Can we make tostones without frying? We sure do! These crispy, easy-to-make tostones are made with the air fryer, or an oven if that's what you have.
Why we ❤️ it
Here I go again! Yes, I love our traditional food but I love trying to adapt our recipes to our readers' needs almost as much. And this is a recipe I keep getting asked for. And it goes great with our air fryer chicharrones if you want the whole meal air fried.
Why air fryer tostones?
I guess I could ask you guys who keep writing to me about it 🙂 , but I'm going to give my best guesses:
- Some people hate frying cause it's messy.
- Some people don't want to eat fried food for health reasons.
- Some people want to use that fancy gadget they bought.
Which one is your reason?
Another advantage of these over traditional twice-fried tostones is that they stay crispy for much longer.
You know how definitely un-nice hour-old tostones are? Not with these. Even after they cooled down they remained crispy for over an hour (possibly longer, but they didn't stay uneaten longer for extra testing).
And here's another one
Freezing tostones
If you have too many plantains and you'd like to keep some for later use, you can definitely freeze them half-way, and finish cooking them some other day. We have added instructions in the recipe notes.
Making tostones in the oven
OK, so you don't have any of these modern fancy gadgets. Don't worry, I read those emails too, and I promised I'll always give an option for that. So yes, this works in the oven. Actually, I tested it in my toaster oven too.
Recipe
[Recipe + Video] Oven and Air Fryer Tostones
Ingredients
- 2 plantain (green, unripe)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoons salt, (or more, to taste)
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder, (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the plantains: Cut the unpeeled plantain into a little under ½ inch [1 cm] thick slices (about 8 slices per plantain).This step is if you are going to boil them, if you are going to microwave them, do not cut or peel them.
- Precook the plantains (boiled): Place the plantain into a pot and cover with water (plus about an extra inch over it). Boil over medium-high heat for about 20-25 minutes, starting counting from the time it breaks the boil. The plantain slices should be cooked completely, but still firm, if they are even a little raw in the center they will break when crushed. Carefully peel and crush one, if it flattens but not breaks, it's cooked (it will be soft and flexible, that's fine). Once cooked through, remove from the water and pat with a paper towel to whisk away excess moisture. Peel the slices using a tong to avoid burning yourself. Proceed to step 4.
- Precook the plantains (microwave): Place the plantain, unpeeled, in the microwave, and cook for 3.5-5 minutes (try with 3 ½ minutes, check for doneness and cook more if needed). The peel will break, and you can remove it with tongs to avoid burning yourself. Cut into a little under ½. Proceed to step 4.
- Flatten: If you have a tostonera (Amazon affiliate link) flatten the slices between two pieces of parchment or wax paper, so the plantain doesn't stick to the tostonera (you may grease the paper with a bit of oil for extra precaution). If you don't have a tostonera, flatten using the bottom of a glass jar, putting the plantain slices between two pieces of paper as described above. In either case, it's best if the slices are very thin (around 3 mm [⅛ "]).
- Season: Brush the flattened slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.
- How to cook tostones in air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400 ºF [200ºC]. Place the slices of plantain in the air fryer bowl, making sure they are not piled up and return bowl to the air fryer. Cook for 15 minutes or until they turn a light golden color and are crispy around the edges.
- How to cook tostones in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 ºF [200 ºC]. Place the slices of plantain on a wire rack, making sure they are not piled. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they turn a light golden color and are crispy around the edges.
Video
Tips and Notes
Why this may not work sometimes, and how to avoid failure.
I have made this recipe many times, without a problem, so I was shocked when I got a couple of comments from people for whom it did not. I could not duplicate the problem until I accidentally used a plantain that had been in the fridge for a few days. Please use green, fresh plantains. If you're not sure of their quality or freshness try the microwaving option because it worked better on those.Options
As you can see, you have the option of pre-cooking the bananas either boiled or in the microwave. I prefer the microwave because of the speed of preparation, and I have more consistent results. To "fry" you have the option of using the air fryer or the oven. All these options are described in the recipe.Why not use fresh garlic?
Garlic tends to become bitter when cooked over very high temperatures. I did not like the result of using fresh, crushed garlic.Freezing tostones for later use
Once parboiled and flattened, you can absolutely freeze these. Wrap them tightly in waxed or parchment paper (we're trying to reduce our plastic use), then put them in an air-tight container. You can freeze them for a couple of weeks. When it's time to "air frying" them, thaw them and continue at the same point in the recipe after flattening them.Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
