Patacones con Hogao (Air-Fryer Plantains with Tomato-Onion Sauce)

This twice-fried plantain recipe is air-fried and remains as crispy, savory, and delicious as traditional Colombian-style patacones, also known as patacon pisao.

I break down the steps for the best and simplest patacones con hogao, my secret tip for the easiest way to peel a plantain, and other ways to enjoy this classic Colombian tomato-onion sauce.

If you’ve ever wondered what to serve with patacones con hogao, I share other ways to enjoy this crispy, savory patacones with sweet and savory hogao as a snack, side dish, or meal.

What Is Hogao?

Hogao is a famous sauce in Colombia, and the foundation of the most classic breakfast scrambled egg recipe, huevos pericos.

Onions and tomatoes are slowly cooked and caramelized into a sweet, tangy, glistening sauce- perfect as a dip or spread called hogao. The hogao recipe varies slightly from region to region in Colombia and family to family. I bring you a simple, family recipe made with vine-ripened tomatoes, scallions, salt, and butter. There are also hogao recipes made with garlic, peppers, and spices.

I love a classic hogao sauce that allows the sweetness of the tomato and the scallions to cook slowly and combine into a rich sauce. In Colombia, hogao is the base of the classic breakfast dish like huevos pericos and is traditionally served with arepa con queso.

Ways to enjoy hogao: Arepas con hogao, huevos pericos, and arepa con queso with a side of hogao.

What are Plantains?

Plantains are a close relative to bananas and are often mistaken for a banana, but plantains, especially green ones, are starchier. Platanos are delicious and common in several South American countries like Colombia, the Caribbean, and Africa. Unlike bananas which can be enjoyed once peeled, plantains are cooked to break down the starch and can be boiled, baked, fried, or roasted.

Plantains are high in fiber, have resistant starch, which is incredibly good for gut health, and are high in vitamins and minerals like potassium.

What are Patacones or Colombian Style Fried Plantains?

Patacones are also known as twice-fried plantains. A classic patacones recipe is deep-fried in vegetable oil twice. The platano is first peeled and cut into roughly 2-inch cylinders, then deep fried, flattened into the classic fried plantain with a tostonera, and fried again. This twice-fried cooking method creates a delicately crispy plantain when the heat and oil create pockets of air that crisp the plantain.

When the platano is fried the first time, it cooks the plantain and breaks down the starch, and the structure of the plantain changes, like a potato changes when it’s cooked. It makes flattening the plantain with a tostonera easy and prevents it from breaking apart. 

What are Patacones con Hogao?

Patacones con hogao are twice-fried plantains that are smashed, fried, and served with tomato-onion sauce as a dip or topping. Hogao is a salsa for patacones. However, patacones can be enjoyed alone or with a pinch of salt.

How To Make The Crispiest Patacones In The Air Fryer

When we transition to the air fryer, the process changes slightly. Instead of deep frying the plantain twice, the plantain is brushed with avocado oil twice.

The platano chunks are coated with avocado oil for the first time and placed in the air fryer at 330 degrees for 12 minutes. They are essentially going through the same process of breaking down the structure of the plantain and cooking it enough to make flattening easy. In addition, the avocado oil on the exterior provides the plantain enough oil to slightly crispen the outside.

After air frying the first time, the plantain is flattened with the tostonera, similar to the classic deep-fried recipe. Once the plantain is flattened, brush it with avocado oil to coat it thoroughly. The oil will provide the plantain with what it needs to create air pockets and, in turn, will crisp beautifully.

Lastly, the key to the crispiest plantains is the ideal temperature. When the temperature is set too high, it burns the plantain and doesn’t allow the inside of the plantain to cook through. Conversely, getting a deliciously crisp outside is almost impossible when the temperature is too low.

Why Avocado Oil?

Avocado oil is ideal for high-temperature cooking, like deep or air frying, searing, stir-frying, and any other cooking method that gets heat up to 500 degrees.

It’s also called a smoke point; when a low smoke point heat oil is used for cooking in high-heat environments, the oil structure changes, and harmful free radicals are formed. 

What Ingredients You’ll Need For This Patacones con Hogao Recipe

Patacones

• Green plantains – green plantains or plátano​​​​​​​ verde rather than yellow.
• Avocado oil – ideal for high smoke point cooking like frying or air frying. Aceite de aguacate or avocado oil is easy to find at local supermarkets.
• Sea Salt – sea salt or pink salt is ideal for patacones.

Hogao Receta

• Tomatoes – preferably vine-ripened tomatoes, which are slightly sweet and flavorful.
• Scallions or green onions – scallions preferred.
• Sea Salt –

How to Make Crispy Patacones in the Air Fryer?

Step One

Score the plantain lengthwise and peel the platano. Make this process much easier by running hot water on the plantain or allowing it to sit in hot water in a medium-sized bowl. Once peeled, score the plantain every two inches or so.

Step Two

Break off two-inch pieces and place them in a bowl. Drizzle avocado oil with a pastry brush and ensure the platanos are well coated. 

Step Three

Place the platanos in the air fryer, set it to 330 degrees, and cook for 12 minutes. This is for one plantain. If you cook two at a time, increase the cooking time to 20 minutes.

Step Four

After 12 minutes, remove the plantains, and smash the plantains with a tostonera, if you have one. If not, flatten the plantains with a bowl or bowl.

Make sure you’re using something with a flat surface. Flatten them on a cutting board or other prepping surface like a marble countertop or large plate.

Once you’re done flattening the plantains, brush them with avocado oil, return them to the air fryer at 330 degrees, and cook them for 10 minutes.

Tip! When placing the coated and flattened plantains in the air fryer, avoid placing one on the other.

Step Five

Once done, place the patacones on a plate, add a pinch of sea salt flakes, and serve. Enjoy plain patacones with a pinch of salt as a snack or side.

Hogao Recipe

Follow this hogao (Colombian) arepa sauce recipe for full details.