Crispy, golden, and impossibly satisfying, these paleo tostones are about to become your new favorite side dish. This classic tostones recipe is naturally grain-free, gluten-free, and whole-food approved.
I love serving this with my Puerto Rican Picadillo or my Puerto Rican Meatballs to scoop up the sauce!
Make these Tuna Melt Tostones for a spin on the open faced classic! It's savory and cheesy and super delicious while staying grain free.
🔍 Quick Look: Paleo Tostones
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 1
- 📊 Calories: ~672
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stove-top based
- 👩🍳 Main Ingredient: Green Plantains
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, making it great for busy weeknight dinners
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON:
Jump to:
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- It's only 2 ingredients, making it affordable and simple.
- The possibilities are endless-there's so many ways to use these from sandwich bread to chips for dip!
Ingredients Needed
- Plantains-you must use green plantains here. Yellow plantains are much softer and sweeter and simply will not yield the same results.
- Coconut Oil-this is for frying, as it's a great healthy fat to work with.
Swaps and Variations
- The only swap you could do here is the oil-cook with your favorite cooking oil! While coconut oil is my personal favorite, you can also do beef tallow, avocado oil, or whatever you'd like that's a high smoke point oil.
- Sprinkle with sea salt for a salty and savory ultimate dipper.
- Drizzle hot sauce over the finished tostones for a kick!
How to Make Paleo Tostones
- Step 1: To peel a plantain, chop off the ends then cut a line in the skin (not the flesh) 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.
- Step 2: slice the peeled plantain into 3 or 4 pieces depending on how large the plantain is. Take those chunks and slice them lengthwise.
- Step 3: Place the chunks into a skillet with the coconut oil that's been heated over medium heat. Fry for about 3 minutes.
- Step 4: Flip the chunks over and fry the other side for another 3 minutes. Repeat in batches until all the chunks have been fried.
- Step 5: Place the parchment off center on a plate, and one tostone chunk on top. Then fold over the parchment paper and place a second plate on top. Press down firmly and evenly
- Step 6: Press the second plate down firmly and easily until you get a smashed plantain that looks like this.
- Step 5: After you've smashed the batch of plantains, add them back into the hot frying pan, adding more oil if needed, and fry on both sides until they're a nice golden crispy. This should be about 2-3 minutes per side.
Tostones Recipe FAQ's
Why are my paleo tostones not crispy?
Usually this comes down to oil temperature being too low, slices being cut too thick, or not flattening them enough after the first fry.
How else can I flatten the paleo tostones after the first fry?
The plate method above is easiest, but you can also use the bottom of a wide mason jar, or use a totonera for a tradtional Puerto Rican method.
Can I make Paleo Tostones in advance?
No you should not make these far in advance! Fried food does not reheat well.
Suggested Serving Options
If you tried this Tostones recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Paleo Tostones (Whole30, Vegan)
A delicious and healthy paleo snack! Great for Gluten Free or Whole30 eaters!
Equipment
- Totonera
- Plates
- Parchment Paper
- Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 Plantain Green plantains only
- ¼ cup 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!
Notes
- To get an extra large tostone like ones used for a jibarito (a classic Puerto Rican sandwich), slice the chunks at an angle so they lave more length to them.
- You can buy a totonera on amazon and easily smash the plantains! I still like using parchment paper to keep it clean.
Nutrition
Calories: 672kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 2gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 45gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 872mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 2023IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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!