Plantain cups are a great appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. They are really easy to make and require only two ingredients, plantain and coconut oil. Plantains are one of my favorite things to cook. They are so underrated and can be used in many ways like in this recipe.
What are plantains?
Plantains are a part of the banana family. It’s a fruit that is very starchy in nature and must be cooked before eating it. As the fruit matures in ripeness it becomes sweet. Green plantains are green and as they ripen become a dark yellow and can get some black areas on them. While they are believed to be native to Southeast Asia, they are very common in Caribbean and Latin American food.
What are the best fillings for plantain cups?
Anything you want! I like it with ackee and saltfish, but you can use shredded jerk chicken, carnitas, or even shrimp and avocado. The possibilities are endless.
Do you have to pan fry them?
There are many ways to make plantain cups. If you don’t want to do a second fry you can finish them in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes. You can also cook them in the air fryer. Spray the plantain chunks with olive oil and air fry at 350 for 5 minutes or until just golden then finish them in the air fryer after molding into cup at the same temperature.
Other recipes to try.
Looking for other plantain recipes? You may like the recipe for Plantain Croutons, Jerk Chicken Caesar or Plantain Hash.
Plantain Cups
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Tongs
- Lemon/Lime squeezer
Ingredients
- 2 Plantains
- ¼ cup Coconut
Instructions
- Peel plantains and cut each plantain into 4 chunks.
- Heat skillet on medium heat.
- Add oil.
- Once melted and heated add plantains.
- Turn to ensure all sides get golden.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool a bit.
- Once cooled, place in lemon squeezer and form into cups. repeat until you have 8 plantain cups.
- Put cups back into oil. baste the inside with some of the oil. After a minute or two, carefully flip cups over.
- When cups are fully cooked, remove to a paper towel lined plate and salt if needed.
- Allow to cool for a minute then add filling of choice.