Plantain Balls Recipe

This recipe transforms ordinary plantains into fun, healthy, and delicious Fried Plantain Balls! This deep-fried dish can be a great side dish or snack for any occasion. It’s also diet-friendly for every plantain lover!

plantain balls recipe

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You won’t be able to get enough of this dish. It’s sweet, light, and ultimately delicious!

How to Make Plantain Balls

What’s better than dining with your family over good food? Making Fried Plantain Balls together!

Ingredients

Plantains

Plantains are starchy, sweet, and useful fruits that are best consumed cooked. You can roast, bake, steam, puree, deep fry, and even grill them to taste their flavor and texture.

This recipe uses ripe plantains because of their sweet flavor and soft quality. You can also cook these into porridge, fufu, baby puree, or chips!

Use plantains with black spots because these are likely to be sweet and flavorful. Add these to your diet to help with weight loss, immunity, and energy. 

Oil

Use oil with a high smoke point for better flavor and texture. It also makes the Fried Plantain Balls healthier!

Can you believe that these are all you need for this dish? It’s simple yet fun, tasty, and healthy!

ripe plantains

Directions

Put on your aprons and have the best time making these Fried Plantain Balls. 

  1. Use a knife to cut off the ends and ridges of the plantains to peel.
  2. Place them on a tray and cook them on the grill or oven
  3. Set the griller or oven to 200°C and cook for 15 minutes on each side or until soft.
  4. Then, cut these into smaller pieces with a knife
  5. Transfer them to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  6. Mold them into balls with your hands. 
  7. Cook the plantain balls in a deep frying pan with cooking oil over medium heat.
  8. Use a slotted turner to toss them into the oil to fry until golden brown.
  9. Then, transfer them onto a lined plate, allow them to cool, and serve! 

Which part of the cooking process did your kids love best? I bet they loved molding the plantains into balls! Bite into that fruity, deep-fried goodness. It doesn’t get tastier than this!

Tips

Make this dish a new family favorite by checking out these hacks. 

Plantains

Selection
  • Purchase ripe plantains with yellow, brown, and black colors.
  • The riper they are, the sweeter they will be.
  • These should also be firm yet slightly tender to the touch.
  • You can also buy unripe plantains to ripen over time.
Storage
  • Unripe plantains can be stored at room temperature until they ripen.
  • Once ripe, you can transfer them to the fridge to extend their shelf life.
  • Alternatively, peel, slice, and freeze them for up to three months. 

Without a griller or oven

Instead of grilling or baking the plantains to soften them, you can do this:

  • Steam them in a steaming basket over boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender.
  • Moreover, you can air fry the plantains at 190°C for 6 minutes.

Without a blender or food processor

Aside from using a blender or food processor, mash the cooked plantains with a fork, masher, mortar and pestle, or rolling pin and resealable bag. You can also try other tools to achieve the same results. 

Fried Plantain Balls Variations

Make your fried plantain balls tastier with the best spices. You can season the mashed plantains with salt, sugar, paprika, cinnamon, chili flakes, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and other condiments. Moreover, you can put filling inside, such as cheese, or beef, for a surprise!

Furthermore, make the experience more enjoyable for the kids by helping them mold the mashed plantains into different shapes and sizes! 

  • Blender or food processor: Puree the cooked plantains using a blender or food processor.
  • Oven: Pre-cook the fruits in an oven or griller
  • Deep frying pan: Deep fry the plantain balls in hot oil.
  • Knife: Peel and chop the ingredients with a knife. 
  • Slotted turner: Toss the balls in the oil using a slotted turner. 

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How to Serve Fried Plantain Balls

These Plantain Balls can be served alone or with dips and sauces of your choice. These can also make excellent appetizers or snacks for weekends or occasions. Additionally, you can cut them into halves and spread peanut butter or other condiments. 

Enjoy it with drinks such as:

Storage Tips

Quick Tip!

In the fridge: Transfer the balls into an airtight container to refrigerate for about four days. 

To freeze: Seal the plantain balls in freezer bags to freeze for several weeks. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you boil plantains before frying?

You don’t need to boil the plantains before frying. In fact, boiling can make it hard to mold the plantain into balls. Instead, bake or air fry them for the best flavor.

Is frying plantain healthy?

Make healthy fried plantains using oil suggested for deep frying, like sunflower oil and canola oil. You can also air fry the plantains for oil-free plantains.

Can you season the plantain balls with spices?

Yes, you can season the mashed plantains with your preferred condiments. I recommend using salt, or cinnamon for an enriched flavor. 

Should you grill or bake the plantains before blending?

Soften the fruits by grilling, baking, or steaming them for easy blending. It also makes the batter easier to mold. 

plantain balls

Sweet Plantain Balls

5 from 1 vote
Make the most out of delicious ripe plantains by making these Fried Plantain Balls!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Course Snack
Cuisine African
Calories 218kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

Prepare the plantains.

  • Rinse the plantains over running water. Peel them cutting off the ends and slicing along the ridges to detach the skin easily.
  • Place them on a tray and cook them on the grill or oven.
  • Set the griller or oven to 200°C and cook for 15 minutes on each side or until cooked.
  • Cut these into smaller pieces.

Make the plantain balls.

  • Transfer them to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Mold them into balls with your hands.

Deep fry.

  • Cook the plantain balls in cooking oil over medium heat.
  • Toss them into the oil to fry until golden brown.
  • Transfer them onto a lined plate.
  • Allow them to cool, and serve with your favorite dip!

Video

Notes

  • Pre-cook the plantains by baking, grilling, or steaming.
  • Puree with a blender or masher a fork.
  • You can season it with your favorite spices for additional flavor. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 4)Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 872mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 2023IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Keyword easy fried plantain balls, easy plantain balls, fried plantain balls, healthy fried plantain balls, homemade fried plantain balls, plantain balls, plantain balls recipe, puerto rican plantain balls, quick fried plantain balls, roasted plantain balls, sweet plantain balls, vegan fried plantain balls

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