Fried Sweet Plantains

4.80 from 15 votes

Perfectly caramelized fried sweet plantains, or platanos maduros, are fried until golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Made with just ripe plantains and cooking fat, they make a perfect side dish for any meal. Naturally gluten-free.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Fried plantain recipe, fried sweet plantains, platanos maduros, sweet plantains recipe

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 6

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 189kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

Equipment

nonstick pan

Ingredients

2 medium ripe plantains (about 10.5 ounces without the skin)
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
sea salt

Instructions

Peel and slice plantains into 1/2-1 inch rounds. Cut off the ends. Using a knife, make a vertical slit down the middle of your plantain. Be careful not to cut through the plantain. Using your hands, peel away the skin. Cut 1/2-1 inch rounds at a slight angle.
Cook plantains. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat, add butter and let it melt. Add plantains in a single layer, spreading out evenly in the pan and allowing some room between them. You may need to make them in two batches depending on how big your pan is. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, flip, and cook another 2-3 minutes, until tender, golden brown, and caramelized. If desired, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
Enjoy! Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!⁠

Notes

When making sweet plantains, you need to use ripe plantains. Look for ones that are yellow with lots of brown spots or slightly brown. The more spots they have, the sweeter they will be, which is what you want. They will have more sugar content, allowing them to caramelize nicely.

Nutrition