My fondness for plantains began in high school, when I took a trip to Nicaragua with my mom. Throughout the entire stay, pretty much the only thing I ate were plantains, which they serve topped with a bit of cheese and pico. Not exactly a balanced diet to maintain for seven days straight, but at that age I wasn’t too worried about my plantains being fried instead of baked or the potential negative health effects of dairy…
Since I am more conscious of these things now, I decided to give this favorite snack of mine a healthier makeover. Coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, baked instead of fried, no cheese, and a simple, delicious avocado and tomato salsa. The plantains will remain soft (that’s how I like ‘em!), but will still be firm enough to scoop up the salsa. You can also serve them hors d’oeuvre style by laying the plantains out on a dish and topping each one with a small mound of the salsa. For a crispier plantain “chip,” slice very thin.
Ingredients
This will make 4 snack servings.
- 2 plantains
- 2 tbsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Juice from 1 small lime
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel the plantains and diagonally cut into thin slices.
- Melt the coconut oil in a pan over low-medium heat.
- Toss the plantains and coconut oil in a bowl until coated.
- Lay the slices flat on a baking sheet and then sprinkle with salt and pepper (I go heavier on the salt than pepper, using about a tsp of coarse sea salt).
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip the slices, then bake for another 7-9 minutes.
- While the plantain slices bake, mix all the other salsa ingredients into a bowl.
- These are best enjoyed warm, so let them cool for a few minutes on the stove top then dig right in!
Nutrition Info
Per Serving
Calories: 272
—Calories from Fat: 128
Total Fat: 15g
—Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 589mg
Carbohydrates: 37g
—Dietary Fiber: 7g
—Sugar: 16g
Protein: 3g
Hey there! I'm Nicole, a group fitness instructor, healthy lifestyle blogger (you probably figured that one out by now) and Certified Personal Trainer living in Boston, MA.
this sounds really good. i’ve only had plantains a couple of times. can you purchase them at your regular grocery store?
It’s not a guarantee they’ll be at the grocery store, but I’ve consistently seen them at Whole Foods lately 🙂
I am in love with plantain chips right now and have been looking for a recipe to make them at home so that I can control the oil and bake them! Thank you so much!
My husband makes fried plantains and I looooove them but I would love this healthier version even more! Plus no oil to deal with. Yay! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Looks delicious! I had plantain chips with salsa at a restaurant, and have been looking for a way to recreate them in a healthier way. I will definitely be giving this a try!
Emily
¡Que bien! I love platanos. They are a staple In Puerto Rican cuisine. We use the plantain when it’s green to make tostones and when it’s ripe (skin is yellow/black) and the inside is sweet. This particular dish is interesting. I will have to try it!
Good
I really liked this,Many Skills used as well. I Love it.
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This is awesome… I am from Nicaragua and we fry the platain in a lot of oil :-(… I love them so much but don’t make them often because I try to avoid fried foods. I will make this recipe this weekend. Thank you so much for sharing…..
Oh yes, I love them even more topped with fried cheese, but I will have them with the guacamole instead ;-).
I LOVE them topped with fried cheese, too! I’ll save those for special occasions though 🙂
Are these really really green plantains????
I think they had ripened to a brownish color when I bought them–it was a while ago though.