Salty, crispy tostones get an update in the air fryer! Skip the greasy pan-fried method, and instead, toss them in a little oil and double “fry” them in your air fryer. Serve them with a simple, but tasty mayo ketchup sauce.

Photography Credit: Marta Rivera

Food is famous for dragging us down memory lane. During our first date (which was at my house), I cooked tostones–twice-fried, mashed plantains–for the man who would become my husband.

While cutting the plantains, I noticed out of my periphery he was standing at the threshold of my tiny kitchen just staring at me. Thinking he was plotting to attack me; I grasped the knife I was using a little tighter and asked if everything was okay.

“You look just like my grandmother doing that,” he said.

Years later he told me that was the moment he knew he was going to marry me.

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WHAT ARE TOSTONES?

Tostones (also known as patacones in some Latin American countries) are comforting to those who grew up eating them. Akin to North American potato chips, tostones are green (underripe) plantains that have been fried until they are soft, then mashed and refried.

They’re basically a snack food and are commonly served as an accompaniment or appetizer to a heavier meal or enjoyed by schoolchildren as an afternoon snack.

WHAT ARE PLANTAINS?

Plantains are a variety of banana that must be cooked because of the amount of starch they contain. Like bananas, green plantains are unripe and yellow plantains are ripe. Unlike a banana, plantains in their uncooked state are slimy and devoid of flavor; eating a raw plantain is like eating hard paste. It’s not a pretty sight or flavor.

Underripe, green plantains are more like potatoes than bananas: high starch, low sugar. This means that bananas can’t stand in for plantains because of their higher sugar content. They just won’t hold together for this recipe. (And plantains can’t stand in for the bananas in your Aunt Ethel’s famous banana pudding recipe because of how bland and fibrous they are.)

When in doubt just remember: The plantains need to be cooked.

HOW TO PICK AND PEEL A PLANTAIN

The plantains used for tostones should be a verdant green in color and must be very firm. Avoid plantains with a lot of yellow in the peel as they have already started to ripen and will taste sweeter.

Peeling a green plantain is easy. Cut off both ends of the plantain before scoring the peel down the “back” of the plantain. Use the fleshy parts of your thumbs to remove the plantain’s fibrous peel.

HOW TO MAKE TOSTONES IN THE AIR FRYER

Tostones are traditionally pan-fried, but I’ve started air-frying them (much to my doctor’s delight). It cuts down on the fat and the mess (no oil splatters) but still yields crispy tostones.

If you prefer to fry yours, it’s just a matter of completing each of the frying steps using vegetable oil heated to 375°F. Be sure to drain your tostones on paper towels after each frying session.

New to the air fryer? Check out our First Timer’s Guide to Using an Air Fryer.

HOW TO FLATTEN TOSTONES

Most Latin American homes have at least one tostonera in their kitchens. This tool is used to flatten the softened pieces of plantain. Tostoneras are used almost exclusively for making tostones and, in many homes, often double as wall art.

Though tostoneras are fairly inexpensive, if you don’t make tostones on a regular basis, it may not be prudent to purchase one. Placing your soft plantain between a piece of parchment paper (or a brown paper bag) and smashing it with a coffee mug will accomplish the same result.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOSTONES?

A dipping sauce of equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup known colloquially as “mayoketchu” is the most popular condiment to serve with tostones. Some people also enjoy a warmed garlic oil known as ajillo. It’s made by combining two cloves of minced garlic, a pinch of salt and a quarter cup of warmed olive oil known. Garlic oil isn’t used as often because the flavor can be quite strong.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS FOR TOSTONES

Tostones are cooked in two stages: the par-fry which is followed by the final “crisping” fry.

The first fry can be done in advance, which helps if you plan to make a lot to serve to a larger crowd. To maintain the tostones crispness, the final fry should be done just prior to serving them.

If friends are late to the party, and you need to keep the tostones warm place them on a baking sheet in a 175°F oven.

STORING AND FREEZING TOSTONES

Leftover tostones may be stored in a food container in the fridge for 24 hours and reheated in a 350°F degree oven until warmed through or refried in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 350°F.

The quality and crispness will be significantly diminished, though, so I recommend only making what you plan to eat the same day.

If you want to have tostones on hand for those last-minute cravings, flatten the fried plantains and allow them to cool completely. Seal them in a freezer storage bag for up to two months. Thaw them completely before frying the final time in the air fryer.

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