Sticky Sweet Fried Plantains

5 from 17 votes

Plantains are notorious for bringing a taste of the islands to any meal. These Sticky Sweet Fried Plantains are great as a side dish or dessert!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 262kcal

Add the plantains and brown sugar to a large bowl and gently toss to coat.
3 ripe plantains, 1/4 cup brown sugar
In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the plantains.
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Cook until browned and crisp on the bottoms, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure to watch them closely to prevent burning!
Once browned, flip the plantains and cook an additional 2-4 minutes, again watching closely to prevent burning.
Mix together the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Carefully pour onto the plantains and toss to combine.
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Transfer to a bowl or plate and serve warm.

Techniques & Tips

Be sure to use plantains that are just ripe to very ripe. Avoid using overly ripe, black plantains for this recipe.
Tossing the plantains in the brown sugar, rather than sprinkling it on, will give you more evenly caramelization.
Use real maple syrup and vanilla extract for the best results.
Whisking together the maple syrup and vanilla extract helps ensure an even distribution of flavor.
Keep the heat set to medium. The sugar will heat up as it caramelized, so if you need to work in batches, be prepared for the second batch to brown up much quicker!
Do not place the cooked plantains on a paper towel-lined plate - they will surely stick!

** Nutritional information is given as an estimate and will vary