Tostones are a game changer to your Whole30, and they'll satisfy even the most pretentious paleo eater!
Easy Two Ingredient Whole30 Tostones
Yes you read that right, it only takes 2 ingredients to make these tostones! It's literally only plantains and coconut oil.
You can sprinkle salt or adobo seasoning on it, but I like to dip them in a variety of sauces!
If I'm feeling lazy and just want a snack or side, I love dipping them in Buffalo Hot Sauce.
It's vitally important to be sure you have green plantains. Yellow plantains are a completely different texture, and they just will not work.
They get soft and while they're quite delicious fried on their own, you'll never get a tostone out of yellow plantains.
How to Make Twice Fried Plantains
Tostones are really just twice fried plantain. In a nutshell, you slice them properly then fry, smash, and fry again.
Plantains are in the same family as bananas, but they do not peel as easily. Also you can eat bananas as soon as you peel them, whereas plantains are almost always if not always cooked before eating.
To peel a plantain, the easiest way is to cut a line from top to bottom. Slide a finger up and down the slit to loosen the peel evenly.
Continue to evenly loosen the skin until the entire peel comes off.
To get a good sized tostone, slice the peeled plantain into 3 or 4 pieces depending on how large the plantain is.
Take those 3-4 chunks, and slice them lengthwise. Below you can see both the chunks, and the chunks that are sliced in half lengthwise.
Next it's time to start frying! Working in batches, place the chunks in the frying pan.
After frying a couple minutes on one side, flip them to the other side and fry for the same length of time.
Next you smash them using one of two methods below:
The traditional method is to use a totonera. It's two pieces of wood combined with a hinge. Place the once fried plantain inside them squeeze closed. That's it! If you do this, move on to the next step.
However if you don't have a totonera, the easiest way to smash them is to take two plates and a piece of parchment paper:
Place the parchment off center on one plate, and the once fried tostone on top. Then fold over the parchment paper and place the other plate on top. Press down firmly and evenly and you'll get the same result as a totonera!
After you've smashed the batch of plantains, add them back into the frying pan, frying on both sides until they're a nice golden crispy.
Can you Eat Plantains on the Paleo Diet?
Yes! Plantains are absolutely paleo friendly! Paleo allows for all vegetables and fruits, so no need to worry here.
If you want to make a larger tostone, you can even use them as paleo "sandwhich bread"! Some restaurants are catching on to this and tostones used as buns are become more popular!
Can you have Plantains on Whole30?
Another yes! Plantains are Whole30 compatible. If you stick to this recipe and fry them in coconut oil, no need to worry. Be sure not to use a non-compatible oil, and avoid canola oil if at all possible.
There really is no such thing as a Whole30 plantain chip, but this would be the closest thing. Chips aren't allowed on Whole30
There's also no such thing as keto plantains as plaintains are high in carbs! Plantains are not keto friendly.
Tostones are naturally gluten free since all fruits and veggies are. Whole30 allows for all fruits and veggies on the plan, and plantains are technically a fruit!
The Best Dips for Paleo Tostones
If you're just making these tostones as a snack, sauce it a must! While you can just sprinkle on salt or adobo seasoning for flavor, having something to dip them in is delicious.
I honestly love just putting buffalo sauce on them and eating them as is! So yummy and simple.
Here are some of my favorite Paleo dips:
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Buffalo sauce from The New Primal
- Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
Getting sauce from The New Primal? Use code THECLEANHAPPYLIFE for 15% off your entire purchase!
Tostones Recipe
Paleo Tostones (Whole30, Vegan)
Equipment
- Totonera
- Plates
- Parchment Paper
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- Plantains Green plantains only
- Coconut oil For frying
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Peel the plantain(s).
- Depending on size, cut the plantain into 3 or 4 chunks.
- Slice the chunks lengthwise.
- Place the chunks into the frying pan, and fry 2-3 minutes each side. You do not want them fully cooked.
- Remove them from the pan and smash with either of the methods below.
- Place the smashed plantains back into the frying pan, and fry again on each side until they're a light golden brown.
Smashing Methods
- 1- Take the once fried plantain and place between the boards of a totonera. Squeeze firmly.
- 2-Place the parchment off center on one plate, and the once fried tostone on top. Then fold over the parchment paper and place the other plate on top. Press down firmly and evenly and you'll get the same result!
More Tostones/Plantain Recipes
If you love tostones and plantains, you may also love these recipes that all feature tostones! They're all gluten free and primal!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below! Also, let me know how you ate them! I absolutely love tostones and love how versatile they are.
Feel free to tag me @thecleanhappylife and post a picture on Instagram so I can see!
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Janie | Naughty Kitchen says
Love making these and using coconul oil. I top it off with maple syrup. Its a great snack!
Rachel Rivera says
Oh yum! I've only ever used my tostones for savory snacks, that sounds like a delicious idea!
Aimee DiPasquale says
My plantain knowledge is very limited. I do know that there is a sweet plantain that taste like a banana and a starchy one that taste like a potato. Is that the difference between the green and the yellow ones you talked about?
Rachel Rivera says
Yes exactly! They start green, which are the savory ones you need for this recipe. As they ripen they turn yellow and taste more like a banana, and the texture changes also. Same fruit, just different levels of ripeness allows for a variety of uses!