Tostones with mayo ketchup are crispy, twice-fried green plantains, a classic side dish in Caribbean and Latin American cooking. Fry the plantains, smash them, fry them again until golden, and serve with a creamy garlic dipping sauce on the side.
Jump to:
Tostones are crispy, twice-fried green plantains common throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Slice the plantains, fry until tender, press flat, then fry again until crisp around the edges. Serve them hot with mayo ketchup, a simple garlic dipping sauce made with mayonnaise and ketchup.
Why You'll Love These Tostones
- Crispy outside and tender in the center
- Made with only green plantains, oil, and salt
- Mayo ketchup takes two minutes
- Good with fried fish, shrimp, chicken, rice, and beans
Green Plantains vs. Ripe Plantains
Plantains look like large bananas, but they are starchier and usually cooked before eating.
Use firm green plantains for tostones. Green plantains aren't sweet, and they hold their shape when fried and pressed flat.
Yellow, brown, or black plantains are softer and sweeter. Those are better for maduros, the sweet fried plantains often served with Caribbean and Latin meals.
For the crispiest tostones, choose plantains with mostly green peels and store them on the counter at room temperature until you are ready to cook.
Ingredients
For the Mayo Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Fresh garlic
- Lime juice or vinegar
- Salt
- Sugar, optional
- Hot sauce, optional, to taste
For the Tostones
- Firm green plantains
- Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil
- Coarse salt
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
How To Make Tostones
- Make the mayo ketchup: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate while you fry the plantains.
- Peel and slice the plantains: Cut off both ends of each plantain. Run the tip of a knife down the length of the peel, making shallow cuts without cutting deeply into the plantain. Pull off the peel in strips. Cut the plantains into 1-inch-thick rounds.
- Fry the plantains once: Pour about ½ to ¾ cup neutral oil, or enough to fill the skillet about ½ inch, into a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the plantain rounds until lightly golden and tender enough to press, about 4 to 5 minutes total, turning once. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Smash the plantains: While the plantains are still warm, flatten each piece to about ½ inch thick using a tostonera, the bottom of a sturdy glass, or a small plate.
- Fry the plantains a second time: Return the flattened plantains to the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp around the edges.
- Season and serve: Transfer the tostones to paper towels and season with kosher salt while hot. Serve right away with mayo ketchup.
How to Peel Plantains
Plantains look like bananas, but their peels are much thicker and do not pull away as easily.
Cut off both ends of the plantain. Use the tip of a knife to make one shallow slit down the length of the peel, being careful not to cut deeply into the flesh.
Slide your thumb under the peel and pull it off in sections. If part of the peel sticks, make another shallow slit and keep working around the plantain until you remove all the peel.
Green plantains are firm, so a little resistance is normal.
Mayo Ketchup for Tostones
Mayo ketchup is a simple dipping sauce made with mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and a pinch of salt. It is also called salsa rosada or pink sauce in many Caribbean and Latin American kitchens.
Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and serve alongside the hot tostones.
Storage and Reheating
Tostones are best served hot, right after the second fry. They lose some crispness as they sit.
Let leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm the tostones in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil until hot and crisp again. You can also reheat them in a 350°F air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Here in the Florida Keys, tostones are often served with fried fish, shrimp, and chicken.
Serve them hot with mayo-ketchup sauce, chunky guacamole, mango pico de gallo, or rice and beans.
They are especially good alongside fried mahi mahi, snapper tacos, shrimp tacos, or chicken nuggets.
FAQ
Tostones are sliced green plantains that are fried, pressed flat, and fried again until golden. They come out firm, salty, and perfect for dipping.
Serve tostones hot right after frying. They're usually eaten as a side or snack with a dipping sauce like garlic mojo or pink sauce.
A tostonera is a simple press used to flatten plantains after the first fry. It helps keep them even, but you can also use the bottom of a glass or a knife.
Patacones are the same as tostones. It's just a different name used in places like Colombia, Venezuela, and Central America.
The plantains were likely too ripe. Yellow or soft plantains don't have enough starch to crisp up, even with a second fry.
No. Yellow plantains are better for maduros, which are soft and sweet, not crisp like tostones.
Tostones with Mayo Ketchup
Ingredients
Mayo Ketchup
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Dash of hot sauce (optional)
Tostones
- 3 firm green plantains
- ½ to ¾ cup neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
- Coarse salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the mayo ketchup: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the plantains.
- Peel and slice the plantains: Cut off both ends of each plantain. Use the tip of a knife to make a shallow slit down the length of the peel. Pull the peel away in sections, then cut the plantains into 1-inch-thick rounds.
- Heat the oil: Pour enough oil into a heavy skillet to come about ½ inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat.
- Fry the plantains once: Working in batches, fry the plantain rounds for 4 to 5 minutes total, turning once, until lightly golden and tender enough to press. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Smash the plantains: While still warm, flatten each plantain round to about ½ inch thick using a tostonera, the bottom of a sturdy glass, or a small plate.
- Fry a second time: Return the flattened plantains to the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp around the edges.
- Season and serve: Transfer the hot tostones to paper towels and season with coarse salt. Serve right away with the mayo ketchup.
