Stuffed Baked Plantains

Easy and Good-For-You Stuffed Baked Plantains

What I love most about this plantain recipe is that it’s easy to make. Then, instead of frying the plantains, I roast them in the oven to cut out some calories. That means I can eat two🥳.

Just slit open the plantains and fill them up. Sautéd tomatoes, onions, smoked paprika, garlic, bell pepper, and ground meat (any ground meat—chicken, turkey, pork, or beef) make a soul-satisfying filling. Stuff the plantains, top them with cheese, and bake them long enough to melt the cheese for a flavor party in your mouth.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Ripe plantains are sweeter and softer for easier stuffing and eating. The light sweetness complements the savory, acidic filling.
2. Meat – Ground meat, whether beef, pork, chicken, turkey, etc., delivers a filling protein, making this a one-dish meal.
3. Flavor – Onion, garlic, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, bell peppers, and parsley give you aromatics, a pleasant acidity, and deliciousness.
4. Cheese is optional, but melting some grated mozzarella over everything takes it over the top.

How to Make Stuffed Baked Plantains

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray or oil.
• Peel Plantains – Cut both ends off the plantain with a sharp knife. That will make it easier to peel the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain only as deep as the peel. Remove the plantain peel by pulling it back.
• Bake – Place the plantains on a greased baking tray and lightly spray them with cooking oil. Bake for about 15 minutes, turn, and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
• Sauce – While the plantains are baking, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saucepan, followed by onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and paprika. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add ½ cup of water if needed.
• Filling – Add your choice of ground meat and continue cooking for 10 minutes or more.
• More Flavor – Add bell pepper and parsley and adjust the seasonings to taste.
• Stuff – Remove baked plantains from the oven, cool for a couple of minutes, make a horizontal slit in the plantains, and stuff with equal amounts of meat mixture.
• Optional – Sprinkle with grated cheese and put them back in the oven to bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Tips and Tricks

1. When buying plantains, it’s important to get the right ones. They should be ripe, dark yellow, and firm. Not green because they’re too hard and not overly ripe with black skin because they’re too soft for stuffing. Save the really ripe plantains for another recipe.
2. Plantain lasagna. Slice the plantains lengthwise and arrange the slices as you would lasagna noodles. Layer them with the filling and grated cheese. Bake until bubbly, and the plantains are tender.

What to Serve With Stuffed Baked Plantains

While my family is perfectly happy with just a stuffed plantain on the plate, a Caesar or tossed salad on the side is super delish. Finish off the meal with a glass of coquito and arroz con leche for dessert for a Caribbean fest.

More Awesome Plantain Recipes to Try

1. Grilled Plantains
2. Pastelon
3. Jibarito
4. Baked Plantain Frittata
5. Plantain Chips

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Ik5AeobI” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 20:14:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Stuffed Baked Plantains” description=”Stuffed Baked Plantains – roasted plantains filled with seasoned ground meat, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, and spices, topped with cheese for lunch, dinner or even breakfast- very comforting!”]