Simple Roasted Sweet Plantain Recipe

If you've been to the Caribbean, you have no doubt tried plantains and gotten to experience their versatility in a few of the common dishes made in that part of the world. Even though bananas and plantains have a similar look, once you cook with plantains you really begin to understand the difference. When they are green, their taste is similar to that of a potato, and they are often fried to make tostones, a savory appetizer that usually pairs with a dip. When they are yellow with black spots they are on the sweeter side and are typically made into desserts. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love cooking with all types of produce and have done quite a bit of experimenting with plantains. This recipe produces delicious slices of plantains that are perfect for a sweet bite after dinner or with afternoon tea." 

With only four ingredients, this recipe only requires a quick trip to the store. We'll obviously need to pick up some plantains. "You need to make sure you buy the plantains that are yellow and resemble a badly bruised banana. If you can only find green ones, they will take a few days to ripen," Hahn explains. Then we'll need some coconut oil, coarse salt, and cinnamon.

To start, let's get the oven preheated to 400 F. Grab a large cutting board and make a vertical cut down the side of each plantain. Be careful not to cut too deep, we only want to cut into the peel. Once you have sliced the plantain, that gives you a starting point to peel. They will be harder to peel than a banana and may rip off in sections. Once you have all three plantains peeled, slice them into ¼-inch slices on an angle.

Once they are cut, put the slices into a bowl and pour in the coconut oil, salt, and half of the cinnamon. "In this step, we'll enhance the sweetness of the plantains, so they roast up and develop a caramelized flavor as they cook," Hahn remarks.

The oven should be heated up by now so transfer the plantains onto a baking sheet in a single layer. "I like to use parchment paper on the baking sheet just to help make cleanup easy," Hahn remarks. Give the plantains another shake of cinnamon and then pop them into the oven for 20 minutes using tongs at the halfway point to flip each one over. 

And just like that, the plantains are ready to serve. The tender creamy interior of the plantains contrasts nicely with the roasted edges. They pair well with other sweet treats or fresh fruit and are also suitable alongside a meal. Hahn tells us they will last several days in the fridge if kept in a sealed container.