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A picture of slices of yellow boiled ripe plantain on a brown plate.

How to Boil Plantain

An easy recipe that shows you how to boil both ripe and green plantains. This simple side dish comes together quickly and pairs well with almost anything.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 plantains ripe or green
  • 5 cups water
  • Salt optional
  • 1 tablespoon oil for green plantains

Method
 

  1. Bring water to a boil in a deep pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Cut off the tips (head and tail) of the plantains. Discard.
  3. Add plantains to the boiling water.
  4. If using green plantains, add oil to the water.
  5. Boil until tender:
  6. Ripe plantains: about 15 minutes
  7. Green plantains: about 20–25 minutes
  8. Remove from pot, peel if not already done, and serve warm.

Notes

  • Adding oil when boiling green plantains helps prevent staining the pot.
  • You can boil plantains with or without the skin.
  • Slice into chunks if needed to fit into your pot.

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