If you haven’t incorporated plantains into your diet yet, here’s an easy pan fried plantain recipe to entice you to give them a try with either green or yellow plantains. You may have already seen us use plantains to make hash browns, tostadas and even hamburger buns, and you know we love to use plantain chips for dipping as evidenced by our posts here, here and here.
So what is a plantain?
Plantains are like an oversized banana, but rather than being soft and sweet like a ripe banana, plantains are starchy and cooked and eaten more like a vegetable than a fruit. They are technically a fruit, but treated more like a vegetable. You wouldn’t just peel a plantain and eat it raw, but rather you’d do something like this recipe and pan fry them or bake them.
What is the difference between green and yellow plantains?
The color of a plantain tells you how ripe it is. Green plantains are the least ripe and the most starchy. Yellow and yellow/brown plantains are ripe plantains to overripe plantains and get sweeter and softer the more ripe they are. You can use either green or yellow plantains for these pan fried plantains.
Depending on the flavor you are going for, choose your plantains accordingly. If you want more sweet, caramelized plantains….go for a more yellow to yellow/brown plantain. And if you’re looking for something more like a starchy potato, grab green plantains.
Tips for pan frying plantains
Don’t be scared by the word fried for this recipe. We promise…it’s really easy and quick to pan fry plantains. It goes even faster when they are really ripe, so you just have to pay attention and not overcook the plantains. Here are some cooking tips:
- Use either avocado oil or coconut oil (we prefer avocado oil for a neutral taste)
- Put on an apron to avoid any grease splatters on your clothes
- Cut the plantains into even slices so they cook in about the same time
It just takes a couple minutes on each side to get them to caramelize and get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Give it a try!
Some other recipes with plantains
- GRILLED PLANTAINS (PALEO + WHOLE30 OPTION)
- JIBARITO RECIPE (PALEO + WHOLE30)
- PORK AND PLANTAIN BOWL (PALEO, WHOLE30 + DAIRY-FREE)
- PALEO PLANTAIN FRIES (WHOLE30)
- PALEO BURGERS
Your turn to try our pan fried plantains recipe
Give this pan fried plantains recipe a try, and let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Tell us what your favorite thing to eat them with is. Also, take a picture and tag it on Instagram @realsimplegood so we can check it out! And if you don’t already follow us, make sure to give us a follow! Let’s stay connected!
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Crispy (10-Minute!) Pan Fried Plantains
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 plantain, (choose more green or yellow based on wanting starchy or sweet flavor)
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium sized pan over medium high heat.
- Peel your plantain and cut it into small slices about 1/4 inch thick.
- Once the pan and oil are good and hot, add in the plantain slices. Sprinkle with salt.
- Cook for 3 minutes and then flip the plantain pieces over. Sprinkle with a little more salt.
- Cook for another 3 minutes and remove from the pan. Place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Enjoy!
What is the sauce that’s on the plate?
It’s our Chipotle Aioli. It’s the best with plantains 🙂
Very good. Even my toddler likes it
My husband and children like this recipe so much. It is also my favorite recipe.