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Bon Appétit

Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)

4.1

(42)

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Image may contain Plant Fruit Food Dish Meal and Platter
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Judy Mancini.

The best plantains for this maduros recipe are the ones that have very black skins and tender flesh. The darker they are, the sweeter and less starchy they become, and that is exactly what you want to get that deep caramelization and custardy interior. Make these as a dish with Ropa Vieja and Cuban-Style Black Beans.

Ingredients

4–6 servings

4

large, very ripe plantains

1½

cups vegetable oil

Kosher salt or sugar (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim ends of plantains, peel, and cut diagonally into 1" pieces.

    Step 2

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Carefully place 1 plantain piece in oil. If it bubbles vigorously, the oil is ready. If it doesn’t, wait another minute, and try again. Working in batches, cook plantains, turning once, until beginning to brown, 1–2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until soft and deep golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet tray. Season with salt and/or sugar, if desired. Serve hot.

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Reviews (42)

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  • If you want the best, West African style plantains, get those ones that look almost rotten they are so black, and cook them in pure palm oil. That caramelized crust is what you are looking for. And yes, I will eat any plantain placed before me - my 15th birthday dinner was simply a plate piled as high as possible with fried plantains like this. Boiled, mashed, pies, tostones, etc., all great, but the caramelized treats that come from palm oil and the plantains that American grocery stores used to throw away, THAT is the best in my book!

    • Blaine

    • Columbia, SC

    • 11/16/2022

  • This recipe is the basic recipe for making Maduros. If your plantains are black they will be soft and sweet and if your plantains are yellow like a ripe banana you will get a more starchy end product. I love them both ways - my guess is the reviewer below does not like plantains or does not know how to choose the right ones.

    • SB

    • Michigan

    • 1/10/2022

  • I love almost all of Bon Appetit's recipes, but this one just wasn't that great. Don't get me wrong they were still pretty good, but I have had so much better. I found another recipe for this that is similar, but uses butter to fry the plantains. I am going to give this one a try next time.

    • Anonymous

    • Tennessee

    • 7/31/2020

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