Baked Plantains Recipe (Easy, Sweet & Caramelized)
If you’ve ever had ripe fried plantains, you already know how good they are: sweet, soft, and golden. This baked plantains recipe gives you tender, caramelized plantains with lightly crisp edges, without having to fry them. They’re easy to make and work just as well alongside a savory meal as they do when you’re craving something a little sweet.
Plantains, every which way
In the Caribbean, we eat plantains in all kinds of ways. We fry them, boil them, and add them to soups and stews. How you cook them also depends on whether you’re using green plantains or ripe ones.
If you’re in the mood for more plantain goodness, check out my recipes for boiled plantains, sweet and spicy fried plantains, fried ripe plantains, or ripe plantain pie.
But today, we’re keeping it simple with baked ripe plantains. They’re sweet, soft, caramelized around the edges, and you get to skip the oil splatters.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make: No standing over a frying pan or dealing with oil splatters.
- Sweet and caramelized: The plantains bake up soft and tender with golden, lightly crisp edges.
- Simple ingredients: All you really need are ripe plantains, with a little oil, butter, salt, or cinnamon if you want.
- Easy to serve: Add them to breakfast or serve them as a side with lunch or dinner.
How to make baked plantains
What you’ll need
Main Ingredient
- Ripe yellow plantains – Choose plantains with yellow skins and some black spots that are still slightly firm when pressed. At this stage, they’re sweet but firm enough to hold their shape as they bake. The riper the plantain, the sweeter and softer it will be.
Optional Add-Ons
- Oil or melted butter: Brush over the plantains before baking to help with browning.
- Salt: Add a pinch when you want a sweet-savory balance.
- Cinnamon: Sprinkle on a little when you want them to lean sweeter.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel and slice the plantains. Cut them into diagonal slices about ½ inch thick or into long strips. They don’t have to be exact, but try to keep the pieces around the same thickness so they bake evenly.
- Arrange on the tray. Place the plantain slices in a single layer without overlapping. If using oil or melted butter, lightly brush it over the plantains before baking.
- Bake. Bake for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the plantains are soft, golden, and lightly caramelized around the edges.
- Serve. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and serve warm.
Serving suggestions
These baked plantains work as an easy side with plenty of Caribbean meals.
- Serve them with stewed chicken wings or fish in coconut milk.
- Add them to a Caribbean breakfast plate with saltfish and fried bake.
- Or eat them warm straight from the tray as a snack.
Storage & reheating
- Store leftover baked plantains in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through. The edges may crisp up slightly as they reheat.
Recipe tips
- Choose the right ripeness: Green plantains will be starchier and less sweet. For this recipe, I prefer yellow plantains with some black spots that are still slightly firm. Very ripe plantains will bake up sweeter and much softer.
- Keep the slices even: Cutting the plantains to roughly the same thickness helps them cook at the same rate.
- Don’t overlap the pieces: A little touching is fine, but keep the plantains in a single layer so they can brown and caramelize as they bake.
FAQs
Yes, but they won’t give you the same result as this recipe. Green plantains are starchier and less sweet, while this recipe is meant for ripe plantains that bake up soft and caramelized.
They may have baked too long, been sliced too thin, or the plantains may not have been ripe enough. Aim for slices about ½ inch thick and use yellow plantains with some black spots. Brushing them lightly with oil or melted butter can also help.
Yes. Air fry the plantains at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
A simple way to enjoy plantains
Sometimes you want plantains without standing by the stove frying a whole batch. Baking them keeps things simple, and you still end up with soft, sweet plantains with those golden caramelized edges.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how yours turned out. And tell me how you usually make your plantains: fried, boiled, baked, or all of the above depending on the day
Recipe
Baked Plantains Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the plantains and cut into about ½-inch diagonal slices or long strips.
- Arrange the plantains in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter or oil, if using.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until soft, golden, and caramelized around the edges.
- Let cool slightly and serve warm.
Notes
- Choose ripe plantains with yellow skins and black spots. They should be ripe but still slightly firm so the slices hold their shape while baking. The riper the plantains, the sweeter and softer they will be after baking.
- Add a pinch of salt when pairing them with savory dishes, or a little cinnamon when you want them sweeter.
- To air fry, cook at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Storage: Store leftover baked plantains in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer until warmed through and the edges begin to crisp slightly.
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
