Ever wondered what to do with plantains? I rounded up 30+ plantain recipes to showcase my favorite food and help you never run out of ideas!
Every recipe is paleo and gluten free, and they range from breakfast and weeknight dinners to scrumptious desserts and quick side dishes.
At first taste, plantains became an instant favorite of mine. I even wrote a whole post breaking down what plantains are and their benefits!
But I can’t stop there. I scoured all my favorite blogs and put together a mega list of plantain recipes! No matter what meal you're cooking for or whether you have green plantains or riper yellow/black plantains, this list has recipes for you.
I broke the list down by categories. Use the links below to jump to that category!
Breakfast Plantain Recipes
Entree Plantain Recipes
Side Dish Plantain Recipes
Dessert Plantain Recipes
Breakfast Plantain Recipes
The Best Plantain Pancakes (Nut Free) via Do You Even Paleo
Fluffy and filling with just a handful of ingredients. These plantain pancakes rule!
Plantain Coconut Pancakes (Nut Free) via The Healthy Foodie
Black plantains and coconut are an amazing match for this sweet breakfast treat.
Savory Plantain Waffles (AIP, Nut Free) via Little Bites of Beauty
More of a waffle person? Little Bites of Beauty has some amazing Savory AIP Plantain Waffles to try!
Plantain Drop Biscuits via Do You Even Paleo
Breakfast sandwiches are pretty awesome, aren't they? These drop biscuits are the perfect vehicle to breakfast sandwich heaven.
Yellow Plantain Porridge (Nut free, Whole30, Vegan, Egg free) via That Girl Cooks Healthy
Kinda like cream of wheat, but WAY better because plantains are the base. You could top this porridge with nuts, dried fruit, coconut, or maple syrup!
Plantain Entrees
Flourless Plantain Empanadas (Nut Free, Egg Free) via Do You Even Paleo
Single-ingredient plantain dough filled with a savory ground beef mixture. They reheat nicely and make a great on-the-go meal!
Plantain Pizza Crust (Nut Free, Egg Free) via Fed and Fulfilled
What could be better than a plantain pizza?! This would be a great base for a Cuban-inspired pie!
Cod & Plantain Fritters via Do You Even Paleo
Savory flaky fish and sweet plantains make an AMAZING pair!
Pork & Pineapple Bowls with Plantains, Coconut Cauliflower Rice, and Avocado Lime Mousse (Whole30, Nut Free) via 40 Aprons
Seriously, does it get any better than a colorful bowl of nutritious food? This bowl is bound to be delicious!
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders with Plantain Buns (Nut free, Whole30) via Ana Ankeny
With plantain buns and buffalo ranch chicken... Dang, this is good eating!
Plantain & Olive Beef Bowls (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via Do You Even Paleo
A simple, one skillet meal that's hearty and nourishing!
Pork and Plantain Bowls (Whole30, Nut Free) via Real Simple Good
Pork and plantains are simply a match made in heaven. These bowls could be dinner OR breakfast!
Epic Paleo Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice (Whole30, Nut free, Egg free) via Our Salty Kitchen
Give me a burrito bowl recipe, and I'm a happy girl! Plantains are a must have for this one.
Plantain Fish Cakes with Mango Salsa (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via Whitty Paleo
Fish, plantains, and mango salsa. This dish is perfect for summer!
Plantain Gnocchi with Savory Short Ribs via Do You Even Paleo
When you've got comfort food on the brain, this is the recipe to reach for! Plantain gnocchi with rich, gravylicious short ribs.
Spicy Cauliflower Rice Plantain Slaw Bowls (Whole30, Nut Free) via Paleo Gluten Free Eats
This bowl recipe doesn't have meat, but you could easily add some pork or chicken to make it a spicy, filling meal.
Plantain Buddha Bowl with Cilantro Avocado Sauce (Whole30, Nut free) via Grass Fed Salsa
Bowls are best for variety. Just look at all the colors and flavors packed into these Buddha bowls!
Plantain Side Dish Recipes
Mashed Plantains (Sweet & Savory) (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via Do You Even Paleo
Not sure what else to do with your plantains? Mash them! This recipe has instructions for both green and yellow/black plantains.
Cuban Plantain Soup (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via Casablanca Cooks
Plantains make an amazing, hearty soup. Pair it with chicken for a full meal!
Fluffy Plantain Buns (Nut Free, Egg Free) via The Curious Coconut
I'm dying to dig into one of these plantain buns! A warm bun with a smear of ghee sounds heavenly.
Plantain Tortillas (Two Ways) via Do You Even Paleo
Let's change up taco night! Make paleo plantain tortillas two different ways.
Grilled Plantains (Nut Free, Egg Free, Vegetarian) via Real Simple Good
A simple side dish during grilling season. Seriously, it doesn't get easier than grilled plantains!
Tostones with Blender Mango Salsa (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via Do You Even Paleo
You haven't truly experienced plantains until you've had tostones. For real!
AIP Mango Sticky ‘Rice’ (AIP) via Bon AIPpetit
This Mango Sticky "Rice" from Bon AIPpetit is the most creative recipe I've seen in a while. Spoiler: the "rice" is plantains!
Plantain & Raisin Fritters with Date Caramel Dipping Sauce (Nut Free) via Do You Even Paleo
This savory little side dish is like a dense pancake, studded with raisins for a sweet flavor.
Fried Plantains with Cinnamon and Sea Salt (Whole30, Nut Free, Egg Free) via All The Healthy Things
Keep it simple with cinnamon and sea salt fried plantains. This might become your new favorite!
Crazy Easy Pan-fried Plantain Patties (Whole30, Nut free, Egg free) via Do You Even Paleo
With just a couple ingredients and a hot skillet, you've got pan-fried plantain patties ready to serve.
Plantain Dessert Recipes
3 Ingredient Sweet Plantain Cake (Nut Free) via Do You Even Paleo
3 ingredients. One fluffy, slightly sweet cake. I LOVE this snack cake — it's amazing drizzled with honey and topped with fresh fruit.
Salted Sunbutter & Caramelized Plantain Cups (Nut Free, Egg Free, Vegan options) via Rally Pure
Got to love any recipe that combines plantains and Sunbutter into an epic version of a PB cup!
Flourless Plantain Skillet Brownie via Do You Even Paleo
Ripe plantains make the most epic, fudgy skillet brownie. Seriously, it's unreal!
Plantain Pumpkin Bread by Do You Even Paleo
Kind of like banana bread, but almost better. Have a piece of this plantain pumpkin bread with a cup of coffee for a soul-warming treat.
Dark Chocolate Covered Fried Plantains (Nut Free, Egg Free) via Clean Eating Veggie Girl
And for the simple dessert route, we've got chocolate covered fried plantains. Sweet and salty, here we go!
mitchelle says
so nice n lovely... ur write up inspires my love for cooking ?
Chelsea says
Glad to hear that, Mitchelle!