing shallow cuts down the length of a green plantain using a paring knife.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-4-683x1024.jpg)
![Sliding my thumb under the skin of a green plantain to remove the peel.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-5-683x1024.jpg)
The plantain slices are soaked in salted water and smashed garlic cloves, then dried off and fried for the first time.
![Slicing green plantains into 1-inch pieces.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-7-683x1024.jpg)
![Pouring salt into a large pyrex measuring cup with smashed garlic cloves and sliced green plantains.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-8-683x1024.jpg)
![Frying tostones in a large skillet with vegetable oil.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-10-683x1024.jpg)
After frying on each side until fully golden brown, the plantain slices are removed from the oil and placed on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Place one of the friend plantains between a sheet of parchment paper and smash it with a meat press, the bottom of a glass cup, or a tostone press until flattened to a quarter of an inch thick.
![Golden brown green plantains frying in a large skillet with vegetable oil.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-12-683x1024.jpg)
![Single tostone on a sheet of parchment paper after the first fry.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-14-683x1024.jpg)
![Flattening a tostone between a sheet of parchment paper with a meat press.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-15-683x1024.jpg)
Dip the flattened plantain into the reserved garlic salt water for a second time and soak for 5-10 seconds.
![Smashed tostone on parchment paper.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-16-683x1024.jpg)
![Flattened tostones being dipped into a garlic saltwater brine.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-17-683x1024.jpg)
![Frying pressed tostones for the second time in a large skillet.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-20-683x1024.jpg)
Remove from the water and dry off again before returning the plantain to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and remove from the oil to a paper towel-lined plate. Season immediately with salt and serve.
Tips For Recipe Success
- How to peel a green plantain: Cut off the ends of the plantain. Using a paring knife, create shallow cuts around the length of the plantain (through the skin, not touching the flesh). Slide your thumb under the shallow cuts and run it along the flesh of the plantain to remove the peel easily.
- After removing the sliced plantains from the brine, dry them thoroughly. This will ensure that the hot oil won’t splatter anywhere, as it would if excess water was on the plantain.
- As soon as you remove the twice-fried plantains from the oil, sprinkle them with salt. The remaining oil will help the salt adhere to the tostones, giving them the perfect salty, crispy bite. A finishing salt, such as Maldon, would be the best choice.
- Watch this video tutorial if you need a little extra guidance.
![Tostones stacked on a blue plate with a small bowl of mayo-ketchup sauce.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-21-683x1024.jpg)
Try Out More Puerto Rican Recipes Here:
- Arroz Con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
- Puerto Rican Sofrito
- Easy Puerto Rican Picadillo (Stewed Ground Beef)
![Tostones stacked on a blue plate with a small bowl of mayo-ketchup sauce.](https://thedailyspeshyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/totstones-21-150x150.jpg)
Tostones Recipe (Crispy Twice-Fried Green Plantains)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 tostones 1x
Description
Twice-fried green plantains are a Puerto Rican staple. These crispy golden brown tostones make the perfect appetizer or side dish for any Caribbean meal.
Ingredients
2 green plantains
4 garlic cloves
2 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
vegetable oil or canola oil
Instructions
- Cut off the ends of the plantain and make 2-3 shallow cuts down the length of the plantain. Slide your thumb into the cuts and follow along the seam under the peel to remove the skin from the plantain. Chop the plantains into one-inch pieces.
- In a bowl filled with 2 cups of water, mix in 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and 4 whole smashed cloves of garlic.
- Place your plantains into the water, stir them, and let them sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Pour enough oil into a large skillet to fill it 1/2 an inch up the sides. Place the pan over medium-high heat and heat until the temperature of the oil reaches 350°F.
- Dry the plantains thoroughly with paper towels, set your garlic water to the side, and place the plantains in the hot oil for the first fry. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oil and put them on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Using a tostone press, a meat press, or the bottom of a glass cup, smash the fried plantains between a sheet of parchment paper until they are a quarter of an inch thick.
- Dip each plantain into the reserved garlic water for 5-10 seconds. Pat off any excess moisture and lower the flame to medium heat. Return the flattened plantains to the hot oil for the second fry for an additional minute.
- Remove the plantains from the oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
How to peel a green plantain: Cut off the ends of the plantain. Using a paring knife, create shallow cuts around the length of the plantain (through the skin, not touching the flesh). Slide your thumb under the shallow cuts and run it along the flesh of the plantain to remove the peel easily.
After removing the sliced plantains from the brine, dry them thoroughly. This will ensure that the hot oil won’t splatter anywhere, as it would if excess water was on the plantain.
After you remove the twice-fried plantains from the oil, sprinkle them with salt. The remaining oil will help the salt adhere to the tostones, giving them the perfect salty, crispy bite. A finishing salt, such as Maldon, would be the best choice.
Watch this video tutorial if you need a little extra guidance.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Brine Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: frying
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Caribbean
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