Patacones Ticos (Costa Rican Fried Plantains)
These delicious Costa Rican fried plantains, known as patacones, are a traditional snack made from green plantains. They are twice-fried and smashed to create a crispy, savory treat that pairs perfectly with refried beans or ceviche.
Simple Tasty Recipes
Method
- Peel plantains completely.
- Slice Plantains into 1/2 inch rounds.
- Heat oil in sauce pan until almost boiling.
- CAREFULLY place a handful of plantain rounds into hot oil, leaving them in until light brown, about 2 minutes.
- CAREFULLY remove plantain rounds from hot oil with slotted spoon (preferably metal) and place on a cutting board covered in parchment paper.
- Plantain pieces should be on only half of the parchment paper. Fold second half of parchment paper over them, and with a second board or other hard, flat surface press firmly on the paper-covered plantain rounds. The rounds should now be smushed-looking, yet still intact.
- With slotted spoon, replace pieces of plantain in the oil until golden brown.
- Remove pieces with slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Pieces should be slightly crispy.
- Repeat with another handful of rounds, until all have been cooked.
- Sprinkle with salt, to taste.
- Dip in warm refried beans, or also good with ceviche.
Notes:
Plantains can be purchased at most grocery stores in the produce section...they look like bananas, but DO NOT try to eat them like bananas - they are NOT the same thing! Get the nice and green ones for this purpose. Pressing the plantains can also be done using a metal tortilla press, if available. What the original author uses is like a tortilla press, but is specifically designed for patacones, bought at a supermarket in Costa Rica.
Serving info: Total recipe: 500g · Yields 4 portions · Portion size: 125g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Portion | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (kcal) | 224 | 280 | 14% |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 34 | 42.5 | 15% |
| ↳ of which sugars (g) | 16 | 20 | 40% |
| Dietary fiber (g) | 2.4 | 3 | 11% |
| Protein (g) | 1.4 | 1.75 | 4% |
| Total fat (g) | 11 | 13.75 | 18% |
| ↳ Saturated (g) | 1.7 | 2.1 | 11% |
| ↳ Monounsaturated (g) | 2.5 | 3.1 | - |
| ↳ Polyunsaturated (g) | 6.3 | 7.9 | - |
| ↳ Trans (g) | 0 | 0 | - |
| Sodium (mg) | 32 | 40 | 2% |
| Calcium (mg) | 3.8 | 4.8 | 0% |
| Iron (mg) | 0.6 | 0.75 | 4% |
| Potassium (mg) | 499 | 623 | 13% |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 14 | 17.5 | 19% |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Ingredient data sources
- Green plantains — 534g — Plantains, raw (FDC ID: 173982) — USDA
- Vegetable oil — 53g (estimated absorption) — Oil, vegetable (FDC ID: 173577) — USDA
- Salt — 0.4g — Salt, table (FDC ID: 170871) — USDA
⚠️ = estimated or sourced outside the listed databases.
% Daily Value based on FDA 2020 Daily Values for adults (2,000 kcal diet).
Goes Great with
30 mins
