Easy Fried Sweet Plantains (Maduros)

Packed with natural sweetness, sweet plantains are nature’s dessert. Maduros have a distinctly sweet, nutty caramel flavor when cooked.

Even more incredible when the ripened plantain is cooked, the natural sugars create these crispy ridges of crystallized caramelized texture goodness.

So, when you take that first bite, you bite through the caramelized sugar and experience a range of sweet flavors.

What I love about plantains, and what makes them so unique, is that you have to earn a sweet plantain. They take time to ripen to make a maduro, so as a kid, we seldom had plantains ripe enough to make a perfectly ripened maduro. 

Because you know that if you ever attempted to make a maduro before the plantain was sweet enough, the experience is always different. You didn’t have the patience to wait and cheated yourself of a perfect, sweet Maduro.

That made them even more special.

What Is A Sweet Plantain and How Is It Different From Green Plantain?

Sweet plantains start as starchy vegetables with a tropical green and thick skin that slowly ripens, similar to a banana. 

When green, plantains can also be cooked; some of the most popular green plantain recipes include patacones (twice-fried) plantains and plantain chips. Green plantains have a thicker skin compared to ripe plantains.

Then, as the starch in the green plantains converts to sugar, the skin thins and turns black. 

First, the skin goes from green to yellow to black.

How To Pick The Best Plantain For Maduros?

The Ripeness of the Plantain is Important

The best maduros are golden brown, with crispy edges. To achieve that golden brown goodness, the stage of ripeness is ideal for a sweet plantain. As mentioned above, the best fried sweet plantains have a black skin because they’re extra sweet.

Now, ripe or yellow plantains are only sometimes available, but I covered some tricks to speeding up ripeness here: how to quickly ripen plantains for the perfect maduros.

Here’s a quick way to determine if the plantain is sweet enough. First, the skin should be tender, black, and spotted. However, you want to make sure it’s safe. When the plantain begins to shrivel and dry out, you may have a past-ripe and spoiled plantain.

You’ll also notice that it smells a bit off, similar to a bad or spoiled banana.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ripe Sweet Plantains – black, spotty peel
• Avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
• Salt – optional

Other Ingredients and Variations

Top them off with a pinch of cinnamon for a yummy sweet, caramel and cinnamon flavor.

Equipment Needed For Sweet Fried Plantains

• Frying Pan
• Slotted spoon
• Paring Knife

Top Tips For The Best Golden Brown Maduros

• Use maduros that are perfectly ripened, are spotted, and have black skins. Black spots indicate that the starch has converted into sugar.
• Use oil that is ideal for frying in medium-high heat.
• Use enough oil to submerge the plantain, at least enough to cover the top of the sliced plantains.
• Fry them in a single layer for a beautiful golden-brown finish
• Because sweet plantains are high in sugar, cook them in medium to medium-low heat; when the heat is too high, the sugar will burn quickly, leaving you with burnt maduros undercooked in the middle.

Instructions For Sweet Platanos Maduros (Sweet Plantains)

1. Preheat the frying oil to medium heat.
2. Slice the plantain skin lengthwise and remove the skin
3. Then, cut the plantains into plantain slices diagonally roughly 1 inch thick
4. Place the plantain slices in the oil, single-layer
5. ​Flip them once the bottom is golden brown
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove them once they’re golden brown.
7. Place them on a paper towel or a rack and allow them to drain any excess oil.

See Below for Detailed Instructions

What To Serve With Maduros?

Maduros, with salty food, make a dreamlike pairing. I love pairing them with rice, beans, or other proteins, like this air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs with lime cilantro rice.

In Cuba, they’re served as a side with ropa vieja or marinated shredded beef with white rice, my favorite and absolutely drop-dead delicious.

In Puerto Rico, they serve maduros with arroz con gandules, I love this vegan arroz con gandules recipe with platanos maduros fritos.

Other Versions of Maduros or Sweet Plantains

So, there’s little difference between Puerto Rican maduros and Cuban or Colombian sweet plantains. They’re all ripe plantains that have been fried.

However, other traditional dishes include sweet plantains like pastelon and a sweet plantain lasagna!

What Should I Do With Leftover Plantains?

Any leftover maduros can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Store them in a glass airtight container.

You can also wrap them in a paper towel and place them in a reusable storage bag.

My Favorite Plantain Recipes

Don’t have sweet plantains but craving plantains for dinner? Here are some of my favorite plantain recipes that don’t require waiting.

These patacones are crispy and delicious. Or try this air fryer version, twice-fried plantains with hogao sauce, divine!

If you’re looking for a healthy snack for the kids, these air-fried plantain chips are easy to make and delicious.