Air Fryer Plantains

These Air Fryer Plantains are SO easy to make! Simple, yet versatile. A perfect savory side, or dressed up for a healthy, tasty dessert!

Can you believe we’ve only had plantains twice in 8 years on the blog?

Once when we had them in Caribbean chicken bowls and once with baked salmon and plantain noodle bowls.

Today we’re going a LITTLE more traditional BUT with a modern-air-fryer-less-oil-healthy kinda twist!

These SUPER easy little gems of sweet and starchy goodness are going to be your new “go to” for:

Savory side dishes (so tasty) OR
A healthy dessert with a little drizzle of honey or maple syrup

They’re so dang easy and so dang versatile!

Ingredients Needed

Like I said, plantains are SO underrated and I thought we just needed another plantain recipe to grace our presence here on the blog! Move over, air fryer roasted potatoes and cumin roasted carrots because plantains are here to stay- they are an absolutely delicious side dish or snack and only require a few simple ingredients to make! Here’s what you will need for this plantain recipes air fryer:

Large, Ripe Plantain
Avocado Oil
Salt

How to Choose Plantains

If you’re heading to the supermarket to grab yourself a plantain to make some plantains in air fryer, you will want to make sure you know what to look for. I recommend choosing a plantain that is not green, but also not totally black- it needs to be mostly black with a bit of yellow as well. This means that it is perfectly ripe and will also be sweet.

3 ripe plantains for Air Fryer Plantains

How to make Air Fryer Plantains

Prepare

Slice the peel of the plantain lengthwise and then peel the plantain. Using a sharp knife, slice the plantain into coins and add them to a bowl with the avocado oil and some salt. Toss until they are evenly coated.

Cook

Place the plantain pieces into the mesh basket of your air fryer- make sure that they are in one layer so that they can crisp up! Cook, flipping once during cook time, until the plantains’ edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft.

Serve

Season with salt, to taste, and DEVOUR!

Top Tips for making Plantains Air Fryer

Cut them evenly: Slice your plantain into evenly sized rounds. This will ensure they all cook evenly and at the same rate, giving the BEST result possible.
Select a ripe plantain: Make sure the plantain is ripe so that the flavor and texture are as good as they can be.
Cook them Well: If the plantains are undercooked, they will be hard. If they are overcooked, they will be dry. Make sure to poke them with a fork often, and when they are easily pierced, the plantains are done!

sliced Air Fryer Plantains arranged in an air fryer

Serving Suggestions

These can be served a few different ways and are delicious no matter how you choose to enjoy them! Air Fryer Plantains can be eaten on their own as a snack, in place of your go-to veggie side dish with some protein, OR as a dessert. Yep- you heard right! If you serve these plantains warm with a drizzle of honey on top, they serve as a healthy and delicious dessert.

Plantains FAQ

What are Plantains?

To the untrained eye, a plantain could be mistaken for a banana. Technically, plantains are fruits, however they are eaten and cooked as if they were vegetables. They are starchy and mildly sweet, perfect for both sweet and savory dishes.

Are Plantains Healthy?

When cooked, plantains have similar nutritional value to potatoes. They are high in fiber as well as vitamins A, C and B6, as well as containing magnesium and potassium.

What do Plantains Taste Like?

When ripe, plantains have a similar flavor to bananas but are much less sweet.

Air Fryer Plantains on a air fryer baking sheet

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