Air Fryer Tostones

Air Fryer Tostones are the healthiest way to serve up the classic twice-fried green plantains! Made without oil, these air-fried tostones are extra crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside! Starchy green plantains, air fried, smashed, then air fried again. This naturally gluten-free, vegan, and paleo Latin American and Caribbean salty side dish or appetizer is ready in 15 minutes!

Forget the frying! No messy oil, no greasy soggy tostones. We're breaking out the air fryer for these babies! Air Fryer Tostones are going to be your go-to appetizer and side dish to wow everyone at the party! Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and paleo, crispy but tender, salty, and satisfying, these smashed green plantains are on a whole other level of mouthwatering deliciousness!

What Are Tostones?

Tostones are twice-fried plantain slices, popularly served in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. Tostones are made using green plantains and the word "tostone" comes from the Spanish "tostar" which means "to toast". They're also known as patacones. Green plantains are unripe plantains that are higher in starch and less sweet than ripe plantains which are used to make maduros (fried sweet plantains). By slicing the tough outer peel, slicing the unripe plantain into chunks, frying, smashing them thin, and frying again, the delectable tostone is made!

What's The Difference Between Plantain Chips & Tostones?

Plantains chips are thinly sliced and fried once, like a potato chip. Tostones are sliced into thick chunks, fried once, smashed with a tostonera, and fried again to solidify the smashed tostone.

Is Air Frying Tostones Healthier?

By air frying the tostones, you don't have to double fry them in oil. Perfectly crisp with the right amount of softness inside, these salty tostones have none of the oil or calories you'd find in the traditional preparation. None of the mess or grease either! Not only that, but this recipe is naturally...

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
• Grain-Free & Paleo
• Oil-Free + Sugar-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick, Easy, Budget-Friendly
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
• Simple Side Dish, Appetizer, or Snack

Ingredients You Need

• Green Plantains: The greener the better! You want your plantains unripe and super starchy. Leave the yellow plantains for desserts or maduros! The starchy dry plantains will be easier to cut into chunks and they won't fall apart when you smash them.
• Soaking Water + Lime Juice: After cutting the plantain into chunks, you'll want to give them a quick soak in a bowl of water with some lime juice and salt. This will keep the plantains from browning, gives them some more flavor, and yields a fluffier/softer interior!
• Salt: Once your tostones are done, you can sprinkle them with extra salt if you'd like! The salt in the water bath was enough for me, but I'm not a salty kinda person.

How To Choose The Right Plantain

You want to choose plantains that are as green as possible. Plantains are typically separated in stores with unripe green in one basket and ripe yellow in another. Plantains are ripe quickly (similar to avocados), so make sure you pick your green plantains close to when you will be preparing your tostones. Green plantains are hard, high in starch, and very low in sugar, making them similar to potatoes, not bananas. This also means you should always cook your plantains before eating them, otherwise, they'll be hard, slimy, devoid of taste (and hurt your stomach!)

How To Easily Peel Plantains

1. First cut the end tips off of your plantain, using a very sharp knife.
2. Now gently slice down the peel of the plantain, careful not to cut the actual fruit, just the thick peel.

3. Use your thumb to lift the peel off of the plantain until you can get a good grip on the thick peel.
4. Slowly use your fingers to continue removing the peel from the inner fruit until the peel is completely removed.

Soaking The Plantain Slices

5. Create a citrus soak by filling a large bowl with water and squeezing the juice of a small lime into the water along with 1-2 teaspoons of salt.
6. Slice your peeled plantains into 1-inch thick chunks.

Why Do You Need To Soak The Plantains?

Do you have to? Some people don't bother and some people do. Since we are air frying them in this recipe, soaking the plantains before the first fry is key. Traditionally the soak is only used as a dip for the flattened tostones after the first fry, but since this air fryer recipe is oil-free, soaking the dry plantains before the first fry is a better option, with an optional quick dip before the second to achieve the perfect texture.

• Oxidation: Soaking the plantains keeps them from oxidizing and turning brown when exposed to oxygen. Some people like to peel, slice, and do the first fry and smash ahead of time and do the final fry later before serving. Soaking in the acidic solution prevents browning.
• Flavor: It also allows for more flavor to infuse into the rather bland plantain. You'll get a slight lime flavor and saltiness without having to add a ton of salt at the end. You can even add garlic or onion to the solution!
• Fluffy Interior: Soaking the plantain chunks prevents them from getting too dry and allows steam to form inside between the starch particles when cooked in the hot air. This produces a fluffy, soft, and tender interior, but will remains crispy on the outside during the second fry.

7. Soak the plantain chunks for 5-10 minutes in the citrus solution.
8. Take them out and pat them dry of excess water.

How To Air Fry Tostones

9. Place your plantain chunks in the air fryer basket and space them out with enough breathing room. Air fry for 3-5 minutes on each side at 350°F.
10. Remove the air-fried plantains and set them aside.

Pro Tip: You can lightly mist your plantain chunks with non-stick spray before the first fry. This can help them become golden brown and prevents any sticking, but it is not necessary.

How To Flatten Plantains For Tostones

11. Place a piece of parchment paper over the plantains and take a heavy mug or flat-bottomed bowl to smash the plantains flat (about ¼-inch to ⅛-inch thick).
12. Optionally, dip the tostones in the citrus soak and let the excess water drip off. Then place them in the air fryer to air fry at 400°F for an additional 3 minutes (no need to flip them), until crisp and golden.

Using A Tostonera

Traditionally, a tostonera is used to easily flatten the plantains into the tostone disc before the second fry. This hinged wooden utensil is commonly found in Caribbean homes since tostones are a staple. It's very inexpensive and a great tool to have if you plan on making tostones regularly (which you will after trying this recipe!)

How Long To Air Fry The Tostones

After the initial air fry of 3-5 minutes per side, the second air fry when the plantain is now a flat disc should only be about 3-4 more minutes. By turning up the temperature in the air fryer to 400°F, you don't need to flip the tostones. Just a few minutes to get that final crisp and deep golden yellow color. The natural color of the plantain will intensify to deep gold, not brown and burnt.

Can You Bake Tostones?

If you don't have an air fryer (get one), you can bake the tostones following the same method but instead, using the oven at 425°F. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, before smashing them, and then bake for 4-8 minutes more, until golden.

How To Store & Freeze Tostones

13. Finally, take your finished tostones out of the air fryer and sprinkle them, while still hot, with extra flaky salt and seasonings of choice. Serve them right away with your favorite dip or alongside an entree!
14. If you make them ahead of time, allow them to cool completely on a wire rack (like cookies), before placing them in a freezer-safe bag and freezing them for later.

• You can store leftover tostones in a closed container for 4-5 days in the fridge.
• You can freeze tostones in the freezer for up to 6 months for quality.
• You can also store flattened tostone discs in the fridge for 1-2 days before the final air fry if you plan on serving them to a crowd and want to get the initial meal prep out of the way.
• To reheat tostones and get them crispy again, add them back into your air fryer and air fry at 380°F for 3-4 minutes, until hot and crisp (this works from the fridge or frozen. Do not thaw frozen tostones before reheating).

What To Serve With Tostones

Tostones can either be served as a snack or appetizer with just salt, like a potato chip or french fries. But they can also be dipped or served with a main entree like grilled veggies, tacos, fish, or chicken!

• Keep it simple and serve them with just a sprinkle of flaky salt.
• Pair them with a delicious and classic sauce of ketchup and mayo mixed together (also known as fry sauce or mayoketchup).
• You can also just serve up separate bowls of mayo, ketchup, and even bbq sauce or nacho cheese sauce to dip.
• Another classic dip is a mojo garlic sauce or aji. Sometimes they're served with warmed garlic olive oil.
• Red salsa or green salsa verde. Even a black bean and corn salsa for a heartier appetizer.
• Guacamole, refried beans, and sour cream to make these similar to nachos is a delicious way to make them a meal on their own!

Print

The air frying method is so easy! You'll be making tostones all the time, now that you know how simple it can be! Time to start eyeing that tostonera too!

So tell me:

+ Have you ever tried tostones?

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