Baked Plantains – Oven baked plantains, healthier than frying, slightly crisp outside and meltingly soft interior.
Have you ever tried baking plantains? I think you should if you haven’t. Everyone should give baked plantains a try.
Although they look like bananas, plantains (also called cooking bananas) have the sweetness of a banana when ripe but are starchy like a potato. For this reason, they’re well suited for savory recipes. I got a few here if you want to check it out.
You’ve probably heard of fried plantains right? Am sure you have. They are delicious and addictive especially, if you are from the tropics.
But baked is even better! And much healthier- just enough oil to coat the plantains. Or a cooking oil spray works as well. The baking part is simple but much like a baked potato, AND you can use them like blank canvases.
And you can stuffed them with Delicious fillings
Instead of showing you one way to stuff these beauties, we’re going to cover three so you have some variety to serve at your next dinner party or family get together. The first one is minced beef. GET THE RECIPE HERE
Perfectly seasoned meat in a plantain is simple but it just works. The beefiness combined with the soft texture and subtle sweetness of the plantains create a series of memorable bites.
The second version is stuffed with beans, a FAB combo! The plantains are soft, the beans tender and if you like add some avocadoes to it. It lends its smooth texture and subtle taste that does a wonderful job at complimenting the other ingredients. Get the recipe here
Last but not least the plantains is stuffed with cheese and/or guacamole . Every forkful is gooey, you get that lovely cheese pull every time you dig in and there’s something very buttery about the way the plantain flesh and cheese meld together.
The milkiness with that soft yet starchy consistency is something you want again and again. Get the recipe here
Tips and Notes on Baking plantains
- Be sure to pick ripe plantains – yellow plantains , with some dark brown spots – This one here needs maybe about a day or two to have more dark spots . Still quite enjoyable for those who like fairly sweet plantains .Great for roasting and serving with as a side , to replace fried.
Or if you want a little bit sweeter and melting good . Then go with this type. My son prefers this one, it’s quite tender.
- You can also bake plantains with skin on. However, I prefer to take the skin of. Love the creamy interior and the caramelized exterior.
- Overly ripe plantains are overwhelming sweet and super mushy.
- And it’s best used to make some fritters , plantain cakes and/or pancake.
Enjoy!!!
Baked Plantains
Ingredients
- 1 Plantain
- Baking spray/oil to coat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray or oil
- Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling back.
- Place plantains on tray and lightly spray, bake for a about 15, turn and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
Bruce D. Henderson says
Thank you. Looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving instead of yams or potato.
Might use some sage/onion/sausage stuffing in them…what do you think?
imma africanbites says
That sounds so wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Bess says
I don’t fry mine. I buy them when I can find some. I leave them laying around for a few days to darken up & get softer (look like they should be thrown out). Normally I cut the ends off, one slice lengthwise, then cut into +/- 1 inch slices. Sometimes I need to add a little water to my container before I microwave covered for about 3 minutes. Been doing this for a good of years. Usually I add some butter &/or sugar.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for sharing those tips, Bess! I appreciate it.
Sharon says
Don’t laugh Imma, but the first time I ever tried plantains, was in Walt Disney World at their Tusker House Restaurant, as part of their breakfast buffet. I can honestly say that your baked plantain recipe is equally as delicious! I made them tonight with your baked tilapia recipe and dinner was yummo! Thanks for such interesting, wonderful recipes!
imma africanbites says
Thanks for stopping by, Sharon! That totally sounds like a wonderful meal put together.
Ijeoma says
Trying to eat healthy so baked plantain it is, so delicious.
Fi says
I had this previously as street food in Nigeria, so I was excited to try these out in an oven. Used super ripe plantains and baked at 375 for 15 minutes on one side and 8 minutes on the other and it came out really great. Had with a bowl of vegatable soup!
I will definitely try this again.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out for you. Thanks for the feedback!
Zee says
Was really excited to try this method. Oven was already preheated as I just finished baking some sweet potatoes @400 degrees. Prepped my plantain and set to bake for 15mins. Timer went off but plantains were still looking uncooked. No signs of it turning brown or coming out as described even after an hour. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Had such high hopes
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry to hear about this! I can’t say for sure without being there. My guess would be the oven. It works for me whenever I make this and an hour is way to long . Usually after 30minutes it’s ready, sometimes a few minutes more or less depending on the size of the plantains.
Kem says
I had a similar issue but changed the oven setting from bake to roast. Though it could get too brown too fast so definitely check regularly or using the oven light till it’s done.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you for sharing, Kem! 🙂
Sharon says
I followed the recipe exactly and my plantains came out super dry and not even that soft. I tested them at 30 minutes (after flipping halfway) and they were already really dry. So I tried adding a little water and covering them and coming them longer. They were slightly better but still very, get dry and they definitely weren’t carmelized. I used very ripe ones that were dark yellow with lots of black. I’m not sure what went wrong. 🙁 If I’d covered them for the entire time then maybe it’d have gone better, but I don’t know. Any ideas?
ImmaculateBites says
I can’t say for sure without being there. My guess would be the plantains- some are hard even though they look ripe on the outside. Always get plantains that are plump. If not it’s best to fry them.
Mike says
A possible problem for those unfamiliar with plantains: ALWAYS keep them on the counter at room temperature. I always buy mine as green as possible (usually only one or two at a time) and two to four days later I’ll buy another one. when the mood hits me I usually have a plantain ready for whatever stage I want. I’ve got a jet black one today and I’m gonna try to bake it with cheese stuffing.
ImmaculateBites says
Great tip! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Jessica says
So glad you told me this. I bought some recently to experiment and was refrigerating them. I put them on the counter with my bananas after reading this. I hope they still turn out ok! They are very green.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jessica! Do let us know how it works out for you!
Jessica says
These were AMAZING! I’ve had fried plantains before, but these were so much better. We stuffed them with pepper Jack and topped them with homemade guacamole .. so easy to make and fricken amazing! This is definitely going into the rotation. Luckily the couple days they spent in the fridge had no effect.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!!! I am so glad it turned out great, Jessica!
Adore Ivette says
Sometimes ripe plantains can be dry even before cooking. If they seem to be just spinkle a little sore olive oil on them prior to cooking. Or i close my foil just a bit like a tent
Sam says
What gas mark should I set the oven too please?
I hope you get back to me soon.
Thanks so much 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Sam! It’s Listed 400 degrees .
Annie says
Thank you for posting what a ripe, and extra ripe plantain looks like! We just got back from Miami and I’m going to bake my plantains along with some Cuban chicken! Can’t wait!
ImmaculateBites says
That is one of my favorite combo. Plantain and chicken. Love it!
Dunori says
I’m another who may have had it every other “traditional” way except this so looking forward to trying it out. Thank!
Ela says
Nice, it looks like ” bolé ” as called over here in Nigeria, only difference is it’s grilled on a wired gauze over hot coals.
ImmaculateBites says
I love “bole”. Can’t beat the char taste.
Urban @ Urbanskitchen.com says
I made some Baked Plantains last night and it was surely tasty. It’s surely now an option I will enjoy. I didn’t expect to eat the while thing. But it was so delecious I ate it all.
Patrick@looneyforfood.com says
These look amazing!! I want to try the cheese and guacamole one the most!!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome Patrick! Do let me know how it works out for you.
FTK says
Really, I am so excited. Seeing things like this makes me think I didn’t make a mistake. Cooking is my love. This simple but lovely way of making plantains made me fall in love with cooking again.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by.
Urban @ Urbanskitchen.com says
I can’t recall ever having them Baked ever, though I’ve certainly had them aplenty over a lifetime as they are a staple in my kitchen. I guess you learn something all the time. But Baking them I’ll have to try. Was also thinking cooked up Tin Corned Beef or Saltfish as well to stuff into that opened cavity of the Plantain for savory goodness.