Fried Sweet Plantains (platanos maduros fritos)

Name: Fried Sweet Plantains (platanos maduros fritos)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 ripe plantains, peeled and cut diagonally into 1 inch slices; 1/2 lemon, juice of; salt

Submitted by Hey Jude

"This is a terrific Cuban side dish or, as we have them, just a snack. You can serve these with rice and beans and entrees of meat or fish. Plantains are becoming more available in grocery stores and they're really tasty!"

Download

photo by Niurka G.

Ready In:: 20mins
Ingredients:: 5
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

¹⁄₄ cup butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ripe plantains, peeled and cut diagonally into 1 inch slices
¹⁄₂ lemon, juice of
salt

directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat; add the plantain slices and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, moving the slices with a spatula occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the plantains from the skillet with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.
Transfer to a large, warm serving platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt and serve warm.
*unripeplantains are green and hard, as they ripen they turn yellow and then get mottled with dark spots; Ripe plantains are sweet and soft and are brownish-black in color and resemble overripe bananas; To ripen a plantain, keep them in a warm place until they turn yellow, then brownish-black.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!

Reviews

I can attest that this recipe is spot-on. I make maduros at home as well as always order them whenever I go to a restaurant that serves them. The balance of sweet/fruity with salty/acidic is what maduros are all about, and if you follow this recipe (and use your taste buds when adding the salt and juice) you will be able to accomplish this. <br/><br/>I live in Florida and am hispanic (though I'm not cubano), and I can assure you that to my knowledge I have NEVER eaten maduros that had been rolled in sugar at any point the way others are suggesting. If you ever feel the need to roll your plátanos in sugar before frying it is likely because they are not ripe enough. Color of the peel is not always enough to tell a ripe plátano; it could be solid black but still not ripe enough (this will happen if you stored them in the fridge). If the plátano is not sweet enough on its own to eat it raw because it's too starchy, then it's not ripe no matter what it looks like.

Adam B.
I also roll them in sugar. Over all this is a great recipe.

ChezNicolette
I roll my platanos in sugar after frying to make them even sweeter. I've never heard of using lemon juice and salt to make fried sweet plaintains!?!

KarlaMaria

Tweaks

I never made these until last night. I used about 1/4 cup canola oil, with three tablespoons of sesame oil, three pats of butter, and salt added to the pan. No lemon or sugar. My wife and I went wild for them. Soooo good. I usually just look up recipes to see how to properly cook things, then play by ear. I am making these again as soon as the plantain turns yellow with a little brown.

Nuus M.