Learn how to cook plantains using a Ghanaian-inspired kelewele recipe. The sweet and spicy plantains cook up perfectly golden and caramelized on the stovetop, grill, oven, or air fryer.
What Are Plantains?
Plantains are part of the banana family, but they’re meant to be cooked, not eaten raw. Originally from Southeast Asia, they spread along trade routes and became a staple across the Caribbean, West Africa, and Latin America.
| Green Plantains (Unripe) | Firm, starchy, and not very sweet. They are similar to potatoes. Method: Pan-Fry, Air Fry, Oven, Boil Dishes: Tostones (Twice-Fried Plantains), Plantain Chips, Boiled Plantains |
| Yellow Plantains (Ripe) | Slightly sweet and tender. Method: Pan-Fry, Air Fry, Oven, Grill Dishes: Kelewele, Maduros (Sweet Fried Plantains), Baked Plantains |
| Black Plantains (Very Ripe) | Soft, caramelized, and very sweet. Methods: Pan-Fry, Oven Dishes: Dessert Recipes |
Key Ingredients
From crispy tostones to golden, caramelized sweet plantains, learning how to cook plantains couldn’t be easier. All it takes is a few simple ingredients and a hot pan. This Ghanaian-inspired kelewele (pronounced kay-lay-way-lay) recipe calls for ripe yellow plantains, but feel free to mix and match the ingredients and ripeness levels depending on what you’re making.
- Plantains: Select ripe plantains since they are sweeter and will caramelize more easily.
- Oil or Ghee: Use neutral oil with a high smoking point or ghee if you decide to fry the plantains.
- Marinade: Flavor the plantains with a sweet and spicy marinade brimming with shallots, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and warm spices like cayenne powder, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and a crushed Maggie bouillon cube.
How to Choose Plantains
When choosing plantains, gently squeeze them to check for ripeness; ripe plantains will yield slightly to pressure, similar to a ripe banana. Avoid the ones that are too firm or mushy.
Green plantains are unripe and firm, ideal for frying and boiling, as they hold their shape well as they cook. Yellow plantains or yellow with brown or black spots are ripe and have a slightly sweet flavor, perfect for baking and to use in sweeter plantain recipes like kelewele since they will caramelize as they saute in a pan.
Use ripe plantains in recipes that call for plantains to be mashed or cooked quickly. The best way to prepare black or very dark brown plantains that are overripe is to include them in plantain bread and other desserts.
Ripe plantains can be hard to find in grocery stores, but you can ripen them at home. If you have the time, let the plantains sit at room temperature for one to two weeks, or speed up the process by placing them in a brown paper bag. They should ripen within 4-5 days.
Additions and Substitutions
The marinade and spices to flavor the plantains vary depending on the region and the recipe you’re preparing. For instance, plátanos only require oil and a little salt. But for this kelewele recipe, I use West African ingredients.
- Fat: Coconut Oil, Butter, Avocado Oil
- Sweetener: Vanilla Extract, Honey, Coconut Sugar, Agave Nectar, Brown Sugar, or White Sugar
- Spices: Puree scotch bonnets and other chiles into a marinade for spicy fried plantains.
Prepare the Plantains
Before cooking, you’ll need to peel the plantains. They may look like bananas, but they’re a bit trickier to peel. Here’s the best way to do it.
Score the plantain from end to end.
Remove the peel from the plantain.
Slice the plantains in half diagonally.
Leave it whole or cut the slices in half.
How to Cook Plantains
Marinate the Plantains
Plantains are starchy and low in sugar, so they maintain their shape as they cook. However,
Step 1: Prepare the plantains and transfer them to a mixing bowl with the marinade ingredients. Toss to combine, cover, and set the bowl aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Fried Plantains
Pan-fried sweet plantains or plátanos maduros cooks up quickly, just 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Crispy tostones (or twice-fried plantains) are another delicious way to enjoy plantains. Simply peel and slice the plantains on a diagonal, then fry the pieces in oil or ghee until they cook through. Smash them flat, then increase the heat and fry again until golden and crisp.
Tip
Soak the plantains in salted water for a few minutes before frying to keep them crispy.
Step 1: Warm oil or ghee in a non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Arrange the plantain slices in a single layer and fry the slices for 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 2: Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and set them on a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack.
Steamed or Boiled Plantains
You can boil green (unripe) or yellow (ripe) plantains. Green plantains are starchy, similar to potatoes, so they take about 15–20 minutes to cook. Yellow plantains are softer and only need 10–15 minutes. Once tender, drain them well and serve them hot with a drizzle of olive oil or butter, or pair them with stews, beans, or eggs.
Baked Plantains
Arrange unpeeled plantains on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake them for about 1 hour in an oven heated to 425ºF (218ºC). Remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing the peel. Once cooked, slice the plantains, boil them, or mash them with spices and other ingredients.
Alternatively, slice the plantains and bake them with apples, sweet potatoes, and squash.
Prepare plantain chips in the oven by preheating the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Thinly slice the plantain chips with a sharp knife or mandolin before tossing them lightly in oil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the plantain slices onto it. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.
Grilled Plantains
Start by peeling the plantains and brushing them with oil. Place them oil-side-down on a prepared grill. Cook them for 4-6 minutes, basting them with oil as needed. Flip, and continue grilling until they are golden brown and tender. Sprinkle the finished plantains with salt, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, sugar, and other spices and seasonings.
Air Fried Plantains
It depends on the type of plantains you are making, but for most plantain recipes, 8-10 minutes at 350°F (176°C) is the ideal cooking time. Arrange the plantain slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook them until golden, flipping halfway through for even crisping.
Pair the side dish with one of these tasty dinner recipes!
How to Serve Plantains
Depending on how you prepare plantains, they are a tasty addition to soup, stews, and sauces. You can bake or fry them to serve alongside meat entrees like carnitas, red red, ropa vieja, arroz con pollo, Jamaican chicken fricassee, Peruvian chicken, black beans, or blackened mahi mahi.
Cut the plantains into cubes and add them to soup, mash them with butter, fry them into chips, or bake them for dessert.
Or you can slice them thin to eat the plantain chips as a snack with dips such as garlic sauce, chipotle lime sauce, BBQ aioli, serrano crema, Caribbean hot sauce, or lemon dill aioli.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between plantains and bananas?
Plantains may look like bananas, and while they are genetically similar, they have many differences. You can eat bananas raw or cooked, but plantains are starchy, so you want to cook them before digging in.
Size: Plantains are often larger than bananas.
Flavor: Raw or cooked bananas are soft and sweet. On the other hand, only cooked and ripe plantains are sweet. Otherwise, plantains have a mild squash-like or potato-like flavor.
Appearance: There are green and yellow plantains, and they have a tough peel and are typically less curved than bananas.
Can I eat plantains raw?
Not really. Plantains are starchy and bland when uncooked so I recommend cooking them first.
What oil is best for frying plantains?
Use oils with a high smoke point like avocado oil, vegetable oil, or ghee.
More Kitchen Tips:
How to Cook Plantains
- 2-3 plantains, ripe (yellow to black), sliced ½-inch and cut in half
- ¼ cup oil
- lemon juice, ½ lemon
- ½ shallot, finely diced
- 2 -inch knob of ginger, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Maggie bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
- Prepare the plantains and transfer them to a mixing bowl with the marinade ingredients. Toss to combine, cover, and set the bowl aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Warm oil or ghee in a non-stick skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Arrange the plantain slices in a single layer and fry the slices for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and set them on a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Score the plantain from end to end.
- Remove the peel from the plantain.
- Cut the plantains in half diagonally.
- Cut the plantain slices in half.
Sara
Friday 26th of May 2023
The caramelized and crispy texture was pure perfection.
Daniel Reynolds
Friday 26th of May 2023
Wow! These fried plantains took me back to my time in Ghana. The marination process with shallots, ginger, lemon juice, and warm spices made all the difference in bringing out the authentic flavors. The crispy exterior and tender interior made it a delightful snack. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Jennifer K.
Monday 13th of February 2023
I made these kelewele for the first time and they were a hit! The combination of sweet plantains and warm spices is so delicious. I'll definitely be making these again and again.
Priscille
Sunday 16th of October 2022
I've never had plantains with a flavor like this. 10/10
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 16th of October 2022
It's always fun to experiment with new flavors!