Baked plantains, the amazing plátanos al horno maduros is perfect for those looking for healthier alternatives to our popular dishes. This easy, no-sugar-added dish is very easy to make, aromatic and delectable with a lovely combination of spices, tender and sweet.
Why we ❤️ it
I am always creating modified versions of my favorite recipes to enjoy them without guilt. Can you guess what dish inspired these baked ripe plantains?
Did you say platanos al caldero (caramelized ripe plantains)? Good guess! This is the healthiest way to enjoy one of our favorite dishes.
What's plátanos asados?
Plátanos asados are an uncommon yet traditional Dominican dish. The old-fashioned way was cooked like batata asada: the unpeeled ripe plantains were buried in hot ashes and left to cook slowly.
Baked sweet plantains (plátanos maduros al horno).
Serving suggestions
Just like with plátanos al caldero, these plátanos al horno go great with our favorite lunch meal of rice, beans, and meat. They also go great with any of our locrio rice, and I especially love them with locrio de pollo, and locrio de chuleta.
Top tips
- The plantains need to be very ripe for this dish; the peel should be mostly black, and the plantains just a bit mushy inside.
- You may sprinkle the plantains with a pinch of sea salt before serving if you wish, but I found I liked them without it.
- Now, there's a couple of things about this baked plantain recipe that I want you to bear in mind: First, there's no sugar added, so it is significantly less sweet than the original dish.
- Second, there is sugar in it, the sugar from ripe plantains, so if you are diabetic or have to follow a low-carb diet, please work it out into your daily allowance.
- I worked with half a plantain as a portion (considering the amount of sugar already in plantains), but if you want a larger portion, double the amounts, and you'll get one plantain per person.
- Half a ripe plantain contains about 30g to 37g of carbohydrates, nearly half of which are sugars.
- You can add a pinch of nutmeg for a different and lovely taste.
About this recipe
My mom used to make something similar to these baked plantains. She was a diabetic for many decades, and she had an iron discipline when it came to her diet. So if you're looking for a healthier version to plátanos al caldero, this is exactly what you've been looking for.
Unlike my mom's version, which consisted of simply wrapping the unpeeled plantains in tin foil and baking them, I have used a mixed technique to get a similar appearance and taste to Plátanos al Caldero for these baked sweet plantains. I really love how beautifully golden they came out.
Video
Recipe
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Baked Plantains [Recipe + Video] Plátanos al Horno
Ingredients
- 2 plantain (very ripe), (see notes)
- 12 cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Instructions
Prepping plantains
Peel the plantains and cut into halves. Stick 3 cloves into each half.
Browning plantains
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the plantains, rotating until they turn golden brown.
Baking
- Once browned, place in a baking pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and add water (be careful with splatters!). Cover tightly with aluminum foil.Bake in the oven preheated to 350 ºF [175 ºC] for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, check for doneness (careful not to burn yourself), and cover and return to the oven for another 5 minutes if they're not cooked-through (it varies depending on how ripe the plantains are).
Serving
- Serve while still warm, drizzle with the leftover liquid from the pan.
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
More baked plantains recipes
If you're looking for more plantain recipes to prepare in the oven, don't miss this canoa de plátano maduro recipes: yellow plantains with a lengthwise slit, baked, filled with eggplants and topped with melted cheese. Another great choice, mofonguitos de platanos maduros, a lovely appetizer or snack made with sweet plantains and stuffed with chicken and drizzled with homemade avocado mayo.
You'll also love these gluten-free bolas de plátano maduro covered and stuffed with cheese, and these tostones al horno o air fryer, crispy, savory green plantain chips that are the perfect Caribbean side dish, without the extra calories and work of fried tostones.
