Delicious sweet plantains baked in the oven to toast the edges and release their natural sweet goodness – crisp perfection on the outside, soft and tender on the inside.
This is a super simple recipe. It only contains two ingredients plus your oven. I promise there isn’t much to it.
And yet, at the same time, there are a few things you should know – things I’ve learned over the years that I’d like to share with you. This is especially true since this process departs from the traditional stove-top fried-in-oil preparation. Your arteries will thank me later.
As the name implies, these Oven-Roasted Sweet Plantains are baked in the oven for about twenty-five minutes, depending on how big your plantains are or how thick your slices are. And the results make me so happy!! These sweet plantains have nicely toasted edges with a slight crispness on the outside.
And the inside? Exactly what you come to expect from sweet fried plantains. The roasting releases their natural sweet goodness and flavor while creating the soft and tender texture on the inside, just like fried sweet plantains should have.
And that’s the best part! The results mimic the traditional method; and yet, we use the tiniest fraction of the oil normally used. I think you can get away with no oil if you want to try it, but the outside edges may not crisp up. There’s quite a bit of starch in these plantains.
I’ve shared that I grew up in south Florida where tropical treats like plantains were not only available, they were enjoyed year-round! So yes, I’m pretty ecstatic!!
There are two more things I need to share.
The first is that it’s really important to use very ripe sweet plantains to make these Oven-Roasted Sweet Plantains. Sweet plantains are yellow with black marks all over. They look similar to ripe bananas when you’re making a loaf of banana bread. And let me warn you! Do not eat a plantain as you would eat a banana. Like a potato, plantains really need to be cooked to fully enjoy them. And this is precisely why they turn out so well in the oven – the roasting process really lets their natural sweetness shine!
On the other hand, green plantains are very starchy and not sweet at all. They’re used to make tostones, which are sliced much in the same way that these Oven-Roasted Sweet Plantains are. But the difference is tostones are cooked twice – first, they are cooked on both sides, then they’re mashed into a flat disc and cooked again. I may have to do a post on them as well. The process is similar, but the results are very different. Tostones are savory, much drier, and smashed flat.
The second thing I want to share is that plantains are super good for you. For this reason, plantains have become an important staple in more tropical locations where they thrive, including parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Nutritionally, cooked plantains are much more like a potato and grains in terms of calories and are very digestible.
One cup of cooked yellow plantains contains 215 calories, .22 grams of fat, 2 grams of plant protein, 3 grams of fiber. They’re also great sources of potassium, vitamins A, C, and B-6, and potassium. This means they’re great for your digestive tract, promote a healthy heart and reduce your risk of heart disease, assist you in maintaining a healthy weight, and are ideal for reducing free radicals in your body. (Healthline)
Plantains are also extremely versatile and relatively inexpensive. For this reason, there are several other ways to enjoy plantains, especially green plantains – such as making tortillas and cups – which I’m excited to share with you shortly. I have so much to share!! But it takes time to create and edit the photos, write everything down, and post it here for you. But I will get to it, I promise.
These Oven-roasted Sweet Plantains are excellent after they’ve cooled a few moments. They also store very well in an air-tight covered container in the refrigerator. You can either reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, air fryer, or microwave for a few minutes to warm them back up.
I hope you enjoy these Oven-Roasted Sweet Plantains as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains*
- 1-2 tsp avocado oil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Peel the plantains by scoring them horizontally (end to end) with a knife. Turn them to the other side and score it again. Carefully peel the skin off and discard the skin.
- Slice the plantains cross-wise into medallions or coins.
- Transfer to a bowl and toss with the oil until lightly coated.
- Spread the plantain medallions in one even layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully turn each slice over.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, until golden.
- Allow to cool 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a serving bowl or plate.
Notes
* Ripe plantains should be very yellow with lots of dark spots or lines on the peel.
Oven Roasted Sweet Plantains
Equipment
- oven
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains*
- 1-2 tsp avocado oil optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Peel the plantains by scoring them horizontally (end to end) with a knife. Turn them to the other side and score it again. Carefully peel the skin off and discard the skin.
- Slice the plantains cross-wise into medallions or coins. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the oil until lightly coated.
- Spread the plantain medallions in one even layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully turn each slice over.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, until golden.
- Allow to cool 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a serving bowl or plate.