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    Home » Snacks » Cuban Tostones with Garlic Sauce

    Cuban Tostones with Mojo Sauce Recipe

    Published: Oct 28, 2022 by Pavani · 31 Comments

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    Cuban tostones are crispy, crunchy and absolutely addictive. Thick slices of green plantain are fried until slightly tender, then pressed into thin piece and fried again. The second frying makes these extra crispy and amazing.

    The garlic mojo sauce is the perfect accompaniment for the tostones. Serve them hot for a snack or as an appetizer or even with rice and beans.

    Grey plate with Cuban tostones and a bowl of mojo sauce.

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    Table of contents

    • About the recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
      • Make Cuban Tostones
      • Make Cuban mojo sauce
    • Expert Tips
    • You might also like
    • Recipe Card

    About the recipe

    Tostones are basically double fried green plantains. They are very popular and are a huge feature in Latin Caribbean cuisine. Fried plantains have different names like tostones, patacones, tajadas, mariquitas etc. and also come in different shapes depending on the country.

    The technique of making tostones involves frying thick slices of plantain until slightly firm. They are then cooled for a couple of minutes, then smushed/ crushed down to make a thinner piece. The second frying of these thinner slices makes tostone 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 gently flatten it, we do not want them to fall apart.

    Plate with fried plantains and a bowl with garlic sauce.

    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.

    These crunchy slabs of fried plantains make a very addictive snack or an appetizer when served with a garlic dipping sauce. This recipe is from Viva Vegan cookbook.

    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 Cuban garlic sauce.

    Top view of plate with crispy Cuban tostones.

    Ingredients

    For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

    Here are the ingredients you need to make Cuban tostones:

    • Green Plantains ~ 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.
    • Salt
    • Oil ~ I use vegetable or canola oil.

    You will need a tostonera or a poori press to smash the plantain. But you can go low-tech and use a soup can, tortilla press or even a rolling pan.

    Ingredients needed to make tostones, details in recipe card.

    Here are the ingredients you need to make Cuban mojo sauce:

    • Garlic cloves
    • Good quality olive oil ~ I usually use light flavored olive oil instead of extra virgin oil.
    • Yellow onion
    • Ground cumin, black pepper and salt.
    • Lime juice
    Ingredients to make mojo sauce, details in recipe card.

    Instructions

    For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

    Here is how to make crispy Cuban Tostones:

    Make Cuban Tostones

    Prep the plantains. Cut the ends off of the plantains. Using a sharp knife, make 3~4 shallow slits down the length of the plantain. Slide a spoon or butter knife between the peel and flesh and gently lift it. The skin should come off easily.Slice the peeled plantains at an angle into 1~1½” thick pieces.

    3 panel photo showing 2 green plantains, peeled and diced.

    Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottom pan on medium-high heat.

    Gently slide the plantain slices into the hot oil and fry for until slightly firm. Gently flip once midway through frying. Using a slotted spoon, remove the plantains from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

    When the fried slices are just cool enough to handle; gently but firmly flatten them to about ⅜” thick. Gently drop the flattened plantains back into the hot oil and fry, turning once, until golden and crisp along the edges. Return to the paper to drain, sprinkle the hot tostones with salt, and serve immediately.

    6 panel photo showing the deep frying of plantain.

    Make Cuban mojo sauce

    In a medium 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, pepper and ground cumin. Set aside for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Gently stir in the lime juice. Serve with tostones.

    4 panel photo showing the cooking of olive oil with onion, garlic and spices.
    Hand holding a Cuban tostone with mojo sauce.

    Expert Tips

    • Make sure to use firm green plantains for the best crispy and crunchy tostones.
    • Season the fried plantains while still hot, to ensure they are well seasoned.
    • You can 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.
    • Tostones are best to serve hot.
    • You can serve garlic mojo sauce as an accompaniment to tostones or even to cooked yuca.
    • Once cooled, garlic sauce can be pureed with an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce.
    • Store leftover garlic sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
    • Mojo sauce is great to serve as salad dressing or even over rice bowls.

    You might also like

    Few more vegetarian Cuban dishes that you may want to try at home:

    • Two white cups with espresso and toast in the background
      How to make Cuban Coffee and Tostada
    • How to make Cuban Bread without Lard
    • Cuban Style Yellow Rice (Vegan recipe)
    • Cuban Black Beans for #Food of the World (Vegan Recipe)

    I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

    Recipe Card

    Plate with fried plantains and a bowl with garlic sauce.

    Cuban Tostones with Garlic Sauce

    Cuban tostones are crispy, crunchy and absolutely addictive. Serve with garlic mojo sauce and enjoy as a snack or as an appetizer.
    Author: Pavani
    Print Pin Rate
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    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: cuban
    Servings: 4 Servings

    Ingredients

    For Tostones:

    • 2 Green Plantains
    • As needed Oil, for deep frying
    • To taste Salt

    For Mojo Sauce:

    • ½ cup Olive Oil
    • 6 ~ 8 Garlic cloves, finely minced
    • 1 Small Yellow Onion, finely sliced
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 2~3 tablespoons Freshly squeezed Lime juice
    • To taste Freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    Make Cuban Tostones:

    • Prep the plantains. Cut the ends off of the plantains. Using a sharp knife, make 3~4 shallow slits down the length of the plantain. Slide a spoon or butter knife between the peel and flesh and gently lift it. The skin should come off easily.
      Slice the peeled plantains at an angle into 1~1½” thick pieces.
      2 Green Plantains
    • Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottom pan on medium-high heat.
      As needed Oil, for deep frying
    • Gently slide the plantain slices 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 use 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.
      To taste Salt

    Make Mojo Sauce:

    • In a medium 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.
      ½ cup Olive Oil, 6 ~ 8 Garlic cloves, finely minced, 1 Small Yellow Onion, finely sliced
    • Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper and ground cumin. Set aside for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Gently stir in the lime juice. Serve with tostones.
      1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin, 2~3 tablespoons Freshly squeezed Lime juice, To taste Freshly ground black pepper

    Video

    Notes

    • Make sure to use firm green plantains for the best crispy and crunchy tostones.
    • Season the fried plantains while still hot, to ensure they are well seasoned.
    • You can 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.
    • Tostones are best to serve hot.
    • You can serve garlic mojo sauce as an accompaniment to tostones or even to cooked yuca.
    • Once cooled, garlic sauce can be pureed with an immersion blender to make a smoother sauce.
    • Store leftover garlic sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
    • Mojo sauce is great to serve as salad dressing or even over rice bowls.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooks_hideout or tag #cookshideout!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

      March 18, 2020 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    2. amrita

      March 19, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      It's good to know about a new dish from a different cuisine...you have nicely explained the steps..

      Reply
    3. Suma Gandlur

      March 19, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      That is a classic combo. I thoroughly enjoyed tostones when I had made them.

      Reply
    4. Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey

      March 20, 2020 at 2:57 am

      5 stars
      This is such a wonderful treat Pavani, never seen before. That sauce is a highlight of this recipe. Lovely share.

      Reply
    5. Jayashree T.Rao

      March 20, 2020 at 7:47 am

      5 stars
      Such an interesting recipe, would love to try this when I get the plantains here. Loved it.

      Reply
    6. Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth

      March 22, 2020 at 3:09 am

      5 stars
      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...

      Reply
    7. Harini Rupanagudi

      March 29, 2020 at 8:17 am

      5 stars
      Wow! That is such an interesting way to eat plantain. The dipping sauce sounds so unique and flavorful as well.

      Reply
    8. Srivalli Jetti

      April 02, 2020 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      I made this and enjoyed it so much Pavani...would love to make it again..

      Reply
    9. Niti Sanghrajka

      December 23, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy and delicious. The sauce is money!

      Reply
    10. Mike McNally

      January 19, 2022 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      I use the base of my mortar (with the pestle waiting over on the counter) because it's flat and heavy.

      Reply
    11. Abby Rosado

      October 05, 2022 at 11:50 pm

      Hello, I was looking at the recipes, and found the “cuba” tostones. Cuba doesn't make tostones they use it only to make mariquitas. they use the plantain when it’s ripe, and is called amarillos, Puerto Rico make the tostones and mofongo, many countries in South America make it, and call it patacones. We are pleased you like it.

      Reply
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