Stuffed Baked Plantains
Roasted stuffed plantains with seasoned ground meat, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, and spices make an excellent lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. Very comforting indeed!
Why for breakfast? Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and you want a hearty and healthy start. Besides, no one has to know if you decide to make them for a paleo-friendly breakfast (omit the cheese, and you’re good to go).
I am a HUGE plantain lover! I’m embarrassed to say I’ve caused a scene at home when someone ate my last plantain. I can’t live without them.
Recently, trying out many different plantain recipes has been a lot of fun. If it’s anything that looks pleasing and excites my palate, count me in. And this plantain recipe grabbed my attention, so I had to make it. Plus, they look like canoes, so cute.
Easy and Good For You
What I love most about this plantain recipe is how easy it is to make. Roasting them in the oven instead of frying seriously cuts out some calories. That means I can eat two.
Just slit open the roasted plantains and fill them up. Sautéd tomatoes, onions, smoked paprika, garlic, bell pepper, and ground meat (any ground meat—chicken, turkey, pork, or beef) make a soul-satisfying filling. Stuff the plantains, top them with cheese, and bake them long enough to melt the cheese for a flavor party in your mouth.
How to Stuff Baked Plantains
- Peel the plantains and bake them for about 15 minutes, turn, and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- Sauce: While the plantains are baking, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saucepan, followed by onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and paprika. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add ½ cup of water if needed.
- Add your choice of ground meat and continue cooking for 10 minutes or more. Then, add bell pepper and parsley and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Make a horizontal slit in the slightly cooled plantains, and stuff with equal amounts of the meat mixture.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese and put them back in the oven to bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Tips and Tricks
- The plantains should be ripe, dark yellow, and firm. Not green because they’re too hard, and not overripe with black skin because they’re too soft.
- They freeze pretty well, so make extra for a stress-free lunch later.
What to Pair With Stuffed Plantains
While my family is perfectly happy with just a stuffed plantain on the plate, a Caesar or tossed salad on the side is super delish. Finish off the meal with a glass of coquito and arroz con leche for dessert for a Caribbean fest.
More Awesome Plantain Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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Stuffed Baked Plantains
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe plantains
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil
- ½ pound (230g) ground meat (beef, pork, or lamb)
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon (3g) minced garlic
- ½ cup (120ml) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon (6g) smoked paprika
- 1 small bell pepper (green, yellow, or red)
- 2 tablespoons (7g) parsley
- ½ cup (50-60g) grated cheese (optional)
- cooking spray
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205℃). Line baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray or oil.
- Cut both ends off the plantain using a sharp knife to make it easy to grab their skins. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain only as deep as the peel. Remove the plantain peel by pulling it back.
- Place plantains on a tray and lightly spray, then bake for about 15 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- While the plantains are baking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and paprika. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add about ½ cup of water if needed.
- Then, add ground meat and continue cooking for 10 minutes or more.
- Finally, add the bell pepper and parsley and adjust for seasoning.
- Remove the baked plantains from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes. Make a horizontal slit in the plantains, and evenly divide the stuffing between plantains.
- Sprinkle with cheese (if desired) and place in the oven to bake for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese. Serve hot.
Tips & Notes:
- When buying plantains, it’s important to get the right ones. They should be ripe, dark yellow, and firm. Not green because they’re too hard and not overly ripe with black skin because they’re too soft for stuffing. Save the really ripe plantains for another recipe.
- Plantain lasagna. Slice the plantains lengthwise and arrange the slices as you would lasagna noodles. Layer them with the filling and grated cheese. Bake until bubbly and the plantains are tender.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I tried this recipe today. I will have to try again using river plantains. It was hard, but very tasty
Glad you liked it! 🙂
I love this recipe and have made it several times using Impossible Meat. Am considering trying to substitute black beans or garbanzos for the meat next time. Just the easiest and most delicious quick meal.
Thanks for taking time out to share this with us. Happy Holidays
I make this recipe regularly. I was looking for satisfying Paleo recipes that my kids and family would like and this hit the spot. I usually make the sauce with some red bells, zucchini and/or mushrooms, and season it like Spaghetti sauce. It really works well with the sweet plantains. I also often use a “mystery meat” – like ostrich, bison, lamb, etc.
Nice. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts.
I love this recipe; however, I would like to make it for my veggie friend can I use black lentils or a bean instead of ground meat.
Hi, Helena. Yes, you can. In fact, I have a recipe for that. You can check it out here >> https://www.africanbites.com/baked-stuffed-plantains-with-black-beansvegan/
Making this Friday for my son’s birthday..yummy
What do you use tomato sauce for? I see it listed but its not in dirictions? Can i skip it?
You can. Double check Step 4.
Did you mean tomato paste or tomato sauce?
Tomato Sauce. 🙂
This is also a Puerto Rican favorite, one of my favorites growing up, however have not made it myself as an adult. If you have not heard of Pinon you must try it as well, it’s a plantain lasagna. Thanks for sharing this recipe it looks just as my mom use to make except she put Sazon in the meat, I will be making it tonight for the family
Hi Jo! I love pionono ! Treat myself to it all the time. I have plantain lasagna here on the blog. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Do let me know how it works out for you.
This is one of my new favorite recipes. It is so good and super easy to make. I have served it over a bed of rice (white or yellow), that sits on top of spicy black beans. Everything else is the same as the recipe. Talk about good!
Fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me Sharon.
Thank you for this recipe! I’m doing the whole30 program, and this recipe will help me break up the monotonous cycle of meals. I love Plantains as I’m from the Caribbean! Stuffing them with yummy ground beef is a great option. I look forward to cooking this…
Awesome! Am a plantain lover my self and this is a great option.
Hope to cook this today. I’m a lover of plantain. I eat it with everything, soup, bread etc. I know its going to be
delicious. Thank you and I will be looking out for more recipes to try out.
Caribbean woman
Happy Cooking!!! Do let me know which ones you try.
Is there a video on this. I have never cooked plantains bt my son says he loves them so would like to try. I dont understand cutting the skin
Helen
SOrry I don’t have one at this time . However check out this recipe here with all the steps . It will definitely help clarify things. https://www.africanbites.com/baked-plantains-cheese/.
Looks delicious and simple. I have sweet plantain “attack”. Will love to make them this way. Wish me luck. Thank you for the recipe.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you Angie . Happy Cooking
Oh dear… Just came across ur blog a week ago.. Been goin thru ur archives and I just have to comment on this.. It looks really good!!!! I hope mine turns out well when I try it out.
It such an easy recipe make, you will enjoy it.let me know how it goes. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Having lived in Cameroon for many years…I have never come across this dish. Nevertheless worth trying it out.
Njinda, this is not a Cameroonian dish- more of a Colombian one. Thanks for stopping by.
hey girl, am off to my kitchen to try this, I can`t resist the pic. will let u know how it turns out.
Luv luv luv ur quick easy recipe…. Will be tryin this out for sure… 🙂
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. I notice 1/2 pound ground meat is listed twice in the ingredients list. Do I use 1/2 pound or 1 pound ground meat?
My mistake, you use 1/2 pound . Let me know how it turns out.
Rocquie, do let me know how it turn out. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
I am making this and will let you know! Just got some African curry powder and may use a little.
Nice addition. Can’t wait to see hear how it all works out .
These look scrumptious! I really like plantains but only know how to fry them. I will definitely be trying this very soon. Thank you for sharing.