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horizontal image of air fried sweet plantains on a dark plate next to rice and peas.

Air Fryer Platanos Maduros

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Puerto Rican/Hispanic
Keyword: air fryer, plantains, platanos
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 24 slices (enough for 4 side dish servings)
Calories: 18kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
Use sweet plantains to make this easy side dish. Conventional cooking instructions are in the notes section.
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Equipment

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

Ingredients

  • 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: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg