How to Peel Green Plantains

Green plantains may look like bananas, but there’s a special way to peel green plantains easily. Follow along with this guide to enjoy these healthy, delicious, and versatile fruits in dishes, drinks, and pastries.

Green plantain is a well-known and extremely versatile fruit. Therefore, It is used in making different types of staple food and delicious snacks. They are easily digestible and consumed in most countries.

Additionally, this healthy fruit is used in making fries, chips, porridge, pottage, flour, fufu, puree, tostones, and more.

Since they are best consumed cooked, it’s important to know how to peel them properly. 

So, this blog will solve a few problems: it saves you some money, allows you to continue to eat fresh and evergreen (not yellow/black/brown) plantains, prevents green plantains from turning yellow/brown/black (going bad), keeps unripe green (and uncooked) plantain fresh forever.

How to Peel Green Plantains

They may look like bananas, but green plantains are prepared differently. Let’s learn how to peel green plantains!

Health Benefits of Green Plantains

Improves digestion

Green plantains are rich in fiber which makes them great for improving digestion. Moreover, these can help prevent gut problems for proper absorption of nutrients.

Boosts immunity

Help your body fight against diseases by adding these fruits to your diet. They’re loaded with vitamins to restore your organs’ functions to the best capacity.

Enhance brain function

Stay sharp and alert with these green plantains for your snack time. It improves focus, memory, and comprehension. These fruits are especially great snacks for study sessions or busy work days.

Feel happier

Can you believe that green plantains may help you feel happy? They’re known to reduce stress levels, fight depression, and improve mental health. So, give them a try and find out!

Strengthen your bones

Increase your stamina and physical activity by strengthening your bones with plantains. In fact, these can also improve your teeth and nails in the long run. Additionally, you can fight against bone problems with these plantains.

Good for your heart

Improve your heart function by regularly eating these green plantains. These can also help fight against cardiovascular diseases and regulate blood pressure.

Green Plantains

Plantains vary in color depending on their maturity or ripeness, and green plantains are unripe ones. Unlike bananas, plantains are best cooked to release their sweet and savory flavor. They’re also cheap ingredients that can be cooked unripe or ripened for other recipes. 

Green plantains are starchy and tend to be bland, so you must find the right seasoning and recipe to bring out their best quality. Regarding nutritional value, these plantains are great for weight loss, digestion, and heart health. 

If you find them difficult to peel, it is because you naturally won’t be able to peel them like a banana. Luckily, I have a guide specially made to teach you how to peel green plantains! 

Directions

After learning how to peel green plantains, you’re one step closer to cooking them. 

1. Place the green plantain on a chopping board.
2. Cut off both ends of the green plantains using a knife. 
3. Then, make a shallow cut from end to end on the ridges of the plantain. 
4. Use the knife to lift the skin to give you a grip on the peel.
5. Remove the skin until you have peeled the green plantain.

Tada! You have a perfectly peeled green plantain that you can use for many recipes. At this point, they will also be easier to chop into different shapes and sizes. This nifty hack can instantly help you make your meals tastier and healthier! 

Tips

Buying green plantains

• Select plantains that are green and firm to the touch.
• They don’t have to have a sweet fragrance but ensure that they do not have a foul or rancid odor.
• The plantains should also be without rotten spots or holes. 

Storing green plantains

• Green plantains can be left at room temperature for days or even weeks.
• Keep them away from direct sunlight to slow down the ripening process.
• You can also refrigerate them to extend their shelf life.
• Freeze the green plantains for a few weeks or months.

Recommended Tools

• Knife: Peel the plantain using a knife.
• Chopping board: Prepare the fruit on a clean chopping board. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn commission income from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.

Visit my shop for more products.

How to Use Green Plantains

Green plantains may be unripe, but you can still bring out the best in these fruits by cooking any of these recipes:

• Green Plantain Porridge
• Plantain Fufu
• Plantain French Fries
• Chips
• Fried Green Plantains

You can deep fry, bake, steam, or cook it using different methods. Mix it with other ingredients to make a sumptuous meal to enjoy!

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Use peeled green plantains within a few hours. Store unpeeled plantains at room temperature for several days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you peel plantains before cooking? 

Yes, you need to peel the green plantains before. It removes any bitter taste affecting the dish you plan on cooking.

Are green plantains hard to peel? 

Green plantains may be tough to peel because they are still unripe. They are naturally firm, so you will need a bit of effort to peel them. 

How do you peel plantains easily?

Chop off the ends of the fruit and make a shallow vertical cut from end to end on the ridges. From there, pull off the skin slowly and easily. 

Can you peel a plantain like a banana?

No, you cannot peel plantains like bananas. Plantains are firmer compared to bananas, hence, they are peeled differently. In fact, green or unripe plantains are harder to peel than ripe plantains.

Why do you soak plantains in salt water?

Soaking plantains in salt water is not always necessary. I especially suggest doing this for frying plantains to lessen the starchiness of the fruit.