These easy air fryer tostones also known as patacones or fried green plantains are made healthier in the air fryer. No greasy mess, these come out crispy and delicious!
Air Fryer Tostones
Tostones are a staple in Latin American countries and the Caribbean. With a Latin mom, I grew up eating tostones and always loved them. As a kid I would help her smash them before they went back in the oil for a second time. I still can’t resist them if we go out for Latin food, or if I find myself at my Moms house with a plate of them in front of me. I have been getting lots of people asking me, can you make tostones in the air fryer? The answer is yes! We do it all the time!
Tostones In The Air Fryer
Since buying my air fryer, making tostones in the air fryer has been on my top to-do list of recipes to try and turned out great! Tommy was a happy man as they are one of his favorites! I’ve made Baked Tostones in the oven many times but to be honest, they come out so much crispier in the air fryer.
How To Make Tostones in the Air Fryer
To make air fryer plantains I used the same technique my family uses to deep fry, only without all the oil using my air fryer.
- Start with green plantains which look like bananas, only larger.
- Trim the ends off, cut a slit along the length deep enough to penetrate the skin without cutting the plantain.
- Cut into 1-inch pieces, then peel each piece (putting a little oil on your fingers helps peel them easier).
- Spritz the plantain with a little oil then cook a few minutes. Remove from the air fryer and smash while still hot. Spritz both sides with the oil and place back in the air fryer until golden and crisp.
- Smash them – A tostonera (affil link) is typically used to smash them, if you don’t have one you can use the bottom of a cup or jar to smash them.
- Add them to a salt water brine for a second or 2 before adding them back to the air fryer.
- After they cook, I like to give them another spritz of olive oil so the salt sticks to them. Eat right away.
How To Serve Tostones
- Tostones are typically salted and served just like chips.
- Serve it with mayo-ketchup which is simply a combination of mayonnaise and ketchup.
- You can add a dipping sauce such as guacamole, ceviche, zesty avocado dressing
- We love it with Peruvian Green Sauce
- This also makes a delicious side dish for Picadillo, Pernil, or Rice and Beans.
What are Plantains
Plantains, like bananas are high in potassium, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are a variety of banana that must be cooked because of the amount of starch they contain. Like a banana, they vary in ripeness from green to yellow. Yellow plantains are sweeter than green, and should not be used to make tostones, green plantains are used instead. Plantains are naturally gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, Whole30 and Paleo friendly.
More Plantain Recipes You Will Love
Air Fryer Tostones (Twice Air Fried Plantains)
Ingredients
- 1 large green plantain, ends trimmed and peeled (6 oz after)
- olive oil spray, I like Bertolli
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- With a sharp knife cut a slit along the length of the plantain skin, this will make it easier to peel. Cut the plantain into 1 inch pieces, 8 total.
- In a small bowl combine the water with salt and garlic powder.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- When ready, spritz the plantain with olive oil and cook 6 minutes, you might have to do this in 2 batches.
- Remove from the air fryer and while they are hot mash them with a tostonera or the bottom of a jar or measuring cup to flatten.
- Dip them in the seasoned water and set aside.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F once again and cook, in batches 5 minutes on each side, spraying both sides of the plantains with olive oil.
- When done, give them another spritz of oil and season with salt. Eat right away.
These were truly amazing, years ago I used to make them fried in oil, these taste just as delicious and not have to worry about the sopping fried oil taste!
Awesome!!
We made two batches of these. Followed the recipe for the first and for the second we brushed them with olive oil (instead of spraying them) and cooked them for 4 minutes each side. Second batch turned out better and wasn’t as dry. Overall, was impressed with this recipe as a healthier alternative to traditional fried patacones.
These were awesome! So easy to make and I used the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup to flatten them and it worked perfect. I tested one with Feast Mode, tequila lime seasoning instead of salt and it was really tasty. Will be adding these to our Cinco De Mayo party. Thank you!
Delicious recipe! Much lighter than the fried version but just as tasty! Easy to make.
We love these, never had before and was pleased how easy they were to do. I used a glass measuring cup to press them, (between a couple pieces of wax paper) I did not even spray them again or add extra salt–we loved them, a favorite. Where have they been my whole life! Thank you We ate them so fast didn’t even bother with a dip, but I am sure that would be fun to have with them.
Wow! These are absolutely delicious and this recipe is perfect. I’ve tried to make tostones before and they never came out quite right, but this recipe solves all my problems. Now to just figure out how to stop eating them!
I am so excited to learn how to make these! They were easy and delicious!
So excited to have found this recipe! I made them for the first time tonight and they were great. I see A LOT of tostones in my future.
So glad!!
Definitely not a mexican cuisine is a South america and Central america food …
I lived in Costa Rica for several years and ate patacones all the time. This is a wonderful recipe and I will definitely remake it! Thanks for sharing.
Any way to bake these instead?
https://www.skinnytaste.com/baked-tostones-green-plantains/ 🙂
Omg I’ve been dying for plantains but trying to stay away from all the oil that it’s usually drenched in when cooking. This was bomb! Thank you. The salt/garlic mix put the razzle dazzle ❤️
The plantains were yummy but that sauce? OMG. We’ve used it on our breakfast sandwiches, on burgers, for fries, etc. That sauce is where it’s at!
Which sauce??
I know this is really late but thought you would like to know – I believe it is this sauce from her Baked Tostones recipe. Delicious! https://www.skinnytaste.com/zesty-avocado-cilantro-buttermilk/
I love plantains but can’t find them anywhere here in my local grocery stores. Any suggestions of grocery stores that carry them?
I love plantains! My doc ordered me to start eating more of them because they help you digestion. The ones I make taste slightly sweet. I’ve never thought about dipping them in a savory sauce, although I am a salt-lover not sweets. I was just sauteing mine in a little olive oil and eating them plain. I have an air fryer on it’s way to me so I will try this method and I got tired of them sauteed!
Thanks for the recipe Gina!!
I did this a directed, but they came out burnt. I used a ninja. Wonder if the fryers are different.
Like your air fryer recipes
Tostones are not Mexican cuisine, but entirely Puerto Rican cuisine. Also adopted by the Dominican Republic. In Panama they’re called Patacones.
They’re most definitely not Mexican, I’d say Latinamerican if anything. They’re known and used all around the latin culture. Used for a great variety of (if not all typical) dishes in Ecuador. Tigrillo, Bolón, Tortilla de Verde, Corviche, Chifles, Caldo de Bola, Bollo and even Empanadas de verde, but also Patacones and Maduros.
Never said they were Mexican! We call them Patacones in Colombia, and Tostones in PR.
COURSE:Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
CUISINE:Mexican
I mean… You did.
Yes! I’ve been meaning to look for an air fryer tostones recipe! 🙂
They have frozen Hawaiian plantains where I live. Big and delish.
I followed the recipe and they were delicious!
My Cuisinart air fryer heats up in no time and cooks fast!
These were great. I love air frying and wanted to make a lower calorie healthier version of tostones. They were delicious! Made a garlicky yogurt sauce to dip them in.
These were amazing and I followed the recipe exactly as shown. I served them with Heinz’s mayochup and I LOVED it! Thanks, Gina!!
I’m confused as to how these are 5 points. The plantains are zero. Unless you are spraying a lot of oil on them, I would think they’d be 1 point max. You could use Pam or other 0 calorie spray and follow the rule of a 2-3 second spray on each side. But 5 points? That’s a lot of oil.
Plantains are not 0
The bananas are 0 points. But the plantains are more starchy tan banana and hace points.
I love these and can’t stop making them – amazing Whole 30 staple. One question I have, can you reheat them the next day? Would they be any good if reheated in the toaster oven? TY!
They are always best fresh but re-toasting them couldn’t hurt. Let me know how they come out.
How many days can they be stored? Thank you!
I love the fresh, but they don’t sell plantains where I live. If I buy the Goya frozen , can you help me figure out how to adjust so I can air fry them? I have been trying but seem to just dry them out 🙁
LOVE this! Have you ever tried to put in FrozenTostones in your Air Fryer? I came across this recipe while trying to fun instructions how long I should put frozen tostones (and previously smashed) in there.
That sounds like a great idea! I would try doing the first fry, smashing, then freezing, and then doing the second fry whenever you want tostones. That sounds good! I wouldn’t know what to do in terms of temp, but I would start with the same temp and just add a couple minutes and see what happens.
Yummy
Made these tonight for a pre-dinner snack and they were delicious! I had tostones while on a medical mission trip in Honduras and fell in love with them but I never fry at home so I have never made them until now. Thanks for the recipe!
Omg this looks sooo good! I have got to try it! 😀
Thanks Gina! Those air fryers seem incredibly convenient and fantastic! I read your post and immediately had to forward this on to my mom. Thanks fors sharing this recipe!
I forgot to soak in brine ans my we’re so dry and kinda flavorless. I love these fried. I’ll have to try again. How do you make a bribe??
The water with salt as mentioned
I have a Honduran restaurant near me that serves plantains; and we love them. This will be great to try at home. Hopefully my grocery store has s good selection
Hello. Tostones are one of my favorite sides! Love them.
I am doing Smart Points but not the Freestyle.
How many Smart Points (non free style) are these?
Also, how can I figure out how many regular Smart Points other food is if it only states the Freestyle poits?
Thank you
Should be the same. I wont have that info as I use WW recipe builder to get all my points.
I grew up with these as well, having been born and raised in Panama. However, as much as I cook, I’ve never made them (gasp)…I’ve always been intimidated by trying to get those stubborn peels off. Your great tips have inspired me to give them a go. Perhaps I won’t have to depend on the frozen ones from Goya anymore (although they are pretty good)! Hope your family is drawing together, and finding some peace after the loss of your Pappito.
yes its easier to cut them in small pieces first. Try with 1, thank you!
Hi Gina,
I am in the market for an air dryer and I like the one you have linked…curious what size you use?
Thanks for the great recipe – will try for sure!
There’s not much difference in 3 qt to the largest size.
Hi! I don’t have an air fryer and don’t want to fry these in all the oil. Can I put them in the oven?
Thanks!
She included a link to her recipe for Baked Tostones in the middle of this post, before the air fryer recipe.
Hi Gina, Raw plantains are zero points so I was wondering, if you’re only spritzing them with oil, how you came up with 5 points per serving. Thanks! They look great!
They have points when I looked in recipe builder. I wish they were 0!
A whole plantain is 10 SP (thus two servings from one plantain would be 5 SP each). They have lots of starch and carbs and are therefore one of few vegetables that carry points.
Tostones are my most favorite thing in the whole wide world! Thank you for this recipe!!!
Being Puerto Rican we ate these a lot growing up. I have made these before in our airfryer as well and they turn out great! You go to Puerto Rico and they serve them with minced garlic. The dipping sauce is mayo-ketchup. It’s funny a hot dog stand has bottled ketchup in Puerto Rico every restaurant has a bottle of mayo-ketchup on the table.
Yes!!
Omg, how true. I make my own mojito dipping sauce using (toasted garlic powder, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic)
Mix it and let it sit for a day or two before you cooked the tostones. The ketchup/mayo i make , i also add toasted garlic powder to it as well and i keep that in the fridge..family loves it.
I’ve been so intrigued by the air fryer lately!! This sounds so good and simple!
What air fry cook book would you recommend? I’ve just purchased the air fryer, so excited!
Hi, Gina. I had never eaten plantains until a recently on a cruise stop in Costa Rica. We are in love with them, now. I don’t have an air fryer, but I need to get one soon!! Can’t wait to try your microwave version.
You can also just bake them in your oven as well. It essentially does the same thing as an air fryer, the only difference is the air fryer will make them just a tad crispier than a convection oven. Having said that, I just got an air fryer today, so I’m definitely going to try it out with plantains just to see the difference since I’ve been making them in the oven for over a year now.
Why do you soak it in the brine before putting it back in the air fryer the second time?
It flavors them.