Plantain Hash Browns

We've gotten really into plantains lately so this is the first of a few great recipes with them. A close friend of ours, Brittany Gonzalez, who owns La Banana Frita  has inspired us with her amazing uses of plantains...if you live anywhere near CLE make sure to check her out.  One of our favorite plantain dishes is hash browns...they are so quick and easy to make and you can serve with breakfast, lunch or dinner (or as a snack).  For this recipe we kept it super simple, but feel free to try different spice/flavor combos to your liking...and if you have one worth sharing please post it in the comments section below.

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Plantains are ripe when they are soft to the touch and yellow-ish brown.  Below are some pictures of plantains in a few stages...a lot of people make the mistake of using bright yellow plantains (that look like perfect bananas) or a dark brown plantain.  The pre-ripe ones will be starchy and dry and the dark brown ones will be mush.  We like the 2 on the right (pic below) for hash browns...the darker one will be a little sweeter.

Our favorite way to cook plantains is with coconut oil in a skillet, but you can also use bacon grease, ghee, or butter.  

Author Ralph Lazaro ∙ Prep 5 mins ∙ Cook 10-12 mins ∙ Servings 4 

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe plantains

  • 2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil

  • Dash of garlic powder

  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut off ends of plantains and run a shallow cut (peel only) down the back of the plantain. Then run your fingers down the slit pulling away the peel.

  2. Dice Plantains into 1/2 inch cubes. I like to half lengthwise and half again, then slice across into cubes.

  3. Melt coconut oil in a large skillet. Add plantains, dash of garlic powder, salt and pepper.

  4. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, turning regularly, until they start to crisp and are cooked through. If the pan gets too dry you may want to add a little more oil...don't let it get too wet though as they won't crisp.

  5. Once cooked to your liking (I like em crispy) scrape onto a plate or bowl, sprinkle with salt and enjoy!

Additional Notes

  • Picking the right plantains is key to this recipe. See the pics and comments above to learn about getting the right plantains.

  • Our favorite way to cook plantains is with coconut oil in a skillet, but you can also use bacon grease, ghee, or butter.

  • Adding some spicy seasoning to the plantains would be a delicious adjustment since the plantains tend to be a little sweet, you could get that salty/sweet moment!! YUM!