Cuban tostones are crispy, crunchy and absolutely addictive. Served with the garlic mojo sauce, they make a perfect snack or a great appetizer.
Tostones are double fried green plantains that are very popular and are a huge feature in Latin Caribbean cuisine. Fried plantains have different names (tostones, patacones, tajadas, mariquitas) and shapes depending on the country.
These crunchy slabs of fried plantains make a very addictive snack or an appetizer when served with a garlicky mojo sauce. This recipe is from Viva Vegan cookbook.
Ingredients
There is only ONE main ingredient in this recipe – Plantain. It is important to make sure that the plantain used is green and firm. Soft ones do not yield crispy and crunchy tostones, so best to avoid using those.
For the Garlic mojo sauce is a great accompaniment to tostones or to cooked yuca. As the name suggests, main ingredient for this is Garlic. Choose good quality olive oil to make this dip. Onion, ground cumin and lemon juice round up the flavors in this addictive dip.
Instructions
Plantains are chopped into thick slabs and fried until slightly tender. After cooling for couple of minutes, these are smushed/ crushed down to make a thinner piece. The second frying makes them extra crunchy and absolutely delicious.
There are many methods for crushing tostones for their second frying. The idea is to use a heavy, flat object to evenly apply enough pressure to the cooked plantain. This is only to flatten it, we do not want them to fall apart.
There’s a special tool used in Latin kitchens called a tostonera that is designed just for the smashing purpose. But I used my handy-dandy poori press for that and it worked great for me.
Cuban Tostones with Garlic Mojo Sauce
Ingredients
For Tostones:
- 2 Green Plantains
- To taste Salt
For Mojo Sauce:
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 6 ~ 8 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- ¼ cup Freshly squeezed Lime juice
- To taste Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make Cuban Tostones:
- Heat oil for deep frying.
- Peel the plantains and slice them at an angle into 1~1½” thick pieces.
- Gently slide into the hot oil and fry for 4~5 minutes, flipping once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the plantains from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain for about 2 minutes.
- When the fried slices are just cool enough to handle, about 2~3 minutes; gently but firmly flatten them to about ⅜” thick. I used my poori press to press the fried plantains, but a soup can, tortilla press or even a rolling pan will also work.
- Gently drop the flattened plantains back into the hot oil and fry for another 3~4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp along the edges.
- Return to the paper to drain, sprinkle the hot tostones with salt, and serve immediately.
Make Mojo Sauce:
- In a large saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, onion and bring to a gently simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to low. Simmer for 12~14 minutes or until the garlic and onion are very soft and just starting to turn golden.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and ground cumin.
- Set aside for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Gently stir in the lime juice and ground pepper. Serve with tostones.
Notes
- Make sure the plantains used are firm.
- To crush/ smush tostones for their second frying – use a soup can, coffee can or a tortilla press. The idea is to apply even pressure on the cooked plantain that it flattens out but not so much that it falls apart.
- Once cooled, garlic sauce can be pureed with an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce for the tostones.
Taste Test:
Cuban Tostones are best when eaten hot. So serve them as soon as they are fried and seasoned. My whole family loved these crispy, crunchy and addictive. Serve them as is or with the garlic mojo sauce.
Linking to Valli’s BM# 110 and don’t forget to check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today.
More Cuban Dishes:
Few More Cuban dishes that you may want to try at home:
Kalyani
The sauce looks delish :/)) bookmarking to try …
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
one of my favorite things to eat – I grew up eating these constantly although the Haitian version which we call banane peze – just so you know a cast iron pan works really well to flatten them and you can even get a device called a tostonera in some latin markets and even on amazon
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
one of my favorite things to eat – I grew up eating these constantly although the Haitian version which we call banane peze – just so you know a cast iron pan works really well to flatten them and you can even get a device called a tostonera in some latin markets and even on amazon
Sowmya :)
Wow! That looks so tempting…I have break my rule of not deep frying too!
sneha datar
This are delicious tostones, would enjoy having these.
Srivalli
Pavani I had enjoyed the tostones when I had made the sauce sounds new..very nicely combination..
sapna
Oh wow, very interesting recipe with plantains. Somehow I rarely buy plantians as no one likes them, will buy them next time to try your recipe
Lata Lala
Such a unique and something new to learn about how to use green plantains Pavani. Though we don’t use plantains often this sounds good. Definitely worth a try.
Farah Abumaizar
Have never tried plantains but this recipe looks so interesting! I’m happy with anything fried ! Would love to try this out
Bry
Had never heard of these or tried them before but thought I’d give it a go – amazing and addicted! These are so yummy and we’ll definitely be making them again! Thanks!
Jessica Formicola
These tostones are amazing! We had them with dinner last night and everyone loved them!
Carrie Robinson
I just love fried plantains! And that sauce sounds amazing. 🙂
Toni
My kids really loved it! Such a delicious snack!
Sandhya Nadkarni
I had enjoyed tostones in Puerto Rico and yours look superb! Loved your detailed recipe.
Shailender Sharma
Such a unique and splendid recipe and that too by following very easy and simple steps. Loved the post in its entirety.
Danielle
So crispy so inviting – just how I LOVE my tostones to be. I’ve got to try them with that mojo sauce though – sounds delicious!
Jolly
This is totally new to me. It looks so crispy and delicious! Another very interesting recipe with plantains. Will love to try!!
Mayuri Patel
I love tostones, such a wonderful snack with a flavorful dip. Like how you’ve used the roti press to press the slices. I had to use my palm and it was a bit hard.
Leslie
I’ve never heard of this plantain appetizer! I’m so intrigued by this recipe! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Those plantains looks just perfect and I would just eat a whole batch by myself. The mojo sauce recipe is very new to me and I am looking forward to trying it.
amrita
It’s good to know about a new dish from a different cuisine…you have nicely explained the steps..
Suma Gandlur
That is a classic combo. I thoroughly enjoyed tostones when I had made them.
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
This is such a wonderful treat Pavani, never seen before. That sauce is a highlight of this recipe. Lovely share.
Jayashree T.Rao
Such an interesting recipe, would love to try this when I get the plantains here. Loved it.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
Very interesting! I always thought plantains was only for Keralites till I started seeing so much of Latin American food based with this ingredient, especially on Mir’s page. This snack looks super delicious and that dip sounds out of the world…
Harini Rupanagudi
Wow! That is such an interesting way to eat plantain. The dipping sauce sounds so unique and flavorful as well.