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Overview

Tostones

Tostones de platano verde, Fried green plantains

This tostones recipe fries green plantain twice — first until soft, then smashed flat and fried again until golden and crisp — for the salty, crunchy snack that sits on almost every Cuban table. One serving is about 185 g (6–8 tostones).

Tostones are the twice-fried green plantain of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and the name comes from tostar, to toast — the second fry is what makes them golden and crisp. Green plantains are starchy, not sweet, so they fry up savoury and crunchy where a ripe plantain would turn soft and caramelised. In Cuba they are an everyday side, piled next to roast pork, black beans and rice, and eaten hot with garlic mojo for dipping.

Pairs well with: Mojo garlic sauce, black beans and roast pork

Provenance

Cuba flag Cuba

Cuban Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

30m

10m prep • 20m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

332 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 185 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Twice-Fried)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Occasions: Afternoon snack, party food, side dish, game day, family gatherings Cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home
Tags: Vegetables Savory Vegan Gluten-free Fried
A pile of golden twice-fried tostones on a white plate with a green rim

Cuban Classic

Photo: Arnold Gatilao from Fremont, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)

True tostones are green plantain, fried until soft, smashed flat and fried a second time until golden and crisp — never made from ripe plantain.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 30m
P

Peel the plantains and heat the oil

10 minutes

Peel the green plantains and cut them into rounds about 2.5 cm thick. Pour the oil into a wide, heavy pan to a depth of about 2 cm and heat it over medium-high heat until a test piece sizzles at once. Have a flat-bottomed glass or a tostonera and a plate lined with paper towels ready.

Maestro Tip: Green plantain skin does not peel like a banana — score it lengthways first and it will come off in strips.

  1. 1

    Peel and cut the plantains

    5 minutes Room temperature (20°C / 68°F)

    Cut off both ends of each plantain, score the skin lengthways in 2–3 places, and peel it off in strips. Cut the flesh into rounds about 2.5 cm thick and pat them dry.

    Dry rounds spatter less in hot oil and brown more evenly.

    Done when: Rounds are even, about 2.5 cm thick, with dry surfaces.

  2. 2

    First fry until tender

    8 minutes Medium-high heat (175°C / 350°F)

    Slide the rounds into the hot oil in a single layer, without crowding the pan. Fry for about 3–4 minutes per side until they are pale gold and a knife slides in easily. Lift them out and drain on paper towels for a minute.

    Do not brown them yet — the first fry is only about cooking them through.

    Done when: Plantain rounds are pale gold and tender right through when pierced.

  3. 3

    Smash the rounds flat

    5 minutes Room temperature (20°C / 68°F)

    While still hot, place each round on a board and press it flat with the bottom of a glass or a tostonera, to about 5 mm thick. Work gently so the round flattens into a disc instead of breaking apart.

    Smash while hot — cold rounds crack instead of flattening.

    Done when: Each round is a flat disc about 5 mm thick, holding together at the edges.

  4. 4

    Second fry until crisp and golden

    6 minutes Medium-high heat (190°C / 375°F)

    Return the flattened discs to the hot oil and fry for about 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden, crisp and blistered at the edges. Lift out and drain on fresh paper towels.

    The hotter second fry is what makes them crisp — the oil should be actively bubbling around each disc.

    Done when: Tostones are deep gold, rigid when lifted, and crackle as they cool.

  5. 5

    Salt and serve hot

    2 minutes Room temperature (20°C / 68°F)

    Shower the hot tostones with the fine salt while the oil is still glistening, so it sticks. Serve at once with lime wedges on the side.

    Salt them the moment they leave the oil — salt will not stick once they cool and dry.

    Done when: Tostones are salty, crisp and still hot in the middle; the first bite shatters.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Pile the tostones high on a plate, shower with flaky salt, and serve immediately while they are still crackling — with lime wedges and garlic mojo on the side for dipping.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

332

kcal / serving

Protein

3g

Complete AA

Carbs

64g

Complex

Fats

11g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 185 g)
Energy332 kcal
Protein3 g
Carbohydrates64 g
Fat11 g
Fibre4.6 g
Sugar30.0 g
Sodium299 mg
Per 100g
Energy180 kcal
Protein1.4 g
Carbohydrates34.5 g
Fat5.8 g
Fibre2.5 g
Sugar16.2 g
Sodium161 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: Potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6 from the green plantain, with magnesium and folate. All nutrition values are estimated.

Fibre from green plantain

About 4.6 g of fibre per serving from the green plantain, including resistant starch that feeds gut bacteria — a snack that is genuinely filling.

Potassium and steady energy

Green plantain is rich in potassium and slow starch, giving about 63.8 g of carbohydrates per serving for steady energy without added sugar.

Naturally gluten-free and vegan

Just plantain, oil and salt — no wheat, egg, milk or meat — so the snack suits gluten-free and plant-based tables without any substitution.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Sauces

Garlic mojo

Garlic, lime juice and olive oil make mojo, the classic Cuban dip — its sharp acidity cuts through the frying oil and makes the crisp tostones taste brighter.

Sides

Black beans and rice

Tostones are the crunchy counterpoint to soft black beans and rice — the salt and crispness balance the creamy, earthy beans on the same plate.

Cuban roast pork

Roast pork (lechon) with its garlic and citrus marinade is the classic partner — the tostones scoop up the pork juices and add crunch to every bite.

Drinks

Cold beer or guarapo

A cold lager or fresh sugarcane juice cools the palate after salty fried food and keeps the snack feeling light.

Complete menu

Serve the tostones as a side with Cuban roast pork, black beans and rice, and a garlic mojo sauce for dipping — the classic Cuban plate.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Ripe yellow plantains

Ripe plantains are sweet and soft — they fry up caramelised and floppy, and they cannot be smashed and crisped the way green plantains can. Save ripe plantains for maduros and use firm green ones here.

Letting them sit

Tostones lose their shatter within minutes as steam softens them. Fry the second batch while the first is being eaten, and serve each batch the moment it leaves the oil.

Very dark reused oil

Oil that has been used many times tastes bitter and smokes at a lower temperature, which makes the tostones greasy instead of crisp. Use fresh oil, or oil used once for frying vegetables. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

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

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsOne serving of about 8 tostones at 332 kcal makes a satisfying snack or a side dish. Enjoy them hot and balance the plate with beans or salad.
  • ChildrenChildren love the salty crunch and the dipping sauce. Cut the tostones into halves for small hands and let them cool for a minute so the centres are not too hot.
  • ElderlySoft enough to eat once the crisp edge is bitten off, and easy to chew. Serve a small portion with soft black beans and skip the extra salt for older adults.
  • Pregnant womenMade from plantain, oil and salt only, with no egg or raw ingredients — a safe snack in pregnancy. Keep the portion moderate and drink water with it.
  • Breastfeeding womenA starchy, energy-rich snack that works well between meals. Pair with black beans for protein and keep the oil fresh.
  • AthletesAbout 63.8 g of carbohydrates per serving gives quick energy after training, but the frying oil adds fat without much protein — pair with beans or pork for a fuller recovery meal.
  • Weight gainAt 332 kcal per serving with filling resistant starch, tostones are an easy way to add energy. Add a second serving with beans if you need more.
  • Weight lossAt 332 kcal and 63.8 g of carbohydrates per serving, one serving with a big salad or beans is the lighter choice — easy to overeat when they are served by the pile.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 63.8 g of carbohydrates per serving, mostly starch from the plantain, so portion size matters and blood sugar should be monitored. One serving with beans and salad is the lighter plate; ask your clinician or dietitian for a portion that fits your plan.
  • High blood pressureAbout 299 mg of sodium per serving from the added salt. Keep the salt light and skip other salty sides; ask your clinician about your own sodium limits.
  • Kidney diseaseGreen plantain is high in potassium, so people with kidney disease should keep portions small and ask their clinician before eating this snack regularly.
  • GoutPlantain is low in purines, so tostones are not a gout trigger on their own — the risk comes from rich meat pairings like pork, so keep those portions modest; ask your clinician for guidance.
  • Stomach issuesFried food can sit heavily for sensitive stomachs. Eat slowly, keep the portion small, and choose freshly fried tostones over ones that have gone cold and greasy; ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe frying oil adds fat, though plantain itself is low in saturated fat. A small portion with beans and salad, rather than a pile on its own, is the lighter way to enjoy them; ask your clinician about what fits your heart-health plan.
  • Fatty liverFried in oil, so the fat adds up quickly if you eat a large pile. One serving with vegetables is the moderate choice; ask your clinician for a portion that fits your plan.
  • Food allergiesContains no egg, milk, wheat, nuts or seafood. If the oil has been reused to fry other foods, check for cross-contact with allergens.
  • Special therapeutic dietsA plain, low-sodium snack as written fits many therapeutic diets, but the frying oil and starch mean it does not fit low-fat or very-low-carbohydrate plans. Ask your clinician or dietitian before including it in a therapeutic meal plan.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Tostones are best eaten at once. If you must store them, cool completely and keep in an airtight container lined with paper towels.
In the fridge
1 day in the refrigerator, layered with paper towels; they will soften.
In the freezer
Freeze the once-fried, smashed discs (before the second fry) for up to 1 month; fry straight from frozen for the second fry.
How to reheat
Re-crisp in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes, or fry again briefly at 190°C (375°F) until hot and crisp.
Freezing recommended
Yes for the once-fried smashed discs, up to 1 month — the best way to prep ahead.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, sliminess or mould means they should be thrown away.

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