Baked Plantains
Versatile, easy baked plantains are healthier than fried. They’re lightly crispy on the outside with a meltingly soft interior. Enjoy them as is, stuff them, or mash them for a delicious side dish.
Have you ever baked plantains? If not, go for it! These starchy cooking bananas are well-suited for savory dishes that use potatoes. Their slight sweetness also naturally balances spicy, meaty dishes. And overripe plantains are a great substitute for bananas.
Fried plantains are delicious and addictive, especially in the tropics where they’re plentiful and cheap. But baked is even better! And with just enough oil to coat, they’re much healthier. The cooking part is simple: stick it in the oven and get something else done while they bake. Similar to baked potatoes, you can use them like a blank canvas.
The Versatility of Baking Plantains
They’re great on their own, but you can also stuff them, mash them, drizzle hot sauce or maple syrup on them, or slice and use them in lasagna. The greener they are, the better they are for savory dishes, and the riper they get, the better they are for sweets.
Half-ripe plantains are the sweet spot because they can go either way, sweet or savory. I prefer them a little more ripe, but use what you like.
How to Bake Plantains
- Choose the plantains with the desired ripeness. (Photos 1-2)
- Cut off both ends, then slit the plantain lengthwise through the peel and remove it. (Photo 3)
- Bake. Lightly oil the plantain and bake on a foil-lined sheet for about 15 minutes per side or until golden and tender. (Photo 4)
- Serve as is or use it for another recipe. Enjoy!
Tips and Notes
- Pick ripe plantains (yellow with some dark brown spots). The first plantain may need another day or two for more dark spots. It’s still enjoyable for those who like lightly sweet plantains. Great for roasting and serving as a side instead of the fried version. My son prefers the darker one because it’s sweeter and more tender.
- You can also bake plantains with the skin on. However, I prefer peeling them because I love the creamy interior and caramelized exterior.
- Overripe plantains are way too sweet and super mushy for savory recipes. Use them for fritters, cakes, or pancakes instead.
How to Use Baked Plantains
Stuff them with delicious fillings. I’ll give you three ways, but feel free to experiment.
- Ground beef makes an economical and satisfying filling for plantains. So enjoy this perfectly seasoned meaty stuffing.
- Stuffing baked plantains with tender black beans makes a satisfying, vegan meal. Add avocado or guac for healthy fat. The smooth texture complements the other ingredients wonderfully.
- And now for my favorite! Cheese-stuffed plantains loaded with mashed avocados or guacamole. Every forkful is gooey, with a lovely cheese pull every time you dig in, and there’s something buttery about the way the plantain flesh and cheese meld together.
Make Ahead Instructions
Meal prep is a breeze. Bake several plantains at once, then store them in an airtight container for up to a week. Stuff or reheat as many as you need for the meal. They also freeze well for 4-5 months.
More Incredible Plantain Recipes to Try
By Imma
Baked Plantains
Ingredients
- 1 ripe plantain per person
- cooking spray to coat the baking sheet and plantains
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (205℃). Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking oil.
- Using a sharp knife, cut both ends off the plantain to make it easier to grab the peel. Slit a shallow line down the length of the plantain only as deep as the peel. Remove it by pulling it back.
- Place plantain on the baking sheet and lightly spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, turn, and bake on the other side for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- Serve as is or use it for another recipe.
Tips & Notes:
- The recipe is for one plantain per person, so use as many plantains as you need.
- The riper the plantain is, the sweeter it is with a higher sugar content. Yellow ones with a few or many black spots work for this recipe. Green ones will work, but take longer to cook soft. Completely black plantains are too soft for this recipe.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Wow! Easy like 1,2,3 and oh! So delicious. Yummy ‼️
I love your page and recipes. I learn how to bake plantain and stuff them with different stuffing.
Yay! Thank you, Kevin! I hope you can try more of my recipes, feel free to drop by again when you do and let me know how it turned out 🙂 Enjoy!
Love it! I make this for my partner and I all the time with your rice and beans and jerk marinade (on tofu). So delicious. Thank you for this simple but perfect recipe!
Yay! Thank you also for trying out this recipe, Pamela. So happy you loved it!
Gurl! These plantains look incredible! I have a plantain plant that I’m growing so I’m looking for ways to use them. I showed this to my hubby and he was like oooohhhh…!
I tried them for the first time this evening, sliced and dipped in egg and bread crumbs. Wow they were good! Next time I will bake them. There are so many things that I can do with them that I don’t know where to start. Umm!
Thank you for the info.
My pleasure Dan. Happy to hear this
Thank you. Looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving instead of yams or potato.
Might use some sage/onion/sausage stuffing in them…what do you think?
That sounds so wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving Day!
I don’t fry mine. I buy them when I can find some. I leave them laying around for a few days to darken up & get softer (look like they should be thrown out). Normally I cut the ends off, one slice lengthwise, then cut into +/- 1 inch slices. Sometimes I need to add a little water to my container before I microwave covered for about 3 minutes. Been doing this for a good of years. Usually I add some butter &/or sugar.
Thank you for sharing those tips, Bess! I appreciate it.
Don’t laugh Imma, but the first time I ever tried plantains, was in Walt Disney World at their Tusker House Restaurant, as part of their breakfast buffet. I can honestly say that your baked plantain recipe is equally as delicious! I made them tonight with your baked tilapia recipe and dinner was yummo! Thanks for such interesting, wonderful recipes!
Thanks for stopping by, Sharon! That totally sounds like a wonderful meal put together.
Trying to eat healthy so baked plantain it is, so delicious.
I had this previously as street food in Nigeria, so I was excited to try these out in an oven. Used super ripe plantains and baked at 375 for 15 minutes on one side and 8 minutes on the other and it came out really great. Had with a bowl of vegatable soup!
I will definitely try this again.
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out for you. Thanks for the feedback!
Was really excited to try this method. Oven was already preheated as I just finished baking some sweet potatoes @400 degrees. Prepped my plantain and set to bake for 15mins. Timer went off but plantains were still looking uncooked. No signs of it turning brown or coming out as described even after an hour. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Had such high hopes
Sorry to hear about this! I can’t say for sure without being there. My guess would be the oven. It works for me whenever I make this and an hour is way to long . Usually after 30minutes it’s ready, sometimes a few minutes more or less depending on the size of the plantains.
I had a similar issue but changed the oven setting from bake to roast. Though it could get too brown too fast so definitely check regularly or using the oven light till it’s done.
Thank you for sharing, Kem! 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly and my plantains came out super dry and not even that soft. I tested them at 30 minutes (after flipping halfway) and they were already really dry. So I tried adding a little water and covering them and coming them longer. They were slightly better but still very, get dry and they definitely weren’t carmelized. I used very ripe ones that were dark yellow with lots of black. I’m not sure what went wrong. 🙁 If I’d covered them for the entire time then maybe it’d have gone better, but I don’t know. Any ideas?
I can’t say for sure without being there. My guess would be the plantains- some are hard even though they look ripe on the outside. Always get plantains that are plump. If not it’s best to fry them.
A possible problem for those unfamiliar with plantains: ALWAYS keep them on the counter at room temperature. I always buy mine as green as possible (usually only one or two at a time) and two to four days later I’ll buy another one. when the mood hits me I usually have a plantain ready for whatever stage I want. I’ve got a jet black one today and I’m gonna try to bake it with cheese stuffing.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing this with us.
So glad you told me this. I bought some recently to experiment and was refrigerating them. I put them on the counter with my bananas after reading this. I hope they still turn out ok! They are very green.
Hi Jessica! Do let us know how it works out for you!
These were AMAZING! I’ve had fried plantains before, but these were so much better. We stuffed them with pepper Jack and topped them with homemade guacamole .. so easy to make and fricken amazing! This is definitely going into the rotation. Luckily the couple days they spent in the fridge had no effect.
Awesome!!! I am so glad it turned out great, Jessica!
Sometimes ripe plantains can be dry even before cooking. If they seem to be just spinkle a little sore olive oil on them prior to cooking. Or i close my foil just a bit like a tent
What gas mark should I set the oven too please?
I hope you get back to me soon.
Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Sam! It’s Listed 400 degrees .
Thank you for posting what a ripe, and extra ripe plantain looks like! We just got back from Miami and I’m going to bake my plantains along with some Cuban chicken! Can’t wait!
That is one of my favorite combo. Plantain and chicken. Love it!
I’m another who may have had it every other “traditional” way except this so looking forward to trying it out. Thank!
Nice, it looks like ” bolé ” as called over here in Nigeria, only difference is it’s grilled on a wired gauze over hot coals.
I love “bole”. Can’t beat the char taste.
I made some Baked Plantains last night and it was surely tasty. It’s surely now an option I will enjoy. I didn’t expect to eat the while thing. But it was so delecious I ate it all.
These look amazing!! I want to try the cheese and guacamole one the most!!
Awesome Patrick! Do let me know how it works out for you.
Really, I am so excited. Seeing things like this makes me think I didn’t make a mistake. Cooking is my love. This simple but lovely way of making plantains made me fall in love with cooking again.
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by.
I can’t recall ever having them Baked ever, though I’ve certainly had them aplenty over a lifetime as they are a staple in my kitchen. I guess you learn something all the time. But Baking them I’ll have to try. Was also thinking cooked up Tin Corned Beef or Saltfish as well to stuff into that opened cavity of the Plantain for savory goodness.