Crispy, golden, salty tostones are one of the best ways to cook green plantains. They are fried once until tender, smashed flat, then fried again until crisp around the edges and soft in the center.
Also known as fried green plantains or patacones, tostones are popular across Latin America and the Caribbean. They make a delicious appetizer, snack, or side dish, especially served with Cuban mojo, mayo ketchup, guacamole, or your favorite dipping sauce.
This recipe keeps things simple: green plantains, neutral oil, salt, and a few technique tips so your tostones turn out crispy, tender, and never greasy.
⭐️ Crispy Tostones: recipe at a glance
- Crispy and Golden: Double frying gives tostones their signature crisp edges and tender center.
- Simple Ingredients: You only need green plantains, oil, and salt.
- Great for Dipping: Serve them with Cuban mojo, ketchup mayo, guacamole, or garlic sauce.
- Budget-Friendly: Green plantains are affordable, filling, and easy to turn into a crowd-pleasing side dish, snack or appetizer.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: Tostones are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
✔️ Ingredients, Substitutions & Swaps
For the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities, check the printable recipe card below.
- Green Plantains: Use firm, very green plantains. Yellow or spotted plantains are sweeter and softer, which makes them better for maduros, not crispy tostones.
- Neutral Oil: Vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or another neutral high-heat oil works well.
- Salt: Flaky salt is wonderful because it clings to the hot tostones and adds texture, but kosher salt also works.
- To serve (Optional):
- Cuban Mojo (Bright, garlicky mojo is delicious brushed over hot tostones or served as a dip).
- Ketchup-Mayo: A creamy, tangy dipping sauce made with mayonnaise, ketchup, and garlic.
- Guacamole: Not traditional everywhere, but absolutely delicious with crispy fried plantains.
🔎 How to Peel Green Plantains
- Cut off both ends of each plantain.
- Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut through the peel lengthwise, just deep enough to cut through the skin without cutting deeply into the flesh.
- Use your fingers to separate the peel from the plantain. Take the peel off.
- Slice plantains diagonally into 2-inch chunks.
🔎 How to Make Tostones
For detailed instructions on how to make tostones, check the recipe card below.
- Prep the plantains: Peel and slice them diagonally into 2-inch chunks.
- Heat the oil for the first fry: In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan, heat enough oil to cover the plantain slices. The oil should be about 300°F to 325°F (150°C to 165°C)
- Fry until tender: Working in batches, fry about one-third of the plantain pieces for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until lightly golden but still pale. Transfer to a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining plantains.
- Smash the plantains: Line a tostonera, tortilla press, cutting board, or flat surface with plastic wrap. Gently flatten each fried plantain piece to about ¼ to ⅛ inch thick. The edges may crack a little, but try to keep each piece in one piece.
- Heat the oil for the second fry: Increase the heat to medium-high. The oil should be about 350°F to 375°F (175°C to 190°C)
- Fry until crispy: Return the smashed plantains to the oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Season immediately: Transfer to a paper towel-lined cooling rack or plate and sprinkle with salt while hot. Serve. Serve warm with Cuban mojo, mayo ketchup, guacamole, or your favorite dipping sauce.
✔️ How To Make Ketchup Mayo
- Stir together mayo, ketchup, and minced garlic. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
🔪 Recipe Tips For THE BEST Tostones: Prep & Adjustments
- Use green plantains: Ripe plantains are sweeter and softer, so they won’t give you the same savory, crisp result.
- Keep the first fry lower: The first fry is meant to soften the plantain, not deeply brown it.
- Smash gently: Press slowly so the plantains flatten without completely breaking apart. This is not the time to get your frustrations out by pressing too hard!
- Raise the heat for the second fry: The hotter second fry creates the crisp exterior.
- Salt while hot: Salt sticks best right after the tostones come out of the oil.
- No deep-fried thermometer? No problem! Dip the edge of one plantain into the oil with tongs. If small bubbles form around it, the oil is ready for frying.
🔎 How to Serve Tostones?
Tostones are best served hot and crispy with a sprinkle of salt. You can also enjoy them with:
- Ketchup, mayo, mojo sauce, garlic sauce.
- You can also brush or lightly spritz hot tostones with mojo sauce right after the second fry, then sprinkle with salt.
✔️ Make-Ahead and Storage
- Tostones are best the day they are made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.
🔎 How to Reheat Tostones?
- For the crispiest texture, reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warm and crisp. Place them in a single layer so they reheat evenly.
💛 Intentional Cooking
Your priorities, your recipe. Learn about Intentional Cooking.
Finances: Green plantains are an affordable, filling ingredient that can stretch a meal beautifully. Serve tostones as a side with beans, rice, chicken, or fish for a budget-friendly dinner that still feels special.
Time & Convenience: Tostones are best fresh, but leftovers reheat surprisingly well in the air fryer. That means you can enjoy the crispy snack energy again without heating a pot of oil.
Community, Culture and Tradition: Tostones, also called patacones in many countries, are one of those beloved foods that show how one humble ingredient can connect many Latin American and Caribbean kitchens through shared technique, regional names, and family traditions.
🤔 Frequently Asked Questions
Are tostones and patacones the same thing?
Yes. Tostones and patacones are both twice-fried green plantains. The name varies by country and region. “Tostones” is commonly used in the Caribbean (think Cuba, Puerto rico and Dominican Republic), while “patacones” is common in countries such as Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and other parts of Latin America.
What kind of plantains do I need for tostones?
Use firm, green plantains. They are starchy, savory, and hold their shape well when fried and smashed.
Can I make tostones with yellow plantains?
Not for classic tostones. Yellow plantains are sweeter and softer, so they are better for maduros or sweet fried plantains.
Why are tostones fried twice?
The first fry softens the plantain so it can be smashed. The second fry crisps the outside and gives tostones their golden, crunchy texture.
How many tostones do you get from one plantain?
Depending on the size of the plantain, you usually get about 5 to 6 tostones from each plantain.
How many plantains do I need per person?
For an appetizer, plan on about 1 plantain per person. As a side dish, plan on about 1 plantain for every 2 people.
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Tostones Recipe (Fried Green Plantains)
Ingredients
- 3 green plantains
- Vegetable oil for frying, or any other neutral oil (about 2-3 cups or just enough to cover the slices)
- Salt, flaky salt works great
For serving:
- Cuban Mojo, optional
- Ketchup mayo, optional
- Guacamole, optional
Ketchup Mayo:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 small garlic clove minced., minced
Instructions
How to Peel Plantains (it’s just like peeling a yucca):
- Cut both ends of the plantain.
- With the tip of a sharp knife, cut through the skin, lengthwise, just deep enough to go through the skin (don’t cut through the flesh).
- With your fingers, separate the skin from the flesh.
- Note: Green plantains have a tough skin and sap, however, once you make a cut through the ridges of the skin, separating the skin from the flesh should be easy. Discard the skin.
- How To Cut Plantains: For tostones, slice the plantain into 2-inch chunks, diagonally.
- In a large, deep, heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil over medium heat (If using a deep-fryer thermometer, the oil should register around 300F -325ºF)
- Cooking in batches, add about a third of the peeled and cut plantain slices into the skillet and cook, for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden but slightly pale.
- Transfer to a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels, to drain. Continue frying the remaining slices.
- If you have a plantain press (tostonera) or a tortilla press, line it with plastic wrap, otherwise line your cutting board with a large piece of plastic wrap.
- Using your plantain press OR with the bottom of a drinking glass or a small plate, flatten the fried plantains by smashing them to about ¼ to ⅛ inch thick. Smash gently to prevent the slices from breaking. The edges will crack but the slices should be kept in one piece.
- Before frying the plantains for a second time, make sure to heat up the oil to medium-high heat (about 350ºF to 375ºF).
- Add the smashed plantains back into the oil and fry them for about 2 additional minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy
- Remove from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel lined cooling rack or plate. Immediately season with salt. Serve with Cuban mojo, ketchup mayo or guacamole.
Ketchup Mayo:
- Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- You may get 5 to 6 tostones from each plantain, depending on size.
- For an appetizer, plan on 1 plantain per person.
- For a side dish, plan on 1 plantain per 2 people.
- Keep the oil lower for the first fry, about 300°F to 325°F, to soften the plantains without over-browning.
- Increase the oil temperature for the second fry, about 350°F to 375°F, for the crispiest texture.
- Salt the tostones while they are hot.
- Tostones are best served the same day.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warm and crispy.Depending on size, you may get 5 to 6 tostones out of each plantain.
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