Stuffed Baked Plantains

Enjoying ridiculously delicious baked stuffed plantains for a healthy dinner

Roasted plantains filled with seasoned ground meat, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and spices are then topped with cheese for a delicious lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. Very comforting indeed!

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 482kcal

Author Imma

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.

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.

Nutrition