Are plantains healthy?

Yes! They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and some B vitamins that are good for heart health. Using plantains that are boiled or baked will conserve these beneficial nutrients.

What do I eat my plantains with?

That is going to depend on who you ask. I'm Dominican and well aware that people eat their tostones differently. My Puerto Rican friends enjoy theirs with a ketchup mayo mix while I personally enjoy mine plain with a little salt as a side along with some rice and Habichuelas Guisadas . I've paired these plantains with some mashed avocado since avocado just goes great with everything. Before becoming vegan, I used to eat them all the time with fried salami. Recently, I found some familiar salami flavors in Gardein's Breakfast Sausage patties in case you need that familiar flavor too, it definitely gave me all the childhood feels.

Why did my plantain break apart when smashing it?

There are a few reasons for this. One would be that you may not have had a fresh plantain. Fresh cooked plantains keep together really well, but if you refrigerate them or find them refrigerated at purchase, they will break apart much easier. A second reason is that your plantain might not have cooked all the way through, which might be a result of the banana pieces being cut to big or not cooked long enough to cook the center.

What do green plantains taste like?

They kind of remind me of a cross between a banana and potato. Very, very mild banana taste (honestly I can't taste banana from the green ones) with a more bold starchy potato kind of taste. When fried, they are nice and crispy and often served with a sprinkle of salt.

Can I bake these in the oven?

You can, but it won't be the same since the air fryer does act like a convection oven that helps to circulate heat all around the plantain coins as they cook. For the oven, you will have an easier time using a riper plantain as it will caramelize as it bakes.

Healthy Air Fryer Plantains (Dominican Tostones)

Name: Healthy Air Fryer Plantains (Dominican Tostones)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Dominican
Ingredients: 2 green plantains, ends cut and skin peeled; 2-3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil; Salt to taste; Avocado for serving

Description

Healthy Air Fryer Plantains that are perfectly crispy and easy to make. All you need for this fun snack are 2 ingredients and an air fryer.

Ingredients

Scale

2 green plantains, ends cut and skin peeled
2–3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
Salt to taste
Avocado for serving

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Instructions

Peel and cut your plantain into 1 inch pieces. Place in a medium sized bowl with a tablespoon of oil and toss to coat completely.
Place your plantains in the air fryer, making sure they are not piled on top of each other, for 10 minutes at 325F.
Place the plantains back in the bowl and while they are still hot, place on a cutting board and either use a tostonera or flat bottomed cup or plate and flatten your plantains.
Take your flattened plantains and coat with the remaining oil to coat all of the plantains very well.
Place back in the air fryer at 325F and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until nice and golden. Serve immediately with a pinch of salt and some mashed avocado.

Notes

Cut your plantains into coins that are no bigger than 1 inch. Don’t make your plantain pieces too big or they may not cook through all the way in the air fryer.

Make sure to use enough oil to coat your plantains. This will seal in their moisture and provide the perfect condition to crisp them up.

Use fresh green plantains. Do not refrigerate your plantains. This will cause them to dry out and break apart much easier when you smash them.