This easy Air Fryer Plantains recipe is ready in under 20 minutes, and made with a fraction of the oil used in a traditional Latin American Maduros, for a healthier version of this great side dish!
JUMP TO RECIPEThese Sweet Air Fryer Plantains are a great way to make a staple food of cuban cuisine without using a lot of oil!
This easy recipe brings out the natural sugar in the raw plantains with minimal cooking spray to help aid in browning, with a little sprinkle of sugar and salt to bring out the natural flavors an tickle your taste buds.
Once you air fry plantains, you'll never want to go back to traditional frying again!
Ingredients
All you need to make these Air Fryer Plantains are ripe plantains and a bit of olive oil or cooking spray! If you like, I highly recommend you sprinkle them with a bit of sugar and salt prior to air frying to really bring out their flavor!
How to choose plantains for Maduros
Just like bananas, plantains will change color once harvested from bright green to yellow and eventually, brown or black.
When shopping for plantains to make these Air Fryer Maduros, you'll want fruit that is yellow with some brown spots, or fully ripe plantains that are mostly black- as they will be sweeter and softer (and perfect for this recipe!)
How to quickly ripen Plantains for frying
There are a couple ways you can go about ripening the Plantains a little faster, if you are unable to find ripened plantains in your local grocery store. Here are a few options:
Fastest: Oven Method
To ripen plantains in the oven, preheat your oven to 300°F and bake the plantains for 15-20 minutes right on the oven rack. Keep an eye on them, and once the skins start to blacken- they're ready!
Using the oven method will soften the fruit, and make it perfect for this recipe! Be sure to allow the plantains to fully cool before carefully removing their skins and slicing them.
Slow and Steady: Brown Bag Method
To ripen the plantains more gradually, but still accelerate the process, place green plantains in a brown paper bag with a ripe banana.
Th ripe banana will naturally release ethylene gas around the plantains, speeding up ripening. Simply seal the bag and keep at room temperature. Keep checking the plantains and remove from the bag when desired ripeness is reached.
How to make Air Fryer Plantains
To make these easy Air Fryer Plantains, spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray or oil of choice (I love avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, or canola oil for this recipe).
Using a sharp knife or paring knife, cut the ends of the plantains off, then make a slit lengthwise up the plantain and carefully remove the skin of the plantain.
Slice the plantains on a slight angle, into about ½" slices. Place the plantains into the greased air fryer basket in a single layer and spray tops with additional oil or cooking spray to coat. If desired, sprinkle tops with a bit of granulated sugar and salt.
Air fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, flip over, and air fry for an additional 8 minutes, until plantains are golden brown. (see recipe card below for full recipe and ingredients list).
*Cooking time may vary a bit depending on the size of your plantain slices.
Air Frying for healthier Plantains
Using the air fryer rather than using the traditional pan frying method to make these Maduros makes them a significantly healthier side dish, by completely eliminating the need for cooking oil! The natural sugars in the plantains helps them to brown and caramelize naturally with the help of a slight mist of oil or cooking spray, for a light and crisp bite you can feel good about!
Flavor Variations
You can serve these plantains as is, or add a little extra flavor with these fun (and tasty) variations:
- Sprinkle on some ground cinnamon and sugar, for a sweet and spiced version.
- Top them with a bit of shredded cheese, such as Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack in the last 4-5 minutes of air frying for a cheesy version!
- Add a touch of lime juice just before serving for a bright flavor boost!
What's the difference between Maduros and Tostones?
The major difference between Fried Sweet Plantains (Maduros) and Tostones, is the ripeness of the plantains. For Maduros, you want a VERY ripe, black plantain, which will yield a softer, sweeter dish. Maduros are also simply sliced and fried (or air fried!), making them a simpler preparation. Fried Sweet Plantains are a great side dish, and go well with black beans, pork, and more!
Tostones are made with unripe, green plantains that are twice fried, first to soften, then smashed and refried. Tostones are a more savory dish that are more suitable as an appetizer or snack (perfect with some tasty salsa!), rather than a side dish.
What to serve with the Plantains
These Air Fryer Maduros go great with Cuban Pork and Black Beans, Mojo Meatballs, and Chicken and Spanish Rice!
Storing
Store any leftover plantains in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, air fry at about 300 degrees until just warmed through.
More great side dishes made in the air fryer!
If you love this easy Air Fryer Sweet Plantains recipe, you'll love these tasty sides made in the air fryer, too!
Air Fryer Sweet Plantains Recipe
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- Cooking spray or cooking oil, such as canola oil, avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil
- 1 ripe plantain
- salt and granulated sugar, to taste
Instructions
- Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray or cooking oil of choice. 2. Using a sharp knife or paring knife, cut the ends of the ripe plantains off, then make a slit lengthwise up the plantain and carefully remove the skin of the plantain and discard. 3. Slice the plantains on a slight angle, into about ½" slices. Place the plantains into the greased air fryer basket in an even layer and spray tops with additional oil or cooking spray to coat. If desired, sprinkle tops with a bit of granulated sugar and salt. 4. Air fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, flip over, and air fry for an additional 8 minutes, until plantains are golden brown. (see recipe card below for full recipe and ingredients list).Notes: About 1 large plantain fits comfortably sliced in a standard air fryer basket at a time. *Cooking time may vary a bit depending on the size of your plantain slices.
© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.
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