Seriously Simple Recipe: Sweet + Savory Plantain Fritters {Paleo + Whole30}
Plantain Fritters are the ultimate side car to your main dishes. A healthy starch that takes on any flavor you add to it, full of nutrition, and an excellent replacement for other not so healthy carbs. You can easily serve these for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even dessert. Making them a great option for any time of day.
We love to serve savory fritters alongside our Green Eggs + Ham, as a side to pork, or when we are craving a sweet, carb-like snack.
SERIOUSLY SIMPLE RECIPE: SWEET + SAVORY PLANTAIN FRITTERS {PALEO + WHOLE30}
First, let’s clear up a few things about Plantains. They are related to bananas but are different in several important areas. They contain more fiber-rich starch, less sugar, and taste very different.
Actually very similar to white potatoes, except plantains contain more nutrients. Full of Vitamin A, C, and B6, digestive supporting Fiber, Magnesium, and Potassium (even more than banana).
Plantains ripen much like bananas, and their flavor and texture vary quite a bit in each stage. Here is a quick reference for when and how to use them. Regardless of how you cook and use them, one word of advice. Do not try and eat them raw, yuck doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Green Plantains
- They are at their starchiest during this stage and should be treated like a potato. Cook them into savory dishes or use as a replacement for other healthy starches.
- Plantain chips are a great alternative to potatoes and you can easily make them at home. You will want to use green plantains for these as well to help get that crispy texture.
- If you are making a savory fritter, use green plantains as noted below. They hold together better, don’t part impart a sweet flavor, and are easier to pair with savory flavors.
YELLOW PLANTAINS
- As they ripen that take on a sweeter flavor, so semi-ripe plantains are best for sweeter dishes. That extra sweetness helps them caramelize.
- You can easily grill or pan fry plantains for a sweet fix. Slice in half lengthwise, and throw them on the grill for a few minutes per side, or fry in coconut oil until softened. Dust with some cinnamon and a serve with a side of nut butter and you have one killer treat.
- If you making a sweet fritter, use partially ripened plantains as noted below. Ideally, you would mix one green plantain and one ripened plantain, but don’t let them get too brown. Like bananas, they will get mushy and don’t make good fritters.
BLACK PLANTAINS
- This variety is definitely still edible and best used for desserts.
- They become more banana-like in this stage and can be used in any dish that calls for ripe bananas. Think bread, muffins, or bars. Or for super quick dessert follow the same method as noted above for frying plantains, just use a lower heat. They will caramelize more and taste even sweeter.
We would love for you to follow Well Rooted on instagram and tag your recipes with #the.WellRooted.life! You can also share photos on facebook. Thanks for your support!
Seriously Simple Recipe: Sweet + Savory Plantain Fritters {Paleo + Whole30}
Ingredients
Sweet Fritters
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee for frying
- 2 medium semi-ripe plantains
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- Sea salt to taste
Savoy Fritters
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee for frying
- 2 medium green plantains
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Line a plate with parchment or wax paper and set aside.
- Peel and slice plantains into discs. Add one plantain to high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Using a hand grater or the grating attachment on a food processor, grate the second plantain. Note, if you are using overripe plantains they likely cannot be grated. Instead, mash them with a fork. Mix grated pieces and all seasonings into the puree. Stir until well combined.
- In a large fry pan heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee over medium heat. While oil is melting, form the fritters. Using wet hands form mixture into 2-4 patties and set aside on a parchment or wax paper lined plate.
- Fry fritters in one or two batches until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Serve warm.
Notes
**These are great alongside eggs (such as our Green Eggs + Ham) for breakfast.
***Use savory plantains as a replacement for any other healthy starch side, such as sweet potato or squash. They are excellent served with pork.
I have never cooked plaintains but I have loved them every time I tried them. May be time to start experimenting with them.
Definitely give them a try, they’re so versatile!
This looks so yummy! I’ve never had plantains but this looks like a really interesting and cool way to prepare them!
They’re a great healthy carb option, and it’s so easy to cook them in a variety of ways. We hope you try them and thanks for stopping by!
I’ve been wondering about the different kinds of plantains. Thanks for the info and the fab recipe. I’m always looking for healthy alternatives to make and these look fabulous!
Thanks so much! Plantains are such a great option and alternative to high glycemic starches. We hope you love them!
I love this recipe! What a unique take on fritters. I can’t wait to give it a try :). Thank you for sharing such a creative, delicious recipe!
Thanks so much! We think you’ll love them and look forward to your feedback ?
These look delicious! And simple! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks a million Judy! That is a great description!
I was looking for something more like a potato pancake and came across this recipe. Originally, I thought that if I made them thinner and cooked at a higher heat, I would get that crunchy outside. Well, they ended up burning and sticking to my cast iron. I transferred it to a non-stick pan they were better but greasy so I added cassava flour to the batter. That was better but still greasy. Next, I made smaller fritters thinking, if they cooked faster they wouldn’t absorb as much oil and put them on a paper towel when they came out but still greasy. With the final bit of batter, I cooked them silver dollar size, on medium high heat, and no oil. SUCCESS! Crunchy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Exactly how I wanted them. Guess I should also say that I used one yellow and one green plantain. I didn’t want an overwhelmingly bananay flavor but wanted sweetness without the addition of other sweeteners.
Thank you for that feedback, Lisa! Plantains vary greatly based on size and ripeness, so that makes sense that they weren’t consistent at first. Yellow/ripe plantains are very sticky as well. So glad to hear that you found a method that works for you and that they came out to your likeness 🙂