Air Fryer Tostones
This easy recipe for Air Fryer Tostones shows you how to make healthy tostones with a fraction of the oil. All you’ll need is green plantains, oil and salt for a nutrient-dense Latin inspired side dish or snack in just 10 minutes.
Any chance I get to eat plantains I will gladly take. Plantains are like a much starchier banana that has very little sweetness at all. They are popular in Latin and Caribbean cooking and can be made in many different ways.
This recipe uses an air fryer to make tostones. It involves peeling and slicing a green plantain, brushing it with oil and salt then air frying till soft. You’ll then remove it from the air fryer, smash down the pieces, and air fry again for a crispy starchy side dish that everyone will enjoy.
What is a tostone?
Tostone translates to “to toast” and originated in Latin and Caribbean cultures. Tostones can be served with dips like guacamole or as a nutritious side dish to beans, rice, and protein.
💓 Why You’ll Love Making Tostones In The Air Fryer
Plaintains are suitable for many different healthy lifestyles and are, gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant.
Making tostones in the air fryer means you’ll be using much less oil making them a healthy option that can be served all week.
Since the air fryer circulates dry heat quickly, these tostones take 10 minutes or less to make.
It can be served as a side dish along with rice, beans, greens or pasta. You can also serve them as a vehicle for dips like salsa and homemade guacamole.
🍌 Tostones Ingredients
- Green Plantains – You’ll need a few plantains that are green and underripe for this recipe. Green plantains are starchy, not sweet and are used for tostones and plantain chip recipes.
- Avocado Oil – This neutral oil is not only healthy, but it has a high smoke point making it great for the air fryer at a high temperature.
- Sea Salt – brings out the natural flavor of the plantains and draws out moisture from the top and bottom helping to create a crust.
📖 How To Make Air Fryer Tostones
1️⃣ Preheat air fryer:
Preheat your air fryer to 400F
2️⃣ Prep green plantains:
Prepare the plantains by cutting off the ends. Use a sharp knife to slice longways down the skin to create an opening for peeling. Peel the skin off. Slice the plantain into 1″ rounds.
3️⃣ Season plantains:
Brush plantain slices with avocado or coconut oil and sprinkle with salt on both sides.
4️⃣ Air fry tostones:
Air fry for 5 minutes or until the surface is lightly crisped and the insides are soft and fluffy.
5️⃣ Smush tostones:
Remove from air fryer and place on a cutting board or flat surface. Using the bottom of a heavy jar or cup, gently smash each piece down flat.
6️⃣ Finish frying and serve:
Brush each side again with oil and return to air fryer for 5 more minutes. Remove from basket with tongs, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
🧑🍳 Recipe Tips
- Make sure you cut each plantain slice the same size to ensure even cooking.
- Use a cooking oil that can withstand high heat such as coconut oil, ghee, or avocado oil.
- Brush both sides with oil using a silicone or pastry brush to get an even layer of oil on each side.
- Tostones must be cooked in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may have to cook in batches for them to cook evenly.
🔪 How To Peel & Cut a Green Plantain
Although they look like bananas, green plantains are a completely different structure. Use these simple instructions to peel and cut a green plantain.
1️⃣ Cut off the ends of the plantains with a sharp knife.
2️⃣ Very slow and carefully run your knife through the peel lengthwise, without cutting into the flesh. Repeat on the other side.
3️⃣ Using your fingers, dig into the plantain and separate the peel from the plantain and peel all the way around.
4️⃣ Cut the plantain into rounds or on a bias cut using a sharp knife.
🔁 Variations
Air Fryer Plantain Chips – To make air fried plantain chips, you can use the dehydrate setting in your air fryer if applicable. To air fry plantain chips, peel and slice the plantains very thin and air fry in a single layer at 350 making sure to toss often until cooked through and not burnt.
Air Fryer Sweet Plantains – Plantains that are brown or sweeter are Cuban plantains called platanos maduros and can be cut into slices, drizzled in oil, and air-fried until crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. These plantains have more sugars developed which makes them sweeter and will caramelize faster.
♻️ Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Storing: Cooked and cooled tostones can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or bag for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Cooked plantains can be frozen if they are placed on a sheet pan in a single layer and frozen overnight before being added to a freezer safe bag or container where they wills stay fresh for up to 3 months. After freezing, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.
Reheating: To reheat leftover plantains, place them in the air fryer for 325 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.
❔FAQ
This depends on how you’re cooking them and what you are using them for. This recipe uses green plantains which are not sweet and can be used in many savory dishes. You can also use ripe sweeter plantains and fry them for other dishes.
For this recipe, I make sure to preheat my air fryer. Since the cooking time is much shorter for a plantain, you want to make sure that it’s cooking as soon as it’s placed in the air fryer basket.
This depends on your individual health goals. Overall, cooking plantains in the air fryer uses much less oil which can make it a very healthy option.
Yes! I like to start out at a lower temperature (350F) for about 10 minutes until the frozen tostones are warmed through and thawed. Once they are thawed, crank up the heat to 400F and air fry for another 5-6 minutes or until cooked through and crispy. The time may vary depending on your air fryer, so check often.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs
Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots
Air Fryer Sausage Balls
Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Air Fryer Tostones
Ingredients
- 2 Plantains Green
- 4 tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 tbsp tbsp Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400F
- Prepare the plantains by cutting off the ends. Use a sharp knife to slice longways down the skin to create an opening for peeling. Peel the skin off.
- Slice the plantain into 1″ rounds.
- Brush avocado or coconut oil and sprinkle with salt on both sides.
- Air fry for 5 minutes.
- Remove from air fryer and place on a cutting board or flat surface. Using the bottom of a heavy jar or cup, smash each piece down flat.
- Brush each side again with oil.
- Air fry for an additional 5 minutes at 400F.
- Remove from air fryer with tongs and sprinkle with more sea salt if desired.
