Tostones Recipe (Crispy Twice-Fried Green Plantains)

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.

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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.

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.

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:

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.

The plantain slices are soaked in salted water and smashed garlic cloves, then dried off and fried for the first time.

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.

Dip the flattened plantain into the reserved garlic salt water for a second time and soak for 5-10 seconds.

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.

Try Out More Puerto Rican Recipes Here:

• Arroz Con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
• Puerto Rican Sofrito
• Easy Puerto Rican Picadillo (Stewed Ground Beef)

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