Kiss goodbye to frying with this oven baked tostones recipe. I'm talking about savoury green plantains sliced into bite sized discs, smashed and being twice baked, oil reduction method that can be done using your air fryer too.
Calling all plantain lovers!! You are going to love this Caribbean appetiser/snack called tostones. They are quick, easy to prepare and incredibly more-ish too.
All you need are 3 ingredients, and either an oven or airfryer as this recipe caters to both methods.
What are tostones?
In short, tostones also known as fried green plantain or patacones they are fried twice green plantain which are commonly associated with Latin America/Caribbean cuisine.
The recipe is prepared by slicing up the plantains, usually quite thick (½ inch) then frying the pieces of plantain once until golden.
Then removing the slices from the pan and blotting off the excess oil, then flattening the slices with a tostonera. Some people who don't own a tostonera, will use the flat surface of a hi ball glass, tumbler or bowl to do so. Once flattened the slices are then refried to a crisp.
If you have been following my blog for some time you might remember when I first debuted green plantain with this Dominican mangu (boiled mashed plantains) recipe.
Similar to our Latin American counterparts, Jamaicans and other islands utilise green plantains too. It is typically used to bulk up stews or boiled and eaten with additional root vegetables as a side serving.
You can use green plantain or green bananas to make this hearty porridge too.
The baked twice method
As you already know, Charla tries her very best to seek healthy alternatives to some of the most popular recipes and tostones are no different.
Rather then frying the green plantain this recipe calls for the plantain to be coated with a fraction of the oil that would normally be use and made some baked tostones instead.
This is by far a more healthier way to enjoy tostones, guilt free with the same results. You will hardly notice the difference and not have to compromise your health or weight by frying the plantain.
How to make baked tostones
- Preheat the oven to 180c/356f/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Cut the ends from both of the plantains
- Slice the skin lengthways (don't slice into the flesh just the skin).
- Remove the skin with your hands. The skin on green plantain is quite thick so you will literally need to be firm and rip it off in pieces.
- Slice each plantain about ½ inch in thickness
- Place the plantain slices in a medium sized bowl
- Drizzle 2tbsp of olive oil over the plantain
- Toss the bowl and use your hands to coat the plantain pieces evenly (make sure each slice is liberally coated, very important)
- Place each sliced plantain (spaced out) on the parchment paper
- Bake the plantain for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and soft.
- Remove the tray of plantain from the oven
- Use the bottom of a small bowl with parchment between the bowl and plantain to flatten the plantain (like a pancake)
- Brush both sides of the plantain with olive oil and back onto the tray with parchment paper (spaced out)
- Bake for a further 15- 20 minutes
Air fryer tostones
- After slicing and peeling the plantain
- Place the slices in a medium sized bowl and coat evenly with olive oil
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket to ensure nothing definitely won't stick.
- Place the slices of plantain in the basket, depending on the size of your basket you may need to work in batches.
- Cook the plantain on 180c/356f for 6 minutes then remove them
- Use the bottom of a small bowl with parchment between the bowl and plantain to flatten each plantain (like a pancake.
- Lightly spray the basket again and spray/coat the top of the smashed plantain with oil
- Cook the tostones at 18oc/356f for a further 3-4 minutes until slightly golden
- Sprinkle with pink salt to taste
Notes and tips
- When slicing the skin from the plantain, be mindful of cutting into the flesh. The skin is tougher than yellow plantain. I used my thumb to break off the skin, it won't peel away whole so don't be alarmed
- Make sure every plantain slice is covered with oil. I find that when the slices aren't fully coated they turn out slightly hard/firm. Add tablespoon or more oil if required
- Add additional flavouring i.e garlic, onion powder if you wish or just use plain ole pink salt
More vegan latin recipes
Baked yucca fries with lime yoghurt dip
Besitos de coco (vegan coconut macaroons)
Cuban black beans (frijoles Negros)
Crema de malanga (taro/dasheen soup)
Baked Tostones
Ingredients
- 2 green plantains
- 2 tablespoon olive oil + 3tbsp for coating second time baking
- Pink salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c/356f/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Cut the ends from both of the plantains
- Slice the skin lengthways (don't slice into the flesh just the skin).
- Remove the skin with your hands. The skin on green plantain is quite thick so you will literally need to be firm and rip it off in pieces
- Slice each plantain about ½ inch in thickness
- Place the plantain slices in a medium sized bowl
- Drizzle 2tbsp of olive oil over the plantain
- Toss the bowl and use your hands to coat the plantain pieces evenly (make sure each slice is liberally coated, very important)
- Place each sliced plantain (spaced out) on the parchment paper
- Bake plantain for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and soft.
- Remove the tray of plantain from the oven
- Use a small bowl to flatten the plantain (like a pancake)
- Brush both sides of the plantain with olive oil and back onto the tray with parchment paper (spaced out)
- Bake for a further 15- 20 minutes
- Sprinkle with pink salt to taste
Notes
- When slicing the skin from the plantain, be mindful of cutting into the flesh. The skin is tougher than yellow plantain. I used my thumb to break off the skin, it won't peel away whole so don't be alarmed
- Make sure every plantain slice is covered with oil. I find that when the slices aren't fully coated they turn out slightly hard/firm. Add tablespoon or more oil if required
- Add additional flavouring i.e garlic, onion powder if you wish or just use plain ole pink salt
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