Valentine’s Day Fried Sweet Plantain Snacks
Looking for a unique, delicious, and light treat? Then these Valentine’s day Caribbean sweet plantain snacks are the perfect option! They are easy to make, take less than 20 minutes, and can be served in many ways!
Make sure to check out the many other easy Valentine’s day recipes like my vegan Valentine’s day smoothie with beets and strawberries, cantaloupe melon juice or Valentine’s day breakfast cheese arepas. So you can create the perfect romantic day for your loved one!
What Are These Valentine’s Day Fried Sweet Plantain Snacks?
These are one of my favorite Caribbean snacks to make – and for MANY reasons!
Versatility In Serving Options
First and foremost, these snacks are incredibly versatile in the way they are served. Today, I will pair them with fresh mango and avocado to make a light and healthy breakfast or lunch.
That being said, these crispy fried plantain slices are usually served next to rice, beans, and a chicken stew as part of a Caribbean-style lunch or dinner plate or even alone as an afternoon snack!
You can also serve them alongside my Fried Ice Cream recipe. They make delicious garnishes that also add a bit of texture. And you can even serve them with my Baked French Toast recipe and replace the banana with sweet plantain!
The possibilities are truly endless, especially because these bites have a relatively neutral, but still incredibly tasty, flavor.
How to make the Valentine’s Day Fried Sweet Plantain Snacks
First, peel the plantains and cut them into thick slices. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart-shaped chunks.
In a frying pan, let some vegetable oil heat up at medium temperature. Fry the plantain slices until they are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the cooked sweet plantain to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil, then sprinkle with salt.
Can It Be Made In Advance
While it is definitely better to make these snacks fresh, you can do some prep ahead of time. This will make Valentine’s day less stressful and chaotic!
To do this, you can pre-cut and slice the plantain pieces. Then, place them on non-stick baking paper and freeze them individually. Once all the pieces are frozen, add them to a container and store them for up to a month.
When you are ready to fry the plantains, simply allow them to thaw for a couple of minutes (less than 30 minutes is needed) and fry them as you usually would.
Because you are cooking the plantain, the softened thawed texture won’t matter at all. And, even though the recipe is already incredibly quick, now all that’s left to do is fry the pieces!
Easy To Make And Quick
These sweet plantain snacks are very quick and easy to make. One recipe will take you less than 20 minutes from start to end!
And, while the plantain pieces are frying, you can prepare your fresh fruit accompaniments!
Variations Of These Sweet Plantain Snacks Recipe
The biggest variation I make in this recipe is substituting the plantain with bananas. They are slightly sweeter and less starchy than ripe plantains, but equally delicious.
Just keep in mind that plantains are much larger than bananas. So, you will get a lot more from them as well. If you have leftover plantain, you can use it to make Chicken Or Beef Pasteles En Hoja or Mangu (Plantain Mash).
Another way you can change up this delicious Caribbean vegan snack is by seasoning the pieces with a spice mix. For this recipe, I only use a little bit of salt.
But you can also add freshly ground black pepper, chili flakes, or a Mexican spice mix. Even a sprinkle of cinnamon powder makes a delicious snack!
You can also serve fried plantains with other fruits like strawberries, fresh coconut, or pineapple. And, of course, it will go incredibly well with yogurt. Even more so with coconut yogurt!
Tips And Tricks For These Valentine’s Day Sweet Plantain Snacks
- If your plantains start turning brown, you can drizzle some freshly squeezed lemon juice over them. Lime juice will work as well. This will help prevent them from oxidizing. However, it’s not a needed step, especially considering you will be frying the plantain pieces anyway. I mention it because some people find brown plantain unappealing.
- Don’t use butter to fry the plantain pieces. The butter will burn before the pieces start becoming crispy. And, the pieces won’t get a nearly as crispy texture as the oil will give them.
FAQs
You can make this recipe in the air-fryer as well. You must brush the pieces with a little bit of olive oil before frying them. Set the air-fryer to 400ºF (200ºC) and leave them for roughly 5 minutes. Check their progress after 3 minutes and leave them longer if it’s needed.
I wouldn’t say they are unhealthy, but they are definitely not the lowest in calories and fats. If you do use an air-fryer, you can cut down on a lot of calories though! And don’t forget to drain the cooked pieces to remove excess oil.
Valentine’s Day Fried Sweet Plantain Snacks
Ingredients
- 2 ripe large plantains
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Ripe avocado, for serving
- Mango, for serving
Instructions
Preparing the bananas
- To start, slice the ends off of very ripe plantain.
- Then, make a long slice through the plantain peel on two opposing sides. Don't slice through the flesh underneath. You only want to cut the peel.
- Remove the peels from the plantains and discard them.
- Place a plantain on a chopping board. Then, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart-shaped chunks. Any offcut pieces can be frozen for later use (like in a smoothie).
- Next, take each heart-shaped chunk and slice it into 2 to 3 pieces, keeping the heart shape intact. Each piece can be roughly 1/4 to 1/3-inch (6-8mm) thick.
- Repeat this with all of the cut-out heart chunks.
Fry the plantain pieces
- Next, brush the heart-shaped plantain pieces with some olive oil.
- Add a little bit more into a non-stick pot or pan. Preheat your pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the plantain pieces. Leave them to fry until both sides are golden brown and crisp. This will take between 3-6 minutes per side, depending on the heat.
- Remove the fried plantains from the heat and drain them on pieces of paper towel.
- Season them with a little bit of salt and serve them immediately with fresh avocado and mango.
