Tostones, aka “Cuban French fries,” were the obligatory side dish in most meals I’ve enjoyed in my life. Crisp on the outside, tender in the middle and bursting with tropical flavor, I’d gobble these golden little disks of greatness up by the dozen! Made from green plantains–a close relative of bananas–these delectable gifts from nature are a staple in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine. Firmer and starchier than their sweet cousins, plantains are perfect for cooking. Due to their versatility, plantains are an amazing fruit as there are myriad ways of preparing them. Be they fried, boiled or mashed, or even turned into nifty little cups to stuff with meats, seafood, cheese and the like, they are always delicious and simple to make. We will explore these different methods in future posts, so stay hungry!
Just so you know, these aren’t only used as a side dish. Tostones make a fantastic snack, especially when served with mojo or chimichurri for dipping. Once you’ve had these savory little treats, you’ll be HOOKED!
tostones
1 large green plantain
3 cups cold water
¼ cup kosher salt
juice of 1 lime
avocado or canola oil for frying
coarse sea salt, to taste
Whisk the water, lime juice and the ¼ cup of kosher salt until the salt is dissolved. Set aside.
Cut the ends off the plantains first, then gently cut 4 vertical slits down the entire length of the plantain peel with the tip of your paring knife, making sure not to cut into the plantain flesh. This will help you peel them without severing the flesh. Green plantains are pretty hard and can break when pulling away the outer skin if you’re not careful. Next, cut the plantain widthwise into 1 – 1 1/2” thick rounds. The thicker you slice the plantain, the wider the tostones will be when you flatten them.
Place the peeled rounds into the salted water and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, no longer. This keeps the plantains from oxidizing and turning dark brown, and infuses them with a touch of flavor.
In a 9” cast iron skillet heat the oil over medium heat until it begins to glisten and ripple–about 365 degrees. You don’t want the oil to be too hot, otherwise the outside of the plantain will crisp before the middle gets nice and tender. Remove the plantain slices from the salted lime water and dry very well on paper towels.
Working in batches, carefully place the plantain slices in the oil, cut-side down. Fry for about 2-3 minutes, then flip the slices over. Fry for another 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden. Drain well on paper towels and allow to cool slightly.
If using a “tostonera,” place a plantain slice into it cut-side down, and flatten with the lid. Repeat with all slices. Put them back into the lime infused water. This step will ensure a nice tender center.
Using the same oil and skillet, raise the heat to medium-high until very hot, about 385 degrees. Remove par-fried plantains from the lime water and dry well with paper towels. As before, work in batches and carefully place in the hot oil. Fry until light golden-brown in the center and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle some salt on each of the plantain slices as they drain.
Serve hot with our three citrus table mojo or chimichurri sauce for dipping, and dig in!
brujo notes:
- If you don’t have a tostonera, no need to despair. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cutting board. Place a plantain slice, cut-side down, onto to paper. Fold the paper over the slice and flatten using the bottom of a small skillet, plate or even a rocks glass. Be careful not to whack the plantain slices as you would when driving a nail into a wall as that will destroy the plantain. Just press down gently until you have a little plantain patty. PRESTO! Tostones!
- When purchasing the plantains for the tostones, make sure you select the greenest plantains available. The yellower they are, the sweeter they’ll be and that’s not what we want for this dish.
- If after you’ve smashed your first toston, it falls apart, it’s because they didn’t fry long enough on the first batch. Simply return to the oil and fry for another 30 seconds – 1 minute, then continue with the recipe.
- Check out our 3 citrus mojo or chimichurri recipes for the perfect dipping sauces. Also, a dash of hot sauce on these babies is divine!
beer pairing: Any nice, crisp lager would be perfect. One that we’ve been loving over here is the Pirma Pils by Victory Brewing. With a grassy bouquet and lemony flavor, its sure to be a winner!
meal pairing: Tostones go with just about ANY Latin or Caribbean dish. Beef, pork, poultry or seafood dishes all benefit from having delicious tostones as a partner. Ropa Vieja, Arroz con Pollo and Masitas de Puerco absolutely must have tostones on the side for a traditional and superlative dining experience!
musical pairing: Patacon Pisao – Johnny Ventura
tostones (twice-fried green plantains)
- Total Time: approx. 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–8
Description
These crispy tostones aren’t just delicious as a side dish. Tostones make a fantastic snack, especially when served with our mojo or chimichurri for dipping!
free from: gluten + dairy + soy + peanut + tree nut + fish + shellfish
Ingredients
1 large green plantain
3 cups cold water
¼ cup kosher salt
juice of 1 lime
avocado or canola oil for frying
coarse sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Whisk the water, lime juice and the ¼ cup of kosher salt until the salt is dissolved. Set aside.
Cut the ends off the plantains first, then gently cut 4 vertical slits down the entire length of the plantain peel with the tip of your paring knife, making sure not to cut into the plantain flesh. This will help you peel them without severing the flesh. Green plantains are pretty hard and can break when pulling away the outer skin if you’re not careful. Next, cut the plantain widthwise into 1 – 1 1/2” thick rounds. The thicker you slice the plantain, the wider the tostones will be when you flatten them.
Place the peeled rounds into the salted water and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, no longer. This keeps the plantains from oxidizing and turning dark brown, and infuses them with a touch of flavor.
In a 9” cast iron skillet heat the oil over medium heat until it begins to glisten and ripple–about 365 degrees. You don’t want the oil to be too hot, otherwise the outside of the plantain will crisp before the middle gets nice and tender. Remove the plantain slices from the salted lime water and dry very well on paper towels.
Working in batches, carefully place the plantain slices in the oil, cut-side down. Fry for about 2-3 minutes, then flip the slices over. Fry for another 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden. Drain well on paper towels and allow to cool slightly.
If using a “tostonera,” place a plantain slice into it cut-side down, and flatten with the lid. Repeat with all slices. Put them back into the lime infused water. This step will ensure a nice tender center.
Using the same oil and skillet, raise the heat to medium-high until very hot, about 385 degrees. Remove par-fried plantains from the lime water and dry well with paper towels. As before, work in batches and carefully place in the hot oil. Fry until light golden-brown in the center and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle some salt on each of the plantain slices as they drain.
Serve hot with our table mojo or chimichurri sauce for dipping, and dig in!
Notes
pairings:
beer: Any nice, crisp lager would be perfect. One that we’ve been loving over here is the Pirma Pils by Victory Brewing. With a grassy bouquet and lemony flavor, its sure to be a winner!
meal: Tostones go with just about ANY Latin or Caribbean dish. Beef, pork, poultry or seafood dishes all benefit from having delicious tostones as a partner. Ropa Vieja, Arroz con Pollo and Masitas de Puerco absolutely must have tostones on the side for a traditional and superlative dining experience!
musical: Patacon Pisao – Johnny Ventura
brujo notes:
If you don’t have a tostonera, no need to despair. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cutting board. Place a plantain slice, cut-side down, onto to paper. Fold the paper over the slice and flatten using the bottom of a small skillet, plate or even a rocks glass. Be careful not to whack the plantain slices as you would when driving a nail into a wall as that will destroy the plantain. Just press down gently until you have a little plantain patty. PRESTO! Tostones!
When purchasing the plantains for the tostones, make sure you select the greenest plantains available. The yellower they are, the sweeter they’ll be and that’s not what we want for this dish.
If after you’ve smashed your first toston, it falls apart, it’s because they didn’t fry long enough on the first batch. Simply return to the oil and fry for another 30 seconds – 1 minute, then continue with the recipe.
Check out our 3 citrus mojo or chimichurri recipes for the perfect dipping sauces. Also, a dash of hot sauce on these babies is divine!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: sides sorcery, appetizer alchemy
- Cuisine: Cuban
Keywords: tostones, twice fried, green plantains
