Seasoned Plantain Fries

Plantain fries are generously seasoned and then fried to crispy golden brown perfection. This Caribbean take on classic french fries takes just 30 minutes to make from scratch!

Loaded Plantain Fries

Plantain fries were a huge part of my childhood. Today I am happy to share these with my own children. They love these, especially when they are loaded with bacon or chicken and drizzled with ranch dressing!

Why You’ll Love This Plantain Fries Recipe

• Healthier Alternative to French Fries: Since plantains are nutrient-dense and so rich in flavor, I don’t mind making these a few times a week for my family. I also use less oil than I would for potato fries. Did you know that plantains have protein and a host of other vitamins? See below for a nutrition chart from Heatline.com.
• Easy to Make: From start to finish, it takes just 30 minutes to make plantain fries. Season, fry, and serve!
• Versatile: Serve plantain fries just as you would classic fries: with just about anything! They pair really well with Salmon Nuggets for a great Fish and Chips Combo. This recipe also offers three different options for dipping sauces.

Ingredients for Plantain Fries

Plantains are seasoned with pantry staples. The dipping sauce is too!

• Green plantains: Green plantains are underripe and not nearly as sweet as yellow plantains. They are starchy with a neutral taste. They are also firmer, which makes them ideal for frying. Peel and cut into 4-inch pieces.
• Avocado oil: Use this or another similar oil with a high smoking point for frying.
• Seasoning: Season liberally with onion powder, granulated garlic, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and parsley flakes (or fresh parsley).

Dipping Sauce

• Mayo: The creamy base.
• Ketchup: This sweetens the sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar: This adds a tangy twist.
• Coconut aminos: Add for umami flavor.
• Salt: Add to taste.
• Cayenne Pepper: This adds a spicy kick.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Plantain Fries

How to Peel Green Plantains

Peeling green plantains can be a tedious task since they are not as easy to peel as ripe/yellow plantains that peel pretty much like a ripe banana.

To peel green plantains, start by rubbing some oil on your hands. This prevents that sticky and staining residue plantain the peel leaves behind. Then cut the tips off the plantain and with a paring knife, make lengthwise slits along the plantain.

Next slide the tip of the knife under the skin at the top of one of the slits and peel away that portion of skin. Repeat until all of the skin is removed.

Cutting the Plantain into Fries

To make perfect plantain fries first cut the plantain in half. Then cut each half into a lengthwise half. Next cut each lengthwise half into 3 equal strips. Repeat until you cut all the plantain into fries. You will get about 12 fries per plantain. In my family one plantain equals a serving, unless you are my husband, then double your serving amount!

Seasoning the Plantain Fries

I always add dried spices to my plantain fries before frying. This allows the flavor of the spices to cook into the plantain. Coat your plantain fries generously with seasoning but not so much that the seasoning burns during frying. My favorite combination of seasoning for fries (any kind of seasoned fries) is garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper. With these basic pantry staples, you can take your fries from boring to wow in a few simple steps!

Shallow Fry versus Deep Fry

I’ve gotten into the habit of shallow frying most things that I can get away with shallow frying. Even with less oil, the results are exactly the same as if I deep-fried these seasoned plantain fries.

I recently switched to using avocado oil for frying and cooking. Not deep frying everything saves me from using too much oil, therefore saving me some money spent on avocado oil which is pretty expensive. While frying the plantain fries, just use your spatula to rotate them for even frying on all sides.

Finishing Touches for the Plantain Fries

Once the fries are golden brown on all sides, remove the fries from the heat and them place in a bowl lined with parchment paper then sprinkle with fresh parsley or parsley flakes. I don’t add the parsley flakes to the plantain fries before frying because they will burn. The little bit of hot oil on the fries, right after frying helps the parsley to stick to the plantain fries.

Making Loaded Plantain Fries

Who doesn’t love loaded fries? You can top these plantain fries off with some crispy bacon, scallions, salsa, jalapeños or even some cooked ground meat or grilled chicken pieces. Then drizzle with some fry sauce.

Making the Fry Sauce

There are two ways to make really great fry sauce. The first from scratch version is made with mayo (be sure it is compliant if you are on Whole30 or make your own), ketchup (again, make sure it is compliant), apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, salt and pepper. It’s easy to mix these together for a really quick fry sauce.

You can even add some relish or finely chopped pickles to your sauce if you like. The other version of fry sauce for me, is my lazy version. I take any ranch dressing (I particularly like the Tessemae’s Habanero Ranch Dressing) and add Ketchup. Mix those together and instant fry sauce. In Guyanese households we make spicy ketchup for fries, by adding pepper sauce to ketchup. Easy, Peasy. Anything goes.

Making Spicy Tamarind Ketchup

I enjoy these plantain fries the Guyanese way by making spicy ketchup and lately, I’ve been adding a bit of flavor to my fries by adding Saucy Lips Foods’ Ghost Pepper Habanero Sauce to my ketchup. It’s that easy and it is so delicious.

Storage

These are best served hot and fresh.

Tips for the Best Plantain Fries

• For a firmer and starchier texture, use green (unripe) plantains. If you prefer a sweeter taste and softer texture, opt for yellow or slightly blackened plantains.
• Do not add the sliced plantains to the pan until the oil is hot. If you add them beforehand, they won’t get as crispy.
• Do not overcrowd the frying pan. Fry the plantain slices in batches to ensure they have enough space to cook evenly and become crispy.
• For the best results, serve the fries immediately.

Recipe Variations

• Baked: You can make plantain fries in the oven. Slice and season per the instructions then line the fries on a parchment lined baking sheet and put them in an oven preheated to 425°F. Ensure the fries are spaced out and bake them for about 20 minutes.
• Air Fryer: You can make these fries in an air fryer set to 400°F for about 12 minutes. Shake the air fryer basket about halfway through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plantain Nutrition Facts:

Save it for Later