• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Nashi Food!
  • Recipes
  • Panamanian Recipes
  • About
  • Español
  • Newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Panamanian Recipes
  • About
  • Español
  • Newsletter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Panamanian Recipes
    • About
    • Español
    • Newsletter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Caramelized Plantains: sweet and easy comfort food

    Published: Apr 16, 2020 by Nadja Belgrave · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    caramelized plantains pin

    Try these delicious caramelized plantains, made with simple ingredients, ready in 15 minutes. 

    plantains served in a round plate

    Do you have a couple of ripe plantains in your pantry, and you’re not sure what to do with them? 

    Let me guide you to a wonderful comfort food recipe we make in Panama.

    Caramelized sweet plantains are a staple for special events and holidays or even your everyday meal.

    This sweet side dish will have the whole family was asking for more after they finished their first bite. By the end of the meal, they ask if they could have some to take home.

    What ingredients do we need to make this recipe?

    For this recipe, we’re looking for ripe plantains. These must be yellow with a lot of black spots. They should be soft but not mushy—the more black spots they have, the better (like the ones in the photo. We want them to be sweet.

    To cook these sweet plantains, you will need the following ingredients:

    • Ripe plantain
    • Ghee or butter
    • Brown sugar
    • cinnamon
    • Apple sauce
    caramelized plantain ingredients

    As for utensils, you will need a chopping board and knife, and a frying pan.

    Tip: I prefer using ghee because it has a higher smoking point, so it won’t burn fast as regular butter would. In case you don’t have ghee, you can use half butter and half oil, so it prevents the butter from burning.

    Butter gives it a rich and decadent flavor to this side dish.

    Sugar will help the caramelization process.

    The traditional recipe only uses butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Other variations have cloves, but I’m not a fan, so I left it out.

    How to make caramelized plantains? Step by step

    To prep the plantains, you would need to cut both ends and score lengthwise the plantain to remove the peel (photo 1). It is easy when they are ripe, and you can peel it off with your fingers as you do with bananas.

    I usually prefer to cut them in 4 or 5 pieces depending on how long your plantain is. (photo 2)

    Other people prefer to cut it in half lengthwise and then cut them in 4, that is another option too.

    You can even cut them smaller, like coins; this will reduce the cooking time by half.

    Now that you have prep the ingredients, let’s get cooking!

    plantain prep on a cutting board

    Let’s get ready for cooking.

    Step 1: Heat the frying pan on medium heat. Add the ghee or butter and the plantains. Fry them up, so they brown on all sides. (3 min) 

    Step 2- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple sauce. Keep mixing until you coat all the plantains with the sauce. (5 minutes) Your kitchen will swell heavenly with the mixture of ghee, sugar, and cinnamon smells heavenly. (Photo 3)

    Tip: Keep your eyes on the stove, since the sauce will create a caramel consistency, it can burn easily and quickly.

    plantain cooking in a frying pan

    Step 3- Add a little water and cover for a few minutes or until the sticky apple caramel sauce has thickened. Approx (3 minutes) (Photo 4 and 5)

    Step 4- Serve and enjoy! Warm is always the best way to eat it.

    Caramelized Plantains

    finished plantains in the frying pan
    Print Recipe
    5 from 13 votes
    Try these delicious caramelized plantains, made with simple ingredients, ready in 15 minutes.
    Prep Time3 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Panamanian
    Servings: 5 pieces
    Calories: 79kcal
    Author: Nadja Belgrave
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 Ripe plantain (yellow)
    • 1/2 tbsp Ghee or butter
    • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 2 tbsp Apple sauce

    Utensils

    • a chopping board
    • Paring knife
    • Frying Pan

    Instructions

    Prep

    • Peel the plantain by cutting both ends and score lengthwise. Then remove the peel with your fingers. It would be as peeling a banana.
    • Cut the plantain in 4 or 5 pieces. Approximately 2.5" each piece.

    Cooking

    • Heat the frying pan on medium heat. Add the ghee or butter and the plantains. Fry them up, so they brown on all sides. (Approx 3 minutes)
    • Next, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple sauce. Keep mixing until you coat all the plantains with the sauce.
    • Add a little water and cover for a few minutes or until the sticky apple caramel sauce has thickened. (Approx 3 minutes)
    • Serve and Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Want it less sweet, reduce by half the brown sugar.
    • Don’t  have ghee, add some butter and a mild flavor oil to fry the plantains in. We will add the oil so that the butter doesn’t burn.
    • Don’t have apple sauce, you can just leave it out. The traditional recipe is just butter, cinnamon and sugar. I added the apple sauce to give it a flavor twist.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Caramelized Plantains
    Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
    Calories 79 Calories from Fat 14
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1.6g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Cholesterol 3.8mg1%
    Sodium 3.1mg0%
    Carbohydrates 17.3g6%
    Fiber 1.1g5%
    Sugar 10.6g12%
    Protein 0.5g1%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Share it on Instagram mention @nashifood or tag it #nashifood!

    Can you double the recipe?

    You can double the recipe by adding ½ TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP of brown sugar for each new plantain. 

    Flavor Variations

    • Make it fancy, put them in a small baking dish and top with marshmallows. You can use the big ones or small ones. Broil for 3 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown. These turn out so good—perfect side dish for a holiday.
    • You can change the apple sauce for any jam you have on hand. The apricot one gives it a great taste too. You could even use strawberry jam. Depending on how sweet your jam is, you can reduce the amount of sugar by half.
    • Traditionally in Panama, we use red-colored soda to give it a reddish color.
    • Want it less sweet, reduce by half the brown sugar.

    Serving suggestions for caramelized plantains

    We usually serve these plantains with our meal, arroz con pollo, rice with beans, rice with pigeon peas and meat or chicken. It is part of the Panamanian side dish, perfect for lunch or dinner.

    How to store leftovers? If you have any!

    You can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To heat it, you need to add a little water, so the glaze loosens up. Cook on low heat on the stove for a couple of minutes, and it should be ready to be enjoyed.

    I hope you give this a try and let us know in the comments if you like it as much as my family did.

    We love seeing what they are preparing in your kitchens.

    Comparte tu amor por la comida!

    « How to make Maple dijon pork chops 3 ways
    Instant Pot Stuffed Turkey Breast with Chorizo »
    192 shares

    You may also Like

    eye of round steak served on a plate with rice and broccoli

    Eye of round steak in peppercorn sauce (Instant Pot)

    How to cold brew tea | nashifood.com

    How to Cold Brew Tea using tea bags, perfect for Iced Tea

    a pot with cod and potatoes decorated with culantro

    Panamanian salted cod stew with potatoes

    two glasses of sorrel drink

    Sorrel Drink Recipe (Chicha de Saril)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anita

      April 16, 2020 at 6:33 pm

      This caramelized plantains is such an easy dessert to prepare. We have a very similar food in Indonesia, so I am super familiar with how this taste. Now I want to get some plantains so I can make this childhood favorite dessert.

      Reply
    2. Tawnie Kroll

      April 16, 2020 at 7:12 pm

      I didn’t have applesauce so I used the butter, cinnamon and sugar and it was so delicious – thank you!

      Reply
    3. Biana

      April 16, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      I love plantains, and this looks like such a yummy way to prepare them. Caramelized plantains sound like such a delicious dessert to make.

      Reply
    4. Kacey Perez

      April 16, 2020 at 11:03 pm

      I can’t believe how incredibly easy this dessert is to make! I am looking forward to making it for my two young daughters!

      Reply
    5. Sara Welch

      April 16, 2020 at 11:46 pm

      I think plantains will always be my favorite comfort food, and this recipe is no exception; hands down delicious!

      Reply
    6. Scarlet

      April 17, 2020 at 10:23 am

      I just love getting these out at but I have never tried making them myself. Thanks for the caramelized plantains recipe. I can’t wait to try a bit of Caribbean flavor at home.

      Reply
    7. Lori

      April 17, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Have always wanted to try these and you make this look so easy! I know my kids will love trying plantains this way!

      Reply
    8. Jamie

      April 17, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      These caramelized plantains look incredible! I cannot wait to make them!

      Reply
    9. Kathleen Higashiyama

      April 17, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      Plantains are so delicious and flavorful! These are definitely on my dinner rotation list.

      Reply
    10. Ana

      April 22, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      These plantains look and sound so good – definitely need to add on my to do list to make.

      Reply
    11. BirdsBooksBrownies

      June 15, 2020 at 9:05 pm

      I made a Plantains Foster using some homemade applesauce (idea courtesy of this recipe which I plan on trying out in the future) and it was really rich and tasty.

      Reply
    12. Kristofer Helmig

      July 05, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      Up up up, good

      Reply
    13. Stacey

      April 16, 2022 at 7:53 am

      I usually buy plantains from a restaurant nearby which has recently closed. I will be making my own from now on. This recipe came out perfectly. I love having them for breakfast with my coffee as well as paired with chicken for dinner.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • EspañolEspañol
    headshot of nadja with glasses

    Hola, I'm Nadja! I'm the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind Nashi Food. I share Panamanian & Latin recipes made EASY, so you can fit them into your busy schedule ~ even when it's just 2 people! I will make sure that You can still enjoy the Latin food you love and connect with.

    More about me →

    As Seen On

    Get your Free Mini Cookbook 👇🏽

    cookbook banner

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • youtube

    Popular Posts

    • Eye of round steak in peppercorn sauce (Instant Pot)
    • Easy Panamanian Chicheme Recipe
    • How to cook beef tongue? Simple and Easy
    • Plantain Lasagna: A Sweet and Savory Twist

    Valentine's Day

    • 35+ Easy Dessert Recipes for Valentine’s Day
    • Extra Fudgy Oat Flour Brownies
    • Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes
    • Banana Oat Bread

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    About

    About

    Contact

    Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    Sign up for a free ebook and recipes!

    Browse

    Recipe Index

    Favorites

    Panamanian Foods

    Instant Pot

    Web Stories

    Nashi Food is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I appreciate your support!

    Copyright © 2016-2023 Nashi Food

    • 168
    192 shares