How To Fry Tostones: 3 Simplest Ways to Make Delicious Fried Plantains
If you’re new to the world of tostones, then you might be wondering: What are tostones? They’re a beloved Puerto Rican dish that is made from a half-cooked (or sometimes un-cooked) plantain that is then deep fried.
These fried plantains are then topped with spices like salt and pepper, and sometimes a little cheese or mayo, and then sliced up into bite-sized pieces.
That might sound a little strange, but it’s actually a pretty delicious and versatile dish. They’re a great addition to salads or wraps, and they’re also super easy to make. If you’re ready to learn how to fry tostones, keep reading! In this article, you’ll learn:
What are tostones?
Tostones are a dish made of ripe and green plantains that are sliced into 1/4 inch-thick rounds or chips and then deep fried until they are a golden brown.
They are then topped off with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and sometimes with a little bit of cheese or mayo. Tostones are eaten by itself or as a side dish. You can also add them to a salad or sandwich, or serve them as an appetizer.
How to fry tostones: The best way to make tostones
Tostones are made by first cooking the plantain until it is soft, where it is then cooled enough to be sliced into 1/4-inch thickness. The plantain is then sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds or chips and is then deep fried until golden brown.
Once the tostones have cooled, the rounds can be topped with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or salt and a drizzle of mayo or salsa. Alternatively, you can top them with cheese, or with a fried egg and tomato as a breakfast dish, or top them with cheese, jalapeno and ham for a spicy snack.
3 delicious ways to top your fried plantains
If you’re looking for a few different ways to top your fried plantains, your search is over! These three delicious toppings will change the way you think about tostones.
Seasoned Salt:
In the Caribbean, tostones are often served with a dusting of seasoned salt. If you want to add a little more flavor to your tostones, this is a great option. Simply sprinkle some salt on top of the tostones before serving, or if you’re looking for an even more intense flavor, then you can also try a little cayenne pepper.
Ranch:
If you want to add a little kick to your tostones, then you can also try a drizzle of ranch dressing, or a splurge with some Mexican-spiked ranch. This way, you can enjoy tostones as a snack, or as a side dish at your next Mexican-themed dinner party.
Mayo:
Mayo is the ultimate condiment. You can use it to make a toasts, pickles, or salads, and it can also be added to mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese.
You can also try adding a little mayo on top of your tostones for a creamy and cheesy take on one of Puerto Rico’s most famous dishes.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
If you’re looking for a more substantial meal, you can also try serving your fried plantains as a side dish. It’s a great way to add some flavor and protein to your lunch or dinner plate.
Simply top your fried plantains with your favorite protein, like ground beef or chicken, and then add some veggies like bell peppers and onions.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
For a more substantial meal, serve your fried plantains as a side dish. Simply top your fried plantains with your favorite protein, like ground beef or chicken, and then add some veggies like bell peppers and onions. For a combination that is sure to please everyone, try these healthy fried plantains with ground beef and broccoli.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
Finally, if you want a completely different and unexpected way of eating your tostones, you can also try making them into sweet potato fries!
Just slice your tostones lengthwise and then thinly layer them with sweet potato chips, dust them with cinnamon and sugar, and then put them in the oven until they are crisp and golden brown. This will turn your tostones into sweet potato fries and make them even more delicious.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
For a more substantial meal, serve your fried plantains as a side dish. Simply top your fried plantains with your favorite protein, like ground beef or chicken, and then add some veggies like bell peppers and onions.
For a combination that is sure to please everyone, try these healthy fried plantains with ground beef and broccoli.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
Finally, if you want a completely different and unexpected way of eating your tostones, you can also try making them into sweet potato fries! Just slice your tostones lengthwise and then thinly layer them with sweet potato chips, dust them with cinnamon and sugar, and then put them in the oven until they are crisp and golden brown. This will turn your tostones into sweet potato fries and make them even more delicious.
Fried plantains with eggs and cheese: a tasty breakfast
Finally, if you want a completely different and unexpected way of eating your tostones, you can also try making them into sweet potato fries!
Just slice your tostones lengthwise and then thinly layer them with sweet potato chips, dust them with cinnamon and sugar, and then put them in the oven until they are crisp and golden brown. This will turn your tostones into sweet potato fries and make them even more delicious.
What are tostones good with?
Tostones are a great addition to a salad or sandwich, or you can enjoy them with your favorite meat or fish. Simply top your meat or fish with your favorite salad ingredients, like tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, and cilantro, and then finish it off with a few tostones.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
For a more substantial meal, serve your fried plantains as a side dish. Simply top your fried plantains with your favorite protein, like ground beef or chicken, and then add some veggies like bell peppers and onions.
For a combination that is sure to please everyone, try these healthy fried plantains with ground beef and broccoli.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
Finally, if you want a completely different and unexpected way of eating your tostones, you can also try making them into sweet potato fries!
Just slice your tostones lengthwise and then thinly layer them with sweet potato chips, dust them with cinnamon and sugar, and then put them in the oven until they are crisp and golden brown.
This will turn your tostones into sweet potato fries and make them even more delicious.
Fried plantains in your lunch or dinner plate
For a more substantial meal, serve your fried plantains as a side dish. Simply top your fried plantains with your favorite protein, like ground beef or chicken, and then add some veggies like bell peppers and onions.
For a combination that is sure to please everyone, try these healthy fried plantains with ground beef and broccoli.
What is the best oil to fry tostones?
There are a lot of different oil options when it comes to frying tostones, but the most popular one is vegetable oil. Now, you can definitely use other oils like coconut oil, lard, etc.
if you have a recipe that calls for it, but I’ll go ahead and assume that most readers are probably frying with vegetable oil. There are a lot of different brands of vegetable oil out there and it can be a little hard to know which one to use.
I always go with Spectrum or Spectrum Organic because they are pretty reliable, but feel free to experiment with whatever you have on hand. To make it easy on yourself, you can usually just scoop some out of the bottle into a bowl for testing.
Why do you dip tostones in water?
One of the most common questions I get when I tell people how to make tostones is why you dip them in water first before frying them. This is to get rid of the excess starch. It makes sense! What do you want for dinner? What’s for dinner? You want tostones, right?
Instead of reaching for the mayo and sour cream, reach for the water to wash off the excess starch from the tostones.
Should I soak plantains before frying them?
You don’t have to soak them, but it definitely makes the process a lot easier! When you soak plantains, you gently rub the starchy surface of the plantain to loosen the tough outer skin, which allows you to peel off the skin easily with your hands.
Soaking will wash away any excess starch and make the skin come off easier. But, again, you don’t have to do this. You can skip the soaking step and still have delicious tostones!
How long do you fry frozen tostones?
Frozen tostones can be fried for about the same amount of time that un-frozen ones take, because the starch content is pretty much the same.
They can be fried for about a minute per side until they are golden brown. You want to make sure that you cook them long enough to get them crispy and start to get golden brown.
Make sure to use a thermometer to make sure that they reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees before removing them from the oil.
Now, if you’re wondering how to cook Goya tostones in the oven, then you have to cook them for a few extra minutes. You want to bake them for about 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees.
Can tostones be healthy?
Yes! You can definitely fry tostones using healthy oils like coconut oil and olive oil. They can be made using whole plantains or ripe plantains, so the only difference between fried tostones and regular plantains is the oil that you use. You can also make tostones using ripe plantains, which are darker and sweeter than regular ones.
You can also make tostones using white plantains, which are almost identical to ripe ones. The only difference between fried tostones and regular plantains is the oil that you use.
So, no, they definitely can’t be considered healthy, but they are a super healthy snack that is full of fiber, protein, and other nutrients. When used in moderation, tostones are a great addition to your diet!
Can tostones be gluten-free?
Plantains can be gluten-free, but they are almost never marked as such. It’s especially important to remember this if you’re frying plantains with gluten (wheat) in mind.
All of the ingredients that go into tostones are gluten-free, so you should be safe if you use them in a recipe that doesn’t call for wheat.
But if you’re frying them with a wheat-containing batter, then you may want to double check that the batter doesn’t include wheat.
Can tostones be healthy?
Absolutely. And one of the main reasons why is that they are full of fiber, protein, and other nutrients. They can be made from ripe or unripe plantains, so you have an almost endless variety of options.
Unripe plantains are often sweeter, and there are lots of different spices that you can add to top them off.
You can also make them using whole plantains or white plantains, so you have a lot more options when it comes to seasonings and spices. As long as you prepare them the right way, they are absolutely healthy.
Can you prep tostones ahead of time?
Yes! If you’re short on time, or simply don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, you can always make tostones in advance and keep them in the fridge. Once they’re out of the oil, you can store them in a resealable bag for up to 2 days.
If you’re not too worried about having tostones on hand, you can always just cook a few extra plantains at the same time and keep them in the freezer for later use.
How do you keep tostones warm?
Another great thing about tostones is that they can be kept warm while you cook them. When you’re ready to make it, simply heat up the oil in a large, deep pan on medium-high heat. Once the oil has heated up, add in the tostones and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp.
Once you’ve finished frying, place the tostones in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. This will help to keep the tostones in the ‘just-fried’ state, if you don’t want to wait for them to cool down.
You can also arrange them on a baking tray (lined with parchment paper), covered with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Do tostones have to be refrigerated?
No and yes. Tostones should be refrigerated after they’ve been fried to prevent the starch from oxidizing. The reason for this is because when the starch on the tostones starts to oxidize, it can turn brown and develop a texture that is slightly chewy and gritty.
The key to preventing this is to refrigerate the tostones after they’re fried. If you don’t, the tostones will taste delicious, but they will have a slightly different texture.
How do you know when Tostone is ready?
There are a few different ways that you can tell when your plantains are ready to be fried. Take a look at the photos below to help you out:
Let’s start with the yellow tostones. As you can see in the photos, the tostones should be almost yellow in color. If you stick a fork into one, you should be able to pierce it easily with little resistance. The other thing that you can look for is the sound of the tostones frying. You should be able to hear the fried tostones sizzling in the hot oil.
Once the tostones have reached a light golden brown color, you can remove them from the pan and drain the excess oil. It’s important to do this so that your tostones aren’t too greasy. If they’re too oily, then they will start to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients and lose some of their crispiness.
Now onto the green tostones. As you can see in the photos, these tostones should be a bright, deep green color. If they’re not, then they’re not going to be ready to be fried just yet. The other thing that you can look for is a crunchy texture. If the tostones aren’t crunchy enough, then they will continue to cook once they’re in the hot oil, and will turn soft.
Finally, the black tostones. These tostones should be a very dark black in color. If they’re not, then they’re probably not ready to be fried just yet. The other thing that you can look for is a very soft texture. If the tostones are still very hard when you stick them in the hot oil, then they won’t turn as crisp as they should.
You can, however, peel these tostones once they’re cool. Black tostones are usually harder to peel, so this method is only recommended for those who are more skilled.
Are tostones Puerto Rican?
Yes! Tostones are a Puerto Rican dish that is eaten throughout Latin America. The exact origins of tostones are unknown, but they can be found in many places throughout Latin America.
Puerto Ricans are also known to eat them in the US, particularly in the South, as well as many other countries around the world. They might be named differently in different countries, but they will always have the same core ingredients.
What are tostones made of?
Tostones are made of a half-cooked (or un-cooked) plantain. They are then deep fried until golden brown and crisp.
What is the difference between tostones and Platanos maduros?
Platanos maduros are ripe plantains, which are cooked and eaten before they turn green or black. Tostones are usually eaten once the plantains have fully ripened and become black in color.
The other difference between tostones and platanos maduros is that tostones are usually eaten as a snack (with a drink of course) whereas platanos maduros are usually eaten as a main meal. If you’re feeling especially hungry, you can also make a tostada out of tostones, which is basically a fried plantain covered in your favorite toppings!
Where did tostones originated from?
One of the oldest known uses of tostones was in the Caribbean. The Spaniards brought tostones with them when they settled in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries.
The natives in Puerto Rico also ate tostones, which is why tostones are now widely known as ‘pulgas’ in the island.
Conclusion
If you’ve never tried tostones before, perhaps this article has given you some inspiration. They’re incredibly versatile, delicious, and easy to make!
They’re great when served with a dip or gravy, but they also work really well as a snack or appetizer. To make them at home, you can use a mandoline to achieve the right thickness. If you buy pre-sliced tostones, then you won’t even have to do any peeling!
You might want to try toasting the plantains first, as this will help to get rid of some of the natural water in the plantains, and thus help to cook them through more quickly. Then, you can simply slice them into short, thin strips. Once the plantains have been fried, simply toss them with your favorite spices and toppings!
Plantains are a starchy vegetable that is eaten both fresh and cooked. In Latin America, the green variety is referred to as a green banana and the ripe variety is usually referred to as a plantain. In this article, we’ve given you a few different ways to make delicious fried plantains.
You can try dusting your plantains with seasoned salt, or sprinkling your plantains with sugar. You can also top your plantains with mayo for a creamy and flavorful treat.
When it comes to enjoying fried plantains, you can try them as a snack or as a side dish. Fried plantains are delicious as a snack, and you can also enjoy them as part of a meal. Fried plantains are a great way to add some extra flavor to your next meal.
Image Source: Puerto Rican Tostones (Fried Plantains)
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