In my opinion, fried anything is delicious! Who’s with me on this? The first time I ever tried tostones, was a life-changing moment. Back in April, I swooped my lovely fiance, Regina (who was my girlfriend at the time) away for a weekend getaway to Puerto Rico. Regina introduced me to this flavorful culinary creation on our first day on the island and OMG! I’m gonna be honest with y’all, I’ll actually choose these over french fries any day!
Only four ingredients and fifteen minutes. That’s all you need to prepare this flavorful snack!
Featured Home Cook
This flavorful recipe was brought to you by my favorite home cook in the whole wide world, (sorry ladies and gents) she is, my amazing fiance, Regina.
I may be a bit partial, but this woman is one heck of a cook! That’s probably because every single thing she does, she does with love!
Regina hails from the lovely state of Connecticut, where she works as a traveling healthcare worker. She spends a lot of her free time working out, serving in her church, singing, and cooking, of course!
What are Tostones?
Tostones are unripened plantains, that have been deep-fried, twice. They are a popular Latin American and Caribbean side dish or snack. The word tostones comes from the Spanish word that means ‘to toast’.
Similar to french fries, tostones are fried twice. The first time cooks the plantain all the way through, and the second time crisps the outside. When they are fried twice, you end up with a delicious golden brown, crunchy exterior, and a soft & flavorful interior.
This is a simple, yet delicious dish. All that’s needed is a little lime juice and a sprinkle of sea salt.
What are Plantains?
Plantains are a fruit in the banana family. They’re native to tropical regions, which is why they are used a lot in Latin American and Spanish cooking. They’re also grown in India, Africa, Asia, and Egypt.
Plantains are green when they are unripened and yellowish brown when ripe. Tostones are made from unripened plantains, which have more starch than the ripened ones, and they are easier to cut because they are less mushy.
Green plantains are typically used in savory dishes while yellow plantains are used more as a dessert, because they are much sweeter when they’re fully ripe.
Tostones Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
* The amount of lime juice and sea salt you use, is completely up to you. I recommend just a sprinkle of each for flavor
Recipe Notes
** Oil should be heated to approximately 350 degrees but dont worry if you don’t have. a thermometer. The smoke point of canola oil is approximately 375 degrees, which means, if its starting to smoke, it’s too hot. The easiest way to test the oil for proper cooking temperature is to slowly lower a small portion of the prepared and breaded piece of chicken into the oil. If it starts bubbling, it’s ready. If not, give it a few more minutes to heat up and try again.
How to use this Tostones Recipe
The beauty of Flavor Ratios is that we blend flavor combinations according to OUR own preferences. All recipes you find on this site serve as a guide. Who am I, to limit the amount of lime juice you put on your tostones? That would be wrong, and honestly, it’d keep me awake at night knowing your side dish or snack could’ve been better! Read more.
How to Make Tostones with Lime Juice
- Prepare the oil: Heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees in a medium-sized saucepan
- Prepare the plantains: Cut about 1/2″ off of each end, make one single slice down the center from end to end, of each plantain, and peel them. If they are difficult to peel, try running them under warm water, this will loosen the peel from the fruit.
- Cut each plantain into 1/2″ slices.
- First fry: Once the oil is ready**, be careful you don’t splash the oil, place all of the plantains into the oil and allow them to cook until they’re soft and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Cool: Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to cool slightly.
- Flatten the plantains: Using the bottom of a mason jar or drinking glass, crush each plantain piece into a circle that’s about 1/8″ thick.
- Second fry: place the plantains back into the oil and fry them until they are crispy on the outside, only about two minutes per side.
- Season: Sprinkle with sea salt and lime juice to taste.
- Enjoy those flavors!
Watch how to Make Tostones with Lime Juice
Tostones (twice fried plantains) with Lime Juice
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
Only four ingredients and 15 minutes. That’s all you need to prepare this flavorful snack. These might make you forget french fries, forever!
Ingredients
2 green plantains*
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon sea salt*
1 teaspoon lime juice*
Instructions
- Prepare the oil: Heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees in a medium-sized saucepan
- Prepare the plantains: Cut about 1/2″ off of each end, make one single slice down the center from end to end, of each plantain, and peel them. If they are difficult to peel, try running them under warm water, this will loosen the peel from the fruit.
- Cut each plantain into 1/2″ slices.
- First fry: Once the oil is ready**, be careful you don’t splash the oil, place all of the plantains into the oil and allow them to cook until they’re soft and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Cool: Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to cool slightly.
- Flatten the plantains: Using the bottom of a mason jar or drinking glass, crush each plantain piece into a circle that’s about 1/8″ thick.
- Second fry: place the plantains back into the oil and fry them until they are crispy on the outside, only about two minutes per side.
- Season: Sprinkle with sea salt and lime juice to taste.
- Enjoy those flavors!
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: side, snack
- Method: deep fry
Oh… and in case you were picking up what I was putting down in the first paragraph of this post. The answer to your question is a resounding… YES, I did propose in Puerto Rico!
