Serve tostones as a side to beef picadillo or as an appetizer, with guacamole, whipped avocado dip, or a garlic dipping sauce (such as my roasted garlic aioli). If you’ve never tried tostones, oh boy, you are in for a treat! They are crunchy, they are savory, they are slightly tender (almost buttery) in the middle. They are my latest obsession! ♥️ I have to make a double batch when I cook them, because I know I’ll snack on them while I’m working in batches. Can you blame me though? They are so good! And the best part? You only need 3 ingredients to make them. Plantains + oil + salt. Easy peasy! Forget the store bought tostones chips. This homemade version is much better!
What are Tostones?
Tostones are slices of twice-fried green plantains, popular in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. The word tostones (pronounces to-sto-nez) comes from the Spanish verb tostar, which means “to toast”. Many countries compete for its origins, but it is not clear where they originated from, especially since the name changes depending on the country. While Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua call them tostones, some South American countries – such as Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – call them patacones. And in Haiti they are known as bananes pesées.
What’s the difference between tostones and maduros?
Tostones are made from green unripe plantains. They are crispy and taste savory. Maduros are made from sweet ripe plantains. They taste sweet and are crispy at the edges but tender in the middle. They are both served as side dishes, but I confess I do prefer maduros as a snack or dessert, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon!
Ingredients
You will only need 3 ingredients to make tostones!
Green plantains – The greener, the better! As the plantain ripens, its color changes to yellow and then to black, just like bananas. They also get sweeter. A sweet plantain is great for maduros (sweet fried plantains), but not for savory tostones!Oil – For frying the tostones. Choose a high smoke point oil, such as vegetable or canola, avocado, grapeseed or peanut.Salt – I like to use Maldon sea salt flakes for their nice crunch!
How to Make Tostones
The hardest part of making tostones is peeling the green plantains, but I will teach you all my tricks down below! After you do the first fry, you are supposed to use a tostonera to flatten the plantain slices. If you don’t want to invest in one, a flat bottomed ramekin or glass works just as well! If using the ramekin, I like to spray it with nonstick spray so the plantain doesn’t stick. Finally, you don’t need a lot of oil to fry these. They are shallow fried, so about 1/3 cup of oil is more than enough! Recommended tools and equipment: paring knife, cutting board, tostonera or ramekins, skillet, paper towels or cooling rack. Here’s how I make homemade tostones. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!
Step 1: Peel the green plantains.
Cut the ends of each plantain, discarding them.Using a paring knife, make a slit along the length of each plantain, without going too deep so not to cut into the flesh.Cut each plantain in half. That will make peeling easier!Using the middle of your thumb, loosen the peel from the flesh. Be careful, a green plantain can be quite stiff and it can cut you! If they are very difficult to cut, you can try using a butter knife or peeling them under warm water.
Step 2: Slice the plantains.
Cut each plantain crosswise, into 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thick slices. I like to cut them at an angle to make bigger tostones!
Step 3: Fry the tostones.
Heat the oil and fry the plantain slices until they begin to soften and gain some color.Transfer plantains to a cutting board, but keep the oil going!Using a tostonera or a flat bottomed ramekin, flatten each plantain slice to about 1/4-inch thick.Fry the slices again, until crispy!Transfer them to a paper towel lined plate and salt them while they are still hot. For even crispier tostones, you can place them on a cooling rack instead.Serve immediately!
How are Plantain Tostones served?
Tostones are commonly served as a side to dishes like picadillo, rice and beans, ropa vieja, and others. They are also served as a snack or appetizer, accompanied by a dip such as Mojo de Ajo (a garlic dipping sauce), avocado dips, mayo-ketchup (very popular in Puerto Rico!) or salsa. I’ve also seen them used as a base for nachos, and I can’t wait to try it!
Storage and Reheating
Yes, tostones are much better when fresh, but you would be crazy to toss leftovers. They are the second best thing! Store your leftover tostones in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a rack in a baking sheet and reheat in the oven, at 450ºF, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are hot.
