A Guide to the World of Plantains

It may look like a big, clunky banana, but a plantain is a special breed. Unlike the banana, plantains are meant for cooking, not eating out of hand (although you can eat it raw, if you like, once fully ripe). They’re starchier than a banana, and less sweet, so they take well to both sweet and savory applications. They’re often used when green and unripe, but are also used when ripe. Make make sure you know your plantain: these firm, mellow fruits are only fully ripe when black – and we mean ALL black. In fact, the blacker they are, the sweeter they are. Used both green/unripe, yellow, and black/ripe, plantains are an incredibly important part of tropical cultures across the globe, from Mexico to Puerto Rico to Indonesia to Africa and back again.

Learn more about this versatile fruit:

How it Starts: The Plantain Tree

To start, let’s look at the plantain’s humble roots…literally! The plantain is an herbaceous perennial belonging to the family Musaceae, the very same family as banana. One way to distinguish between banana and plantain trees are their fruits; plantains are longer, firmer, have a thicker skin, and possess a higher starch content than their sweeter relative. The plantain tree is tall, reaching heights of up to thirty feet, with a very thick trunk and enormous broad leaves that provide a shaded haven for the flowers of the tree to grow. Each flower will eventually become a whole cluster of plantains!

Where it Grows: The Climate

The plantain tree originated in Southeast Asia, and was likely first cultivated in India. They are true children of the tropics, loving warm weather and lots of water, and needing lots of nutrients in the soil. They grow so well there that they soon spread to other tropical regions around the globe, including West Africa, the Caribbean, and Central America. In fact, there are now more than one hundred varieties of plantain growing in the jungles of West Africa!

What’s In It: Plantain Nutrition

Plantains pack a nutritious punch, providing a range of different vitamins and minerals — even more than the banana! One cup of plantain accounts for over 20% of the recommended daily value of potassium, over 40% DV of vitamin C, and over 30% DV of vitamin A, compared to one cup of banana with 15%, 22%, and 2%, respectively. Along with having an impressive assortment of nutritious vitamins and minerals, plantains are ideal for both paleo and gluten-free diets, as they are a great alternative to starchy grains or potatoes.

Is it Ripe?: Green vs. Yellow

Plantains have several stages of ripeness, each with its own purpose. Unripe, plantains are bright green and very firm, described as being “starchy like a potato.” This makes green plantains, also known as Verdes plantains, useful for recipes in which they are fried or boiled, as they will retain their shape, but soften. Plantains are also available yellow, also called Maduro plantains. Yellow plantains are slightly sweeter and softer, making them useful in savory-sweet dishes where they are typically grilled or baked. Yellow plantains will eventually turn dark brown to jet black, at which point they are sweet, creamy, and delicious.  Since black plantains are so sweet and soft, they are the preferred plantains for sweet baked dishes and desserts. Even when they look rotten, plantains have a delicious use!

Take a trip around the world with some awesome traditional dishes featuring plantains:

ECUADOR

Majado de Verde (Mashed Plantains)

A classic way to use green plantains is to mash them up just like potatoes, and this recipe takes it a step further. Served with a fried egg, crumbled queso fresco, and avocado, this rendition of Majado de Verde is a complete meal alone, and is often prepared for breakfast or brunch. Filling and flavorful, this one is a must-try. Get the recipe here.

PUERTO RICO

Jibaritos (Puerto Rican Plantain Sandwiches)

Attention paleo, vegan, and gluten-free eaters: your collective minds are about to be blown. There are more than a few different alternatives to using bread for sandwiches, but this one is next level tasty! This complete recipe shows one excellent way to use plantains instead of bread, but after you do it once, we’re confident that plantains will soon take over many other recipes in your kitchen that use bread. Get creative with your cooking! Get the recipe here.

AMERICA

Baked Plantain Fries with Garlic Avocado Dipping Sauce

Everyone loves fries, but wouldn’t they be sooo much better if they were actually good for you?? This recipe is an excellent way to satisfy your hankering for fries, without the oil and less starchy. Baked, not fried, and paleo-friendly, these fries may make you forget those greasy potato things! Get the recipe here.

WEST AFRICA

Cheesy Baked Plantains with Chili

Ripe, succulent plantain stuffed with cheese and spices and baked to perfection. This traditional recipe hails from the West African country of Sierra Leone, and has proven to taste just as good on American soil as it does in Africa! Get the recipe here.

INDIA

Pazham Pradhaman

Pazham Pradhaman is a traditional recipe that is eaten during Onam, a Hindu festival in India that celebrates the coming of a mythical king, Mahabali, who is only allowed to visit the people once a year. This version of payasam (one of the most popular desserts in India), is like a sweet, fruity pudding pairing plantain flavor with coconut and tropical jaggery sugar. Can’t go wrong! Get the recipe here.

PHILIPPINES

Banana Lumpia (Turon) with Caramel Sauce

Looking for the best way to make plantains into dessert? Then wrap them up in thinner-than-paper lumpia wrappers, deep fry, and smother them in warm, delicious caramel sauce! This dish is hard to resist: crispy and crunchy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside. And who in their right mind doesn’t love a caramel drizzle or dipping sauce? Get the recipe here.

MEXICO

Roasted Sweet Potato, Plantain, and Cacao Mole Tacos

Mole is a Mexican “mother sauce” often made with chocolate that is more savory than sweet. One of the most iconic of all traditional Mexican dishes, mole pairs beautifully with sweet, fruity flavors like that of the plantain. This recipe is an instant classic, but be warned, if you make it once, there’s no way that it will be your last! Get the recipe here.