Plantain Fritters

I know with the Christmas holiday coming up, you might be looking for a delicious vegan, gluten-free appetizer that the entire family will enjoy.

This plantain fritter recipe is your answer, the plantain fritters are colorful and incredibly tasty. Serve them alone or with your favorite dipping sauce, or with Jamaican Jerk Sauce, Vegan Sour Cream, Vegan BBQ Sauce. 

Jamaican Plantain Fritters Recipe

I love to make fritters and have been making Jamaican Banana Fritters since childhood. Since then, I have also made Broccoli Fritters, Black-Eye Pea Fritters, Jamaican Callaloo Fritters to name a few. 

Traditionally,  plantain fritters are made using ripe plantains with flour, sugar, spices, and vanilla flavoring but today, I’m sharing a savory version. If you want the sweet version just replace the bananas in my Banana Fritters recipe with ripe plantain. 

Why I Love This Recipe?

1. It is very easy to prepare, you get to make amazing appetizers with 1 green plantain. You grate add the chopped veggies, flour, baking powder, salt, water mix, and fry to make these crispy fritters that are seriously addictive!
2. It is actually a healthy dish except for the frying, the ingredients are very nutritious. You can actually bake them on a prepared baking sheet at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes, turning halfway! 
3. Ir tastes great, the combination of spring onion, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, gives the fritters their amazing taste!
4. It is economical, 1 plantain costs about 50 cents or less. 

Are Plantains Healthy?

Green plantains are a great source of fiber, they contain resistant starches, a type of fiber that doesn’t cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, make you feel full for longer, and the fiber is good for feeding your gut bacteria. They also contain a good source of Vitamin A, C, and B6. They also have magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus. 

Plantain Fritters Ingredients

Plantain– the green plantain is what I used to make these fritters. You can purchase them at most major supermarkets in the section where they have other International produce. They are also sold at Caribbean, Asian, or African grocery stores. If you aren’t planning to prepare your fritters within a day or two then make sure to refrigerate your plantain to prevent them from ripening. 

Flour – use all-purpose flour, I used gluten-free all-purpose blend. 

Bell Pepper – diced red bell pepper or any color you choose to add flavor and color to your fritters.

Green Onion – use both green and white parts for an onion flavor and the green tops add a lovely green color.

Garlic – great for flavor, add a clove or 2 if you are a garlic lover like me.

Baking Powder – makes the fritters light and crispy when fried. I used aluminum-free baking powder.

Salt – I used Himalayan pink salt, it makes all the flavors pop.

Thyme – added for flavor, this ingredient is optional.

Cooking Oil – use your favorite cooking oil for frying. I used coconut oil.

Annatto Powder – annatto is a natural food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote plant, it is used as a food coloring in Central America, South American, and throughout the Caribbean. It is added to the fritters to give them a nice yellow color, you can substitute with turmeric or just leave it out. 

How To Make Plantain Fritters?

1. Wash and dry the plantain. Using a knife, cut through the ends of the plantain and score along the length of the plantain, through the skin, being careful that you don’t cut the flesh. 
2. Using your fingers to detach the skin away from the flesh of the plantain. 
3. Grate plantain using a box grater. 
4. Add grated plantain to a bowl, stir in flour, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, baking powder, salt, annatto powder. 
5. Add water and mix to form a wet batter. 

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon full of the batter to your frying pan and lightly flatten with a spatula or the back of the spoon. 

1. Cook for 3 minutes on one side until golden brown, flip and cook them for another 3 minutes on the other side
2. Remove excess oil using a paper towel, serve immediately, or keep warm on a baking tray in the oven at 250 degrees F.

Tips For Making Plantain Fritters

1. The batter needs to look like a very thick pancake batter, if it is too runny, add more flour and if it is too stiff, add more water.
2. They are best served hot from the frying pan, they can also be served cold.
3. To reheat them just add them to a hot skillet and cook for a couple of minutes flipping them so they won’t burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

 Do Jamaicans Eat Plantains?

Yes, we do, we love to eat plantains ripe or green, boiled, fried, baked, grilled. 

What Is A Green Plantain?

Green plantain is the unripened plantain fruit. Plantain is a member of the banana family, it is starchier and larger than a banana. 

Can You Eat Plantains When They Are Green?

Green (unripe)  plantains should only be eaten when they are cooked. 

What Can I Do With Really Ripe Plantains?

You can use them to make Plantain Bread or Baked Plantains, 

Other Amazing Fritter Recipes 

1. Puerto Rican Pumpkin Fritters
2. Vegan Corn Fritters
3. Yellow Split Pea Fritters

Serve Your Fritters With These Amazing Dips

• Black Bean Hummus
• Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Recipe

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