Air Fryer Plantains are a perfect breakfast, snack, side, appetizer or main course. They’re versatile, delicious and a lower calorie option if you’re like me and LOVE fried plantains.
Suitable for Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole 30, and Vegan dieters. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
So. Another morning, another breakfast and another chance to make these Air Fryer Plantains. Like I need an excuse to make this treat that hits the right spot. Every. Single. Time.
The idea of having a healthier version of fried plantains is enough to get the whole family out of bed even on a freeeeeeeeezing cold day. I also love serving them up as a snack or side dish.
I now think it is best to cook plantains in the air fryer ever since I got one.
Freddy and the kids can’t get enough of the air fried food we’ve been eating lately making things like Crispy Banana Chips In Air Fryer and Air Fryer Chickpeas, well loved by kids Air Fryer Apple Chips and these fab Air Fryer Zucchini Fries,
Why Make This Recipe
- They are made with 3 pantry staples.
- Easy to make fuss free African and popular cuban side dish.
- They are made with minimal prep and in 10 minutes
- Healthier than regular fried plantains with lower calories.
- Loved by the kiddoes and family alike.
- Suitable for vegan and gluten free diets.
Back to the Air Fryer Plantains. Once I start thinking of the food that reminds me of childhood, I can’t get it out of my mind. I have to have it. And with plantains, once I start I just can’t stop for a week.
Warm plantains for breakfast are my favourite Sierra Leonean treat, but I don’t stop there. The mini chefs and I will make regular plantain chips as an after-school snack and we’ll also use our plantains to soak up delicious bean stew for dinner.
Are you ready to make Air Fryer Sweet Plantains? Gather your ingredients and I’ll show you how to make these……
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few ingredients to make these.
- Plantains – use firm but ripe plantains for this.
- Oil – use vegetable oil or olive oil for this.
- Salt – use your favorite brand of salt.
How to Make Air Fryer Plantains Step by Step
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
How to Peel And Cut Them
- How to peel plantains the right way: on a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut off each end.
- Next, while firmly holding the plantain, slit the peel lengthwise with the tip of your knife along each seam. (Only go as deep as the peel.)
- Carefully remove each section of the peel and voila — you have a peeled plantain. Now you can tell all your friends how to peel plantains.
Air Fryer Them
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C
- Peel the plantain and cut diagonally into slices using a sharp knife and add to a bowl.
- Gently mix in the oil and salt until plantains are coated on both sides.
- Place plantains in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry plantains for 10 minutes turning half way through using your tongs.
- Serve warm straight after air frying.
Air Fried Plantains Tips
- Make sure the plantain slices are not touching. This is really important when cooking with the air fryer. This allows maximum hot air circulation inside the fryer, so your plantains will cook evenly and turn out crispy.
- Cook time will depend on the size of your plantains. Cut them to the same thickness so they cook at the same rate. Thicker slices of plantains will need a bit more time and thinner slices will need less. Always check on your food about half way through.
- Cook plantains in a single layer, so they cook uniformly. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might have to cook them in multiple batches.
- Don’t overdo it with the oil in the air fryer. Less is more when it comes to oil in the air fryer. This recipe for plantains calls for just ¾ tsp of oil for 1 plantain but you definitely don’t want to use more than 2 tbsp MAX of cooking oil when using your air fryer.
- Change the oil to whatever works with your dietary restrictions.
- Serve warm! If making a big batch, place your cooked Air Fryer Plantains in a warm oven to keep temperature as they are best served hot.
- Different air fryers operate slightly differently. Air fryer cook times are an estimate, so it’s important to check your food for doneness and adjust as needed.
Seasoning Your Fried Plantains
Options are endless with seasonings.
- Warm seasonings – I like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
- Salt and pepper – Just a little bit of salt is one of my favourite ways to snack on this snack cuisine.
- Savory – for more savory flavours try adding garlic powder, cajun seasoning or creole seasoning, red pepper flakes, squeeze lime juice over them or lime zest etc.
Storage
- Storage – as these are best served warm I don’t recommend storing them. However you can store the cooled plantains in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days and rehear before serving.
- Reheat – reheat for a minute or two in the preheated air fryer.
FAQs
What are plantains? A plantain is a starchy fruit that’s part of the banana family but it isn’t quite like a banana.
They are typically eaten cooked, you wouldn’t eat it raw plantain because it is starchier and is not as sweet as a banana. You’ll find plantains on any Latin (called Tostones), Caribbean or African cuisine.
You’ll find 3 kinds of plantains at your local markets that you can choose from to make your Air Fryer Plantains. Choose the ones you like depending on the sweetness you prefer.
Green Plantains: These are unripe green ones and prepared like a starchy vegetable. Fried green plantains are fried twice for crispiness but you won’t find any sweetness here. They are great for super crispness.
Yellow Plantains:
Firm Yellow plantains are my favourite and the ones I always look out for at Brixton market. Yellow plantains are firm and have just the right amount of sweetness without being too much. Look for Yellow plantains when making your Air Fryer Plantains.
Ripe (Black) Plantains: When the plantain’s peel is black, that’s the ripest it will be. Using a black peeled plantain will result in very sweet plantains and are great for dessert.
You can find ripe plantains in your local ethnic store / market or in big supermarkets.
You can cook them grilled, boiled, baked, fried, steamed and in stews and curries. All the ways.
The more unripe the are , the harder they will come out. This is why the really green ones should be cut into crisps and cooked as crisps for the best result.
Using the air fryer is not only super easy, it is healthy too.
Here is how it works.
By circulating heat all around the food, air fryers allow you to ‘fry’ foods using the smallest amount of oil. We are talking anything from a tablespoon to just a light spray.
And since your food is not submerged in the stuff, much less oil gets absorbed during the cooking process, which means it contains less fat and less calories.
Fried Plantains
If you don’t have an air fryer you can also fry up your plantains the old-fashioned way. Check out my post “How to Make Fried Plantains” if you want to use your stove top and a pan of oil.
Baked Plantains
You can also make delicious baked plantains in your oven. This is a much healthier option than Fried Plantains on the stove top, but juuuuuuust about the same as Air Fryer Plantains.
Just another reason why I loooooooooove my air fryer. Check out my Baked Plantains with Sierra Leonean Flavours.
More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
- Air Fried Bacon. So crispy.
- Air Fryer Donuts. The kids looove these.
- Air Fryer Bagels. Really easy to make.
- Air Fryer Apple Fritters. One of my favs.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings.
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts.
- Air Fryer Chickpeas.
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes.
- Air Fryer Corn Ribs.
Serving Suggestions
In West Africa, fried plantains #ultimatecomfortfood are served as snacks or starters and as a side dish to foods.
Try them with
Weight Watchers Points
There are 5 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of Air Fryer Plantains.
Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Plantains recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.
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Air Fryer Plantains
Ingredients
- 1 plantain
- 3/4 tsp oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350F /180C
- Peel the plantain and cut into slices and add to a bowl.
- Gently mix in the oil and salt until plantains are coated on both sides.
- Put half the plantain slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 10 mins turning half way through.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Air Fryer temperatures will vary. Please check on your food after a few minutes.
- Make sure the plantain slices are not touching to allow your Air Fryer Plantains to cook evenly and allow for maximum air circulation.
- Cook time will depend on the size of your plantains.
- Use oil sparingly in the air fryer.
- Add cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg as a finishing spice. You can also change the oil to suit your dietary needs.
- Serve warm. If making a big batch, place your cooked Air Fryer Plantains in a warm oven to keep temperature.
Very nice recipe post thanks for you I am indian cooking recipes thenks for visiting
आपकी बेहतरीन जानकारी के लिए धन्यवाद। मुझे यह विषय पसंद है। इस साइट का बहुत फायदा है, I’m indian cooking master ery nice recipe post thanks for you
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for providing these details.
Made it for the first time in my new air fryer. I didn’t have to turn mine. Would have left it there for a couple more minutes since I like my plantains as nice as yours in the pic. I’m sure it all depends on your air fryer. Will do it again with green plantains to make plantain chips.
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