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Overview

Bolon de Verde

Bolones de verde, Green plantain balls, Bolón de verde

This bolon de verde recipe mashes boiled green plantains with queso fresco and butter, shapes the mix into balls and fries them until golden. One serving is about 275 g — two bolones — and carries 518 calories. Serve them hot for breakfast with a fried egg and black coffee.

Bolon de verde is the breakfast of Ecuador's coastal lowlands, where green plantains are a daily staple. The plantains are boiled, mashed with cheese and butter, rolled into balls and fried until the outside turns golden and crisp while the cheese melts inside. It is eaten hot in the morning, usually with a fried egg and a cup of black coffee, and the same mix is also made with pork cracklings (chicharron) for a richer version.

Pairs well with: A fried egg and a cup of black Ecuadorian coffee.

Provenance

Ecuador flag Ecuador

Ecuadorian Coast Breakfast

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

40m

25m prep • 15m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

518 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 275 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Mash & Fry)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Prime Morning Fit

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Weekend breakfasts, coastal breakfasts, family mornings, brunch Cost: Low — about $2 per serving at home
Tags: Cheese Savory Vegetarian Fried
Two golden bolon de verde balls with a fried egg on a white plate

Ecuadorian Coast Breakfast

Photo: David Ceballos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2 per serving at home (USD)

This version is the cheese bolon, the vegetarian classic; the chicharron version adds pork cracklings to the same mash.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 40m
P

Prep Stage: Plantains, Cheese and Mash

25 Mins • Plantains, Cheese and Mash

Peel the plantains and cut them into chunks. Boil them in salted water until soft, drain, and mash them hot with the butter, salt and cheese until smooth. Shape the hot mash into 8 even balls with oiled hands.

Maestro Tip: Mash the plantains while they are still steaming hot — cold plantain turns stiff and the balls will crack.

  1. 1

    Boil the green plantains

    15 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)

    Put the plantain chunks in a pot with 2g of the salt, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until a fork slides through a chunk with no resistance, then drain well.

    Do not overcook them to mush — soft but holding their shape mashes into the best texture.

    Done when: A fork slides through a chunk with no resistance.

  2. 2

    Mash with cheese and butter

    5 Mins Hot mash, above 60°C (140°F)

    Tip the hot plantains back into the pot with the butter and the remaining 2g of salt and mash until smooth. Fold in the crumbled cheese and keep mashing until it melts through the mash.

    Mash while the plantains are steaming — once they cool, they stiffen and will not bind.

    Done when: Smooth, thick mash with the cheese melted through.

  3. 3

    Shape the bolones

    5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Oil your hands lightly and shape the hot mash into 8 even balls, pressing firmly so each one holds together.

    A firm press is what keeps the balls from falling apart in the oil — loose balls break up.

    Done when: 8 smooth, even balls that hold their shape.

  4. 4

    Fry until golden

    10 Mins 175°C (350°F)

    Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F) and fry the bolones in batches of 4 for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp all over. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper.

    Fry in batches — too many at once cools the oil and the balls turn greasy instead of crisp.

    Done when: Deep golden, crisp outside, hot and soft inside.

  5. 5

    Serve hot for breakfast

    5 Mins Serving hot, above 60°C (140°F)

    Serve two bolones per person at once, with a fried egg and a cup of black coffee.

    Bolones are at their best straight from the oil — the outside is crisp and the cheese inside is still melted.

    Done when: Hot, crisp outside, cheese melted inside.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the bolones the moment they leave the oil, two per plate with a fried egg and a cup of black coffee — the outside should be crisp and golden, the inside soft with melted cheese.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

518

kcal / serving

Protein

14g

Complete AA

Carbs

65g

Complex

Fats

26g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 275 g)
Energy518 kcal
Protein14 g
Carbohydrates65 g
Fat26 g
Fibre4.6 g
Sugar30.0 g
Sodium710 mg
Per 100g
Energy188 kcal
Protein5 g
Carbohydrates23.6 g
Fat9.5 g
Fibre1.7 g
Sugar10.9 g
Sodium258 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Potassium and vitamin C (green plantain), calcium and phosphorus (cheese), vitamin A (butter).

Plantain Energy and Potassium

Green plantains give slow-release carbohydrate, potassium and fibre — about 5 g of fibre per serving — so the balls fuel a whole morning.

Cheese Calcium

The queso fresco melted through the mash gives calcium and phosphorus plus about 14 g of protein per serving.

A Breakfast That Lasts

At about 518 calories with 65 g of carbohydrate per serving, two bolones with an egg is a breakfast that carries you to lunch without a snack.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Drinks

Black Coffee

Black Ecuadorian coffee is the classic partner — its bitterness cuts the richness of the fried plantain and cheese.

Sides

Fried Egg

A fried egg on the side is how the coast eats bolon — the runny yolk soaks into the crisp ball and adds protein to the breakfast.

More Pairings

Fresh Fruit

Fresh tropical fruit after the bolones gives a light, sweet finish that balances the salty, fried breakfast.

Vegetables

Sliced Avocado

Creamy avocado slices cool the plate and add healthy fats without more frying.

Complete menu

Serve two bolones with a fried egg, black coffee and fresh fruit, followed by a light lunch of fish soup.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Using Ripe Yellow Plantains

Ripe plantains are sweet and soft — the balls will not hold their shape and will taste like dessert, not breakfast. Use plantains that are fully green and hard. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.

Frying in Oil That Is Too Cool

Oil below 170°C (340°F) soaks into the balls instead of crisping them, leaving them greasy and heavy; heat the oil properly first. This is general food-safety information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty breakfast — two bolones with a fried egg is a full morning meal.
  • ChildrenMild, soft and cheesy; children love them — cut one open to check it is not too hot inside.
  • ElderlySoft inside and easy to chew; serve one bolon warm with a fried egg.
  • Pregnant womenFine when the plantains and cheese are cooked through and the bolones are eaten fresh.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, energy-rich breakfast that travels well in a lunchbox.
  • AthletesGood before training: about 518 calories with 65 g of carbohydrate per serving for lasting energy.
  • Weight gainA good choice — energy-dense, satisfying, and easy to eat a second bolon.
  • Weight lossBest as one bolon with a fried egg and fruit; the fried balls are rich, so keep the portion to one serving.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 65 g of carbohydrate per serving, mostly from the plantains — take one serving with an egg and fruit; ask a clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureSodium is about 710 mg per serving, mostly from the cheese and salt — keep the salt as written and skip extra salty sides; ask a clinician for personal advice.
  • Kidney diseaseCheese adds protein, potassium and phosphorus, which some kidney diets limit — ask a clinician about portion size before eating it regularly.
  • GoutNo purine-rich meat here as written, but the cheese is a rich food — ask a clinician if you have questions about your overall diet.
  • Stomach issuesFried food can bother sensitive stomachs; a smaller serving, well drained, is usually easier — ask a clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseAbout 26 g of fat per serving from frying, butter and cheese — enjoy occasionally and keep to one serving with fruit; ask a clinician about your overall eating pattern.
  • Fatty liverEnergy-dense and fried; keep it an occasional breakfast and favour a single bolon with an egg — ask a clinician for personal guidance.
  • Food allergiesContains milk (cheese, butter). Naturally free of gluten, egg, nuts, fish, soy and shellfish.
  • Special therapeutic dietsVegetarian as written, but not vegan; if you follow a restricted diet, ask a clinician or dietitian before adapting it.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then store in a sealed container.
In the fridge
2 days in the fridge at 4°C (39°F) or below.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month; freeze the shaped, uncooked balls in a single layer.
How to reheat
Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and hot through, about 74°C (165°F).
Freezing recommended
Yes — freeze them shaped and uncooked, then fry from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy surface, or mould — discard them.

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