Tajadas de Plátano Maduro: Fried Sweet Plantains
Tajadas de Plátano Maduro (Fried Sweet Plantains) are an absolute staple in Colombian and Latin American daily cuisine. While green plantains provide a savory crunch, these perfectly ripe, sweet slices are often enjoyed as a comforting side dish or even a makeshift dessert to balance a heavy meal.
The secret to this incredibly fast 8-minute recipe is ensuring the oil is perfectly hot so the natural sugars caramelize beautifully without absorbing too much grease. Paired with savory cheeses or traditional coastal sauces, they are the ultimate foolproof treat!
Tajadas de Plátano Maduro (Fried Sweet Plantains)
A quick, sweet, and comforting Latin American classic! Ripe plantain slices fried until beautifully golden and caramelized.
Ingredients
- 2 Ripe plantains plátanos maduros
- Oil for frying
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep the plantains: First, wash the plantains and carefully remove their thick peels. Proceed to cut the fruit diagonally into classic slices (tajadas) and add a pinch of salt to taste.
- Fry the slices: Heat the frying oil in a pan. Once the oil is very hot, carefully add the plantain slices. Keep a close eye on them; unlike green plantains, the high sugar content in ripe plantains means they cook and caramelize much faster.
- Serve and enjoy: Once they are a beautiful golden brown on both sides, remove them from the hot oil and drain any excess grease. You can enjoy them completely on their own, or pair them with cheese, suero costeño (coastal sour cream), savory hogao, or even sweet bocadillo (guava paste)!
Notes
- Alternative Recipes: If you fall in love with this incredibly versatile base ingredient, other fantastic traditional Colombian recipes made with very ripe plantains include Plátanos maduros asados con queso (roasted sweet plantains with cheese) and the heavily syrupy Plátanos calados.
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