Air Fryer Platanos Maduros (Sweet Plantains)

If you’re looking for a quick and easy side dish or starter for this week’s dinner, this is where you stop searching. Air Fryer Platanos Maduros are a busy day’s answer to, “What am I gonna serve with this meat?” I’ll show you how easy it is to make a sweet side that pairs beautifully with savory proteins or makes a great snack on its own.

What are Platanos Maduros?

Plátanos maduros (or maduros as we call them) are ripe, yellow plantains. That accent is supposed to be there, but I’m lazy, so that’s the last time I’ll type the word correctly. Judge me all you want.

Unlike bananas, plantains contain more starch and are more similar to potatoes in their texture. Sweet plantains taste like a sweet potato and a banana had a baby.

What’s the difference between Platanos Maduros and Platanos Verdes?

Depending on your penchant for sweetness, you might think yellow plantains taste better than green. My house is divided. Platanos maduros have a sweeter taste, which the guys in my family prefer. The girl-child and I are more fond of the neutral, though slightly nutty flavor of platanos verdes (green plantains). 

While they are both the same starchy plantain, platanos verdes have a neutral flavor, again, very much like a cross between a banana and a potato. Platanos verdes aren’t at all sweet like their yellow plantain siblings are. Platanos verdes are very firm and harder to peel, while platanos maduros are easy to peel because the fruit is softer. Yellow plantains taste more like the eating banana you might be used to. The biggest differences between a yellow plantain and a Cavendish banana are the size and the starchier taste of the plantain.

Are Plantains a fruit or a vegetable?

Though they are starchier than eating bananas, plantains are still a fruit. They belong to the genus Musa, which includes all bananas and plantains. 

Despite their fruity status, most folks I know eat them as side dishes, much like you would vegetables.

Why make them in the Air Fryer?

Usually, platanos maduros are pan-fried in a small amount of neutral-tasting oil. That’s all well and good when you’re 20 and have the body of a Greek goddess. I mean, not that I did when I was 20, but you know what I’m saying. You try to avoid unnecessary frying after a certain age. At least I do. 

Air fryer platanos maduros give you the same caramelized flavor you love in fried maduros without the added fat. Plus, the process is so much quicker in the air fryer when you compare it to the time it takes to pull out a frying pan, heat up the oil, and fry them the old-school way. 

How do I choose the right Platanos Maduros?

You’ll notice my usual ingredient’s image is missing from this post. That’s because the only ingredient you need is yellow plantain. How many platanos you need depends on how many people you plan to serve and how greedy they are. I usually have to make 3 for my family. 

When selecting plantains for platanos maduros, you should look for plantains with peels that are bright yellow with a slightly orangish tinge. Black spots on your yellow plantain mean the fruit is very sweet. You can even go as far as buying a plantain with a completely black peel, though the blacker the plantain’s peel, the mushier the fruit inside tends to be. 

Are Platanos easy to peel?

Green plantains are not easy to peel. Thankfully, this ain’t about them. Yellow plantains are very easy to peel because their peel is soft and pliable. 

Use a paring knife to cut 1/2-inch off of both ends of each plantain. Next, use the tip of your knife to make a shallow slit down the back of the plantain. Now all that’s left to do is peel away the skin. 

Cut the maduros about 1/2-inch thick. When cutting the platanos maduros, you need to make an exaggerated slice on the bias. I normally get 12 slices from one large plantain. If you want more, cut them thinner, but know they’ll cook faster in the air fryer.  

What kind of Air Fryer do I need?

I, personally, hate an Air Fryer that has a basket. I think they cook too unevenly, and you have to fuss with what your air frying too much. Instead, I prefer an air fryer with a tray. But, if your air fryer only has a basket, you need to cook your platanos maduros in batches to ensure they brown evenly and without breaking them up too much.

What kind of oil do I use for these Air Fryer Platanos Maduros?

Let’s be frank, an air fryer is nothing but a toaster oven with convection capabilities. Convection means hot air is blown around in a confined space. For the air fryer to “fry” things, though, the foods in it need to have some kind of lubricant, AKA oil.

So, yes, you will add oil to the platanos before air frying them, but it’s not nearly as much as you would use pan-frying them. That’s to say, this isn’t a completely fat-free recipe, but the amount of fat is nominal if it even registers. 

I prefer to use an olive oil spray that’s bottled without propellants. Olive oil sprays with propellants leave behind a chemical aftertaste that is unappealing. You can also use your favorite non-stick cooking oils like coconut, ghee, or avocado to air fry your platanos maduros. 

First, spray the pan with an even layer of olive oil spray. Lay the platanos maduros onto the oiled tray, spaced evenly apart so the air can circulate around them, and spray them with another even layer of oil. You just need to make one pass of the oil over the plantains. 

Do I have to use spray oil?

Not if you don’t have any, no. To keep the amount of oil you use to the bare minimum, I recommend brushing a layer of extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, or coconut oil onto the tray. 

Lay the plantain slices onto the tray and brush them with oil too. It might get tricky if the plantains have a lot of moisture on the surface. The oil might not want to stick to it. If so, just pat the plantains dry with a paper towel and try again.  

Can I cut the plantains ahead of time?

You should only cut yellow plantains right before cooking them, as with most bananas. Platanos that are cut and left out too long will oxidize and take on an unattractive brownish-grey color. It literally takes 5 minutes to peel and slice them, so you can do this all at the same time. 

What do I do if my Platanos Maduros get stuck to the Air Fryer tray?

Slide the tray into an air fryer, preheated to 400°F (205°C). Set the timer on the air fryer to 3 minutes. 

After 3 minutes, use a thin spatula to flip the platanos over. 

To keep the platanos maduros from sticking to the tray, it’s important to oil your air fryer tray well. If you find the platanos are sticking to the tray, allow them to cool for 2 minutes on the countertop. After two minutes, try to slide a thin spatula under them to loosen them from the tray. I find that allowing the plantain slices to cool a little gives the sugar in the fruit time to harden, making it easier to slide a spatula under them without breaking them. 

Return the tray to the air fryer and cook the platanos maduros for another 4-5 minutes.

How do I know when my Plantains are done?

The platanos are ready to come out of the air fryer when their edges are deep brown and the surfaces are golden brown. This may take less than the total time of 7-8 minutes based on how ripe your plantains were to start with.

If you had very ripe platanos, the air frying time would be less because they’re softer. Ripe plantains also contain more fructose (sugar), so they’re going to brown much quicker than less ripe platanos. Be sure to keep an eye on your platanos and adjust the air frying time accordingly. 

How do I serve these Air Fryer Platanos Maduros?

After pulling the platanos from the air fryer, sprinkle them with a little sea salt. You can also use kosher salt. I like that the salt brings out more of the plantain’s sweetness and bright flavor. Salting the platanos right after they come out of the air fryer gives the salt something to stick to. 

Don’t fuss with them too much. Platanos maduros really don’t need anything else. You do want to serve them while they’re still hot, though. I don’t think cold maduros are nearly as good as hot ones. 

If you’re not going to serve them right away, turn the air fryer off and keep the maduros in there until you are ready. Let the air fryer cool down first, though. I leave the door open for 10 minutes, then put them in there to keep warm. You may need to spray the tray with a little more oil just in case they start sweating and try to stick to the pan. 

How do you make Platanos Maduros the traditional way (without the Air Fryer)?

To make authentic platanos maduros:

1. Peel and slice the plantains as instructed.
2. Heat 1/4-inch of vegetable oil or ghee (about 1/4 cup) in a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. 
3. Add the plantain slices to the oil once it begins to shimmer in the pan. You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. 
4. Fry the plantains for 2-3 minutes, then flip them using tongs or a fork.
5. Fry the plantains on the second side for another 3-4 minutes or until caramelized to your liking. 
6. Transfer the brown platanos maduros to a paper towel-lined plate to blot the excess oil and sprinkle with sea salt as desired.

It takes more time, what with waiting for the oil to heat up. Plus, there’s more oil involved, but still, it’s an easy dish to make. 

What dishes go well with Air Fryer Platanos Maduros?

I serve platanos maduros as a side dish. Usually, I make them whenever I make these Chuletas Fritas and Arroz Blanco with Habichuelas Guisadas, along with a garden salad. 

You can serve platanos maduros with most proteins, though. We often eat them in the morning with fried eggs, bacon or spam, and slices of toasted Pan Sobao.

Eating platanos maduros on their own is totally acceptable, too. I’ll allow it. 

How do I store leftovers?

Platanos maduros don’t reheat well, in my opinion. I believe they need to be eaten while warm, and reheating them makes them hard and chewy. My husband begs to differ. He’ll eat them cold or reheated. He doesn’t even care.

If you must store leftovers, do so in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 200°F (95°C) for 1 minute to warm them up. If they taste “blah,” don’t blame me because I told you not to do it. Blame Hector.

Can I freeze Air Fryer Platanos Maduros?

You can freeze plantains, yes. Just peel, then slice them and lay them on a silicone-lined baking mat. Freeze them, uncovered, until solid. Then you can transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to two months. Freezing them like this, then packaging them, keeps them from freezing in one big clump. Wouldn’t that be annoying to deal with?

I don’t recommend freezing cooked maduros because of the same reason I don’t recommend reheating them. They’re just icky-tasting. But, it can be done. 

To freeze platanos maduros, cook them as instructed and lay them on an oiled pan or a silicone-lined baking mat. I would even re-oil the air fryer tray because the oil you put on it earlier probably won’t do a great job of keeping the plantains from sticking to the pan in the freezer. 

Freeze the platanos until solid, uncovered, then transfer the frozen slices to a storage bag. Freeze the maduros for up to 2 months. Thaw the platanos completely in the fridge and reheat as instructed in the prior section. Or, you can reheat them from frozen. Just add another minute or two to the reheating time. 

Be sure to try this easy side dish out, and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Air Fryer Platanos Maduros

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 14 votes

Use sweet plantains to make this easy side dish. Conventional cooking instructions are in the notes section.

Servings: 24 slices (enough for 4 side dish servings)

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Equipment

• Air Fryer (preferably one with a tray)
• spray olive oil

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 large yellow plantains spotted with black on the peel
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt optional

Instructions 

Preheat the Air Fryer

• Set your air fryer's control knob to the "Air Fry" setting. Next, set the temperature to 400°F (205°C).

  Remove the tray (or the basket) from the air fryer and spray it with an even coating of olive oil spray. Set this aside.

Peel and Slice the Platanos Maduros

• Use a paring knife to cut 1/2-inch off of both ends of each plantain.

  Next, use the tip of your knife to make a shallow slit down the back of the plantain peel away the skin. 
• Cut the maduros about 1/2-inch thick, making an exaggerated slice on the bias. You should get about 12 slices from one large plantain.

  Lay the platanos maduros onto the oiled tray, spaced evenly apart so the air can circulate around them, and spray them with another even layer of oil.

Air Fry the Platanos

• Slide the tray into the preheated air fryer and cook them for 3 minutes. 

  After 3 minutes, use a thin spatula to flip the platanos over. 
• Return the tray to the air fryer and cook the maduros for another 4-5 minutes.

  The platanos are ready to come out of the air fryer when their edges are deep brown and the surfaces are golden brown. This may take less than the total time of 7-8 minutes based on how ripe your plantains were to start with.

Salt then Serve the Platanos Maduros While Hot

• Remove the platanos from the air fryer and immediately sprinkle them with a little sea salt.

  Serve while hot.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• Use spray vegetable oil, coconut oil, or ghee instead of olive oil.
• Use liquid oil instead of spray olive oil. Just brush the tray and plantains your preferred neutral-tasting cooking oil. 
• Replace the sea salt with kosher salt or omit the salt altogether.

Tips and Techniques:

• To keep the platanos maduros from sticking to the tray, it's important to oil your air fryer tray well.
• If you started with very ripe platanos, the air frying time would be less because they're softer and they contain more fructose. As a result, they're going to brown much quicker than less ripe platanos. Keep an eye on your platanos and adjust the air frying time accordingly. 
• If you don't plan to serve the maduros right away, turn the air fryer off and allow it to cool down slightly (just open the door). Once it's warm, return the tray to the air fryer and keep the maduros in there until you are ready. 
• You can serve platanos maduros as a side dish with most proteins for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or on their own as a snack.
• Platanos maduros don't reheat well, in my opinion. So they should be eaten while warm, as reheating them makes them hard and chewy.

Storage and Reheating Instructions:

• Storing cooked Platanos Maduros:
  1. Store the cooled platanos in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days.
  2. Reheat them in the air fryer at 200°F (95°C) for 1 minute to warm them up.
• To Freeze Uncooked Platanos Maduros:
  1. Peel, then slice the plantains.
  2. Lay them on a silicone-lined baking mat.
  3. Freeze the platanos, uncovered, until solid, then transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to two months. Freezing them like this, then packaging them, keeps them from freezing in one big clump.
  4. Thaw in the fridge before cooking or add 1-2 minutes to the air frying time.
• To Freeze Cooked Platanos Maduros (not recommended):
  1. Cook the plantains as instructed and lay them on an oiled pan or a silicone-lined baking mat.
  2. Freeze the platanos until solid, uncovered, then transfer the frozen slices to a storage bag and freeze the maduros for up to 2 months.
  3. Thaw the platanos completely in the fridge and reheat as instructed in the prior section. Or, reheat them from frozen, adding another 1-2 minutes to the reheating time. 

To Make Conventional Platanos Maduros:

1. Peel and slice the plantains as instructed.
2. Heat 1/4-inch of vegetable oil or ghee (about 1/4 cup) in a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. 
3. Add the plantain slices to the oil once it begins to shimmer in the pan. You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. 
4. Fry the plantains for 2-3 minutes, then flip them using tongs or a fork.
5. Fry the plantains on the second side for another 3-4 minutes or until caramelized to your liking. 
6. Transfer the brown platanos maduros to a paper towel-lined plate to blot the excess oil and sprinkle with sea salt as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 49mgPotassium: 74mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 168IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Puerto Rican/Hispanic

Keyword air fryer, plantains, platanos

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