Baked Plantains With Cheese
Enjoy baked plantains with cheese for a tempting vegetarian entree. Replace the cheese with guacamole for a paleo and vegan-friendly option. Soft, sweet, and cheesy never tasted so good.
Do you love bananas, but are unfamiliar with their starchy cousin? Do they intimidate you or feel less interesting? Au contraire, get ready to widen your plantain horizons.
If you are iffy about the plantain family, these cheese-filled plantains (plantanos asados con queso) will convince you. Top them with guacamole and join the plantain-lover team. I promise there’s not a lot to do; the minimal effort here will get you hooked. So grab some plantains at your supermarket, and let’s get to it.
Why Cheese Works With Plantains
Has anyone given you a slice of apple pie with cheddar cheese on top? I thought, “How weird! But it was good. Then I remembered one of my favorite ways to eat ripe plantains, loaded with cheese. The salty umami in the cheese perfectly balances the plantain’s sweetness. Add creamy guac with a spritz of lime on top for the complete 5-flavor profile.
How to Bake Plantains With Cheese
- Peel the plantain, and place them on a greased baking sheet. Lightly spray the plantains with cooking oil. (Photos 1-2)
- Bake for about 25 minutes, turn, and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender. How long will depend on the plantains. (Photos 3)
- Remove baked plantains from the oven, cool for a couple of minutes, make a horizontal slit in the plantains, and stuff with the cheese slices.
- Bake for a couple of minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove, add a scoop of mashed avocado if desired, and serve immediately. (Photo 4)
Recipe Notes
- For a paleo and vegan-friendly version, stuff them with guacamole or a mashed-up avocado–that‘s how we roll here.
- Want an over-the-top experience? The ULTIMATE way is to melt the cheese, and then top them with guacamole when they come out of the oven. You’ll never look at plantains the same way.
- Not sure where to find plantains? Check any Latino, Asian, or African market. Even Walmart carries them now. You could also use a large, ripe yet still firm banana.
- Really ripe plantains are best here because they’re softer and the sweetness is a perfect match for the saltiness of the cheese.
Make Ahead and Storage
While they’re best fresh from the oven, they also last in the fridge 3-4 days or in the freezer 3-4 months. Refresh them straight from the fridge or freezer in the oven or air fryer until heated through.
What to Enjoy With Baked Plantains
These guys are great on their own as a snack, a vegetarian main course with a refreshing pineapple coleslaw and a side of black-eyed peas, or as a side for my favorite African chicken stew.
More Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Enjoy
By Imma
Baked Plantains With Cheese
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe plantains
- 1 cup (230g) guacamole or a large avocado
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30g) canola oil or melted butter
- 4-8 ounces (113-226g) thick-sliced mozzarella or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205℃). Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking oil.
- Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off the plantains to make it easier to peel. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain, cutting only as deep as the peel. Remove the peel by pulling it back.
- Place the plantains on the baking sheet and lightly spray them. Bake for about 25 minutes, turn, and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or more until golden brown and tender. How long will depend on the plantains.
- Remove baked plantains from the oven, cool for a couple of minutes, make a horizontal slit in the plantains, and stuff with the cheese slices.
- Place back in the oven for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts. Remove and serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
- Your favorite plant-based cheese will work fine, a sauce, grated, or sliced.
- Ripe plantains work best, green ones take longer to cook and don’t have as much flavor, and overripe plantains are too soft.
Can’t wait to try this with vegan cheese . Maybe some impossible
Thanks, Liv! You can check out some of my other lists, too: 25 Easy Summer Dinner Ideas. Enjoy!
Thank you Immaculate Bites I will try this beautiful frittatas looking forward to it I would love to have access to jerk berbere cajun never see it hete in UK
Thanks
Crystal Green
Hi Crystal, I have recipes for homemade if you want to make your own. Berbere, Cajun, and jerk seasonings are easy to make. Or try Caribbean and African stores. You also might want to check Amazon. Happy Cooking!
Hey Immaculate. Thank you for the idea will definitely try it out I actually love plantain but cooking it was getting monotonous. Can I do this with frozen plantain? I got more than I could consume and it started to ripen so I dumped it in the freezer. Please say it will still work
Lissa, I have never tried this with frozen plantains. Sorry! Maybe, you should go ahead and do and share your outcome. Thanks.
whoa, cheese oozing out of crispy plantain, i’m in, ah-ma-zing.
It’s look so delicious ,keep given us something new.
I have never tried plantains before! Definitely something that I need to look out for.. curious to know what they taste like. Delicious recipe too!
Who ever would have thought…..?? We don’t have fresh plantains here in Australia (at least, not that I know of). What a bugger! This is such a cool idea!! I can really imagine it with guac, great flavour combo!