These easy Fried Plantains are a delicious side dish to pair with your burrito bowl or tacos. While plantains are good on their own, the addition of a little cinnamon and sea salt goes a long way and takes them to the next level. If you’re looking for another great real food source of carbohydrates, besides potatoes, plantains are a great option!

If there is one food that I want you to try, it is plantains. You may hate them (you won’t!), you’ll probably love, but most importantly, you’ll have tried them at that’s important.

When it comes to healthy eating, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut of eating the same foods over and over again. You may already be feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea of cooking a healthy meal each night, and the last thing you want to think about is trying something new in the kitchen.

While it can be helpful to stick to what you know when it comes to food (repetition keeps things simple!), sometimes it can be good to step outside the box a little! Just adding in a few new fruits, veggies, or spices here and there can go a long way in making you feel more excited about your meals.

If you’re craving some variety in your meals, might I suggest you trying plantains if you haven’t already? When it comes to a diet that is based on eating real whole foods, it can sometimes feel like you’re limited when it comes to healthy unprocessed carbohydrate sources. These fried plantains with cinnamon and sea salt are a great starchy carb option and a fun addition to your meals.

Plantains are in the banana family and they are delicious. Once you figure out how to peel them (watch this video for an easy method), you’ll want to make them all of the time.

This recipe uses sweet plantains, which are the ripe yellow plantains with plenty of brown spots. If you’re a lover of sweet and salty, then the sweet yellow plantains are your new best friend. Once the plantains are golden brown and delicious, you’ll sprinkle them with cinnamon and sea salt which instantly makes them taste like such a treat.

Go ahead and add these little rounds of goodness to the menu the next time you make tacos or burrito bowls and try something new!

Fried Plantains with Cinnamon and Sea Salt

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
2 medium yellow/brown plantains
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Method:

Peel the plantains and then slice them roughly in 1/4-inch thick rounds.
Heat a skillet (my favorite is a cast iron pan) over medium-low heat. When your pan is hot, add 1 tbsp of the coconut oil or ghee. Swirl the oil around the skillet until it is well coated.
Next, add around half of your sliced plantains to the skillet, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook the plantains for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown. Once the plantains are done cooking remove them from the pan and drain them on paper towels. While they are still warm, sprinkle the plantains with a little cinnamon and sea salt.
Repeat the process as necessary until all of the plantains are cooked. Enjoy!