Air Fried Sweet Plantains

If you are looking for a Caribbean inspired side dish, these air fried sweet plantains (maduros) are at the top of my favorite's list.

Sweet plantains hold a special place in my heart; my dad used to make me these sweet plantains with scrambled eggs for breakfast all the time. They are truly special!

These sweet plantains also known as "maduros" are staples in Latin cuisine.

Recipe highlights

Sweet plantains are the result of green plantains becoming soft and ripe. You might be familiar with green plantains to make patacones (tostones).

Sweet plantains develop a sugary taste similar to bananas, but they taste quite different than bananas.

In Colombia we serve sweet plantains (usually deep fried) in the traditional Bandeja Paisa (beans and rice dish from Medellin).

These plantains are delicious in rice bowls, as toppings for chili or bean soup and my favorite way to eat them; with scrambled eggs and arepa.

Ingredients

To make sweet plantains you will only need 2 ingredients; ripe plantains and avocado oil (or vegetable oil).

• Plantains: Look for soft, darker skin plantains. You will usually find them at the store when they are yellow, allow 2-3 days for them to fully ripen on your counter before making this recipe. You will rarely find over ripe plantains at the stores, since they look like they have gone bad (but they haven't!).
• Oil: I like spraying the plantains with some oil (or adding about a tablespoon of oil) to coat them well before putting them in the air fryer. This allows them to caramelize better without drying out.

You will find plantains in the grocery store by the tropical fruit section (usually where the coconut, papayas and bananas are).

Most grocery stores carry green plantains, you can buy them when they are green and allow them to ripen on your countertop (usually 4-5 days).

I like my plantains very sweet, so I let them get ripe for as many days as needed. What I am looking for is a very soft feel when I touch them and a dark color in the skin.

The one example shown below is a very ripe plantain. It has completely browned skin but it is still supple, doesn't show any bruising inside and doesn't have any funky smell.

For beginners I recommend looking for a very dark yellow color and soft to the touch kind of feel.

Recipe instructions

Typically, plantains are deep fried but I found the air fryer to yield better results in terms of texture and efficiency without sacrificing flavor.

I like to dice my plantains but you can slice them into coins or diagonally to create an oval-like shape.

Since I use my plantains for my scrambled eggs or my rice bowls, I like to dice them as shown below.

I like to cut the plantain in half first to make peel the skin off with easy. For this I like using a small pairing knife.

After the skin is removed I cut both pieces in half lengthwise, I end up with 4 logs.

I place each piece flat side down, cut in the middle lengthwise and dice crosswise to end up with cubes that are about ½ inch in size.

Coat them with vegetable oil (use spray for easier coating) and toss them to coat all sides.

Place them in the air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for 8 minutes or until golden brown, flipping half way through.

Serving suggestions

As I mentioned at the beginning, I grew up eating these sweet plantains for breakfast with scrambled eggs and Colombian arepa.

These are great additions to thick soups such as chili or my ham and lentil soup.

I love to serve these as a topping for my rice bowls, one of my favorite combos is taco meat, rice, avocado, pickled onions and these sweet plantains.

Leftovers and storage

If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge in a tightly seal container for up to 3 days, however the texture is a bit different when reheated.

The best way to reheat them is to pop them back on to the air fryer at 350°F for about 3 minutes or until heated thru.

You can freeze air fried sweet plantains and reheat them in the air fryer. They keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I highly recommend eating the sweet plantains when they are fresh for the most authentic experience in terms of flavor and texture.