That Girl Cooks Healthy

Modern healthy Caribbean recipes that are wheat free, gluten free and dairy free recipes

  • Home
  • About Me
    • FAQ
    • Blog roll
  • Recipe Index
  • Health guidance
    • How to stock a Caribbean pantry
    • My Caribbean
  • Work with me/Media
  • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
You are here: Home / Recipe Index / Caribbean Dishes / Dominican mangu (mashed plantains)

Dominican mangu (mashed plantains)

August 11, 2015 by Charla 35 Comments

Last Updated on August 31, 2019

Dominican mangu – a popular breakfast dish hailing from the Dominican republic consisting of green plantains that are boiled then mashed.

Dominican mangu

I don’t think you can go wrong with plantains (plantano in spanish). If you’re from the Caribbean you will already know that plantains have a tendency to appear in many dishes – boiled, roasted, fried, baked you name it and at least one island has been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

You guys already know how much I love plantains but you see this isn’t about me at all. I’m here to show you what the Caribbean has to offer from the English speaking islands right down to the Spanish ones, every island has their own unique signature style dish and I’m more than happy to share them with you.

Dominican mangu

As with anything it takes some trial and error, sometimes the results are sheer perfection the first time around, while other times it’s sub par. I couldn’t help but share this Dominican breakfast recipe with my readers, it’s very simple yet filling courtesy of the main star of the show – mr plantano.

What is Dominican mangu?

What is Dominican mangu you ask? Good question! Mangu, the name is believed to have derived from the expression of a US marine after eating some mashed plantain, he described as “man good”. The name has since revolved to the Spanish pronunciation mangu.

In short, the dish mangu consists of green plantains that are boiled until tender with salt and mashed in a small amount of water.

What is mangu usually served with?

Dominicans typically eat mangu for breakfast, it can be served as a main meal with eggs, red onions and salami or as a side dish. I recreated this as an evo-vegetarian dish and omitted the salami. You can omit the eggs and salami to cater to a vegan palette or serve in the traditional way.

Dominican mangu

What are some of the health benefits of green plantains?

Plantain contains both insoluble and soluble fiber.

Fiber is extremely crucial to aiding our digestive system and keeping our bowel’s as healthy as can be. I would align the role of fiber with a street sweeper, given it has the ability to sweep right through the digestive tract and help with the formation on stools – yes I really just went there with the conversation. It needs to be said as many people suffer from constipation and struggle to remedy this with food.

How long should I boil the green plantains for?

The plantain should be boiled until it tenderises which should take roughly 10-15 minutes. Use a fork to prick the plantain. The fork should prick the plantain with no effort and be soft to the touch. That’s when you know it’s thoroughly cooked

Is Dominican mangu spicy?

As you may have already noticed I have’t spoken about any herbs or spices, something that’s normally featured within Caribbean cuisines. Dominican mangu is very mild in taste but incredibly fulling due to the high level of fibre and of course we procure a good source of iodine from the sauteed red onions.

Dominican mangu

How to make Dominican Mangu – the steps

Steps 1-2 to make Dominican mangu

1, start off by cutting you green plantain in two equal halves

2, Each plantain should be halved as shown above

Steps 3-4 how to make Dominican mangu

3, Score the side of the plantain in order to prepare the skin to be removed

4, Use your hands to break away the rest of the peel, it should be easy to remove as you proceed to do this.

Steps 5-6 how to make dominican mangu

5, Place the peel plantains in a saucepan ready to be boiled

6, As you can see this is what the plantain looks like once boiled, as more yellow hue and tender when pricked with s fork.

Steps 7-8 how to make dominican mangu

7, Grab a potato masher and proceed to break down the plantains. You can either do this is small batches if you find it unmanageable. As instructed add some hot water, a small amount at a time to help form the mash.

8, Once done you plantain mash should be mushy and resemble the above.

Notes

  • Mangu is free from gluten and paleo friendly
  • You can purchase green plantains from an ethnic grocery store .ie Caribbean, African, Latino and south Asian
  • Serve the mangu with alone or a vegan “meat” option to suit your dietary requirement
  • Feel free to use my dairy free recipe How to make your own dairy free butter
Print

Dominican mangu (mashed plantains)

dominican mangu

★★★★★

4.5 from 8 reviews

Paleo, gluten free

  • Author: Charla
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Caribbean
Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 large green plantains, peeled
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • a knob of dairy free butter (see my recipe)
  • 2 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp of himalayan
  • ** egg and/or salami for opting for non vegan option

Instructions

  1. Cut each peeled plantain horizontally down the middle so you should be left with 8 giant pieces in total.
  2. Fill a large saucepan with 3/4 of water, add the plantain then bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer.
  3. Add 1tsp of pink salt to the hot water and cook until the tender.
  4. Remove the plantain from the water with a slotted spoon and discard the majority of the water. You will need approximately 1 cup worth of water to aid breaking down the plantain.
  5. Use a potato masher to mash the plantain while adding a small amount of water at a time until the desired texture is achieved. How much water you use will vary according to preferred consistency.
  6. Once the plantain resembles mashed potato add a knob of butter.
  7. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and sautee the red onions until they become transparent.
  8. Season with the remaining salt and sprinkle the apple cider vinegar over the onions.
  9. Serve alone or with the option salami and egg.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @thatgirlcookshealthy on Instagram and hashtag it #thatgirlcookshealthy

 

Filed Under: Caribbean Dishes

About Charla

My name is Charla and I am passionate foodie who specialises in creating recipes that are not only gluten and dairy free but I also like to tap into my Caribbean heritage making healthy rendition of classic recipes.

« Jamaican gungo peas soup (pigeon pea soup)
Cajun sweet potato fries (paleo) »

Comments

  1. Sam @ SugarSpunRun says

    August 12, 2015 at 7:54 pm

    This dish looks incredible. I’ve never cooked with plantains before but I love the sound of these mashed ones!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 12, 2015 at 10:03 pm

      Hey Sam, Thanks for commenting, you should definitely give this one a try. I promise you will like it ;).

      Reply
  2. Marly Mar says

    August 13, 2015 at 1:39 am

    I struggle with going. I’m going to incorporate this recipe into my diet. Thank you.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 13, 2015 at 7:50 am

      You’re welcome. Fibrous foods such as yam, plantain and taro are an excellent for easing constipation

      Reply
  3. Mark says

    August 14, 2015 at 8:01 am

    Love those plantains. I really like this recipe and will be giving it a try. Love the photos also. Cheers….Mark

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 14, 2015 at 8:21 pm

      Thanks for commenting Mark.

      Reply
  4. Anne Murphy says

    August 15, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    The corner store always has plantanos, and all I knew to do with them was tostones. Which are good, mind you, but not something we’re going to have often… This is a wonderful option.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 16, 2015 at 12:00 am

      I’ve noticed many people who are now eating plantains (plantonos) are clueless when it comes to the number of things you can do with it. Glad to see I’ve opened up a few options for you ;).

      Reply
  5. Donna says

    August 17, 2015 at 5:56 am

    This sounds fantastic! I haven’t used plantains in cooking before, but I am intrigued, and will be trying this for sure!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 17, 2015 at 8:21 am

      You’re welcome, let me know if you like it.

      Reply
  6. Whitney says

    August 17, 2015 at 5:58 pm

    I’ve never had plantains like this! I’ve only ever had them mashed and fried, or sweet. Looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 17, 2015 at 9:53 pm

      Hey Whitney, they’re so diverse, you gotta try them this way!

      Reply
  7. Germaine says

    August 17, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    Can’t find your Yum button…

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 17, 2015 at 9:51 pm

      I keep forgetting to install it, do you have it on your browser? You can do it from there, I really need to add it this week.

      Reply
  8. Nikki says

    August 21, 2015 at 5:13 pm

    If you happen to have some mangú in excess, where do you store it, in order for the mangú to remain fresh? Should I store it in the fridge or just out?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      August 21, 2015 at 6:05 pm

      Hi Nikki, While I have never been in excess of mangu, what I would advise is to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will help to lock in the freshness and eliminate the risk of moisture from the air in the kitchen if left out in the open. Also eat the mangu no later than the day after been cooked for best results.

      Reply
      • Nikki says

        August 25, 2015 at 5:10 pm

        Okay, thank you very much!

        Reply
        • Charlene says

          August 26, 2015 at 9:57 pm

          You’re welcome 😉

          Reply
  9. Melissa says

    December 16, 2015 at 12:47 am

    This sounds amazing! I used to be treated to this dish when I lived in the Dominican Republic. I miss it there, and the food was outstanding and fresh. Thank you! I’m making this right now.

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      December 16, 2015 at 10:47 pm

      Hi Melissa, Glad that my recipe reminded you of the good food you experience in Dom Rep. Why not give my recipe a try while you are passing by?

      Reply
  10. Whitney @ WhittyPaleo says

    April 4, 2016 at 12:06 am

    Omg I totally trying this! I don’t eat my green plantains much but I still buy a lot lol! It looks so delightful!

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      April 4, 2016 at 11:46 am

      Thanks Whit. I promise you will love it!

      Reply
  11. Sharick says

    September 27, 2016 at 5:49 pm

    How many plantains do I need to make enough for 20 people?

    Reply
    • Charlene says

      September 27, 2016 at 6:47 pm

      It’s difficult to gauge the quantity for such a large number of people. I would estimate 12-14 plantains. As you will be cooking so many plantains for this recipes I would suggest doubling the rest of the ingredients accordingly to ensure no flavour is lost.

      Reply
  12. Tanya says

    June 6, 2018 at 1:07 pm

    I’m usually so boring when it comes to cooking green banana. I usually just boil it and serve it with some dumpling and my family hates that. But this has inspired me and i’ll be trying this recipe. I alsoooo love red onion so this is just perfect!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Jazz says

    June 6, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    I love the simplicity of this dish. Finally, a use for green plantain lol!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 6, 2018 at 10:21 pm

      Yes, definitely a rare green plantain moment

      Reply
  14. Erika says

    June 6, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    I love this! Great tips and information mixed in with this as well can’t wait to try!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 6, 2018 at 10:21 pm

      Appreciated Erika. Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. SHANIKA says

    June 6, 2018 at 8:15 pm

    Wow, this looks so delicious! I love plantains but never had them mashed. I definitely need to try this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 6, 2018 at 10:20 pm

      Thank you Shanika

      Reply
  16. Mila Buckley says

    June 11, 2018 at 7:00 pm

    I have never thought to make them like this, but this is such a genius idea and a total crowd pleaser!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 11, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      Thanks Mila

      Reply
  17. Catherine Martinez says

    August 8, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    So glad to see a dish from the Dominican Republic!! That’s where my family is from.

    Great recipe!

    Ours varies a little though. For example, we don’t sauté the onions in coconut oil. We actually mix the red onion with olive oil, a little salt to taste, and vinegar. We then sauté the mixture just until the onions cook a little bit completely transparent.

    We also add some of the water released from boiling the plantains as well as tap water when mashing it.

    Enjoy!

    ★★★

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 8, 2018 at 7:28 pm

      Hi Catherine. Thanks for sharing those tips!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Greetings

Charla here, a young woman of Afro Caribbean heritage. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2019 · Foodie Child Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress