Maduros Recipe (Fried Sweet Plantains)
7
on Dec 21, 2022
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If you’re a fan of bananas foster, you’re going to love my sweet twist on a traditional Cuban Maduros recipe. Fried sweet plantains are covered in a buttery brown sugar, honey, and almond tequila sauce for a dessert that is totally heavenly!
Why I Love This Recipe
As a lover of nearly all tropical foods, Cuban maduros have always held a special place in my heart. They’re delightfully sweet and soft with an irresistible custardy consistency. While regular maduros are often served as a side along other Cuban delicacies like léchon or ropa vieja, I wanted to give them a true dessert makeover.
This yummy recipe for platanos maduros con miel takes traditional fried sweet plantains into a tasty new territory by adding a bananas foster-esque honey-tequila sauce that is downright crave-worthy. Serve them hot from the pan over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert that’s sure to please just about any palate.
Best of all, this simple and inexpensive recipe takes just 7 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of time to prepare. Oh, and there’s NO deep frying involved, meaning the clean-up is minimal. Hooray!
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty sweet plantain recipe. Here’s what to gather:
- Light Brown Sugar – Feel free to swap in dark brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand!
- Yellow or Black Plantains – Also known as “amarillos,” these are ripe plantains that are much sweeter than their green, underripe counterparts.
- Oil – I’ve made these maduros using both olive oil and canola oil, and they come out great either way. Feel free to swap in your favorite cooking oil here.
- Honey – The cinnamon-y honey tequila sauce is what takes these sweet plantains to the next level. Feel free to swap in maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup as needed.
- Almond Tequila – If you’re looking for an interesting addition to your bar cart, I highly recommend almond tequila which can add tons of complexity to normal tequila cocktails. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to use regular tequila and add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
- Ground Cinnamon – For warmth.
- Butter – For richness. Feel free to use dairy-free butter if needed.
How to Make Maduros con Miel
These sweet fried plantains are super easy to make. Here’s how:
Step 1: Toss brown sugar with the plantain slices.
Step 2: Sauté plantains in hot oil until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plantains to a separate bowl or serving plates.
Step 3: Make Sauce by combining honey, tequila, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl. Whisking constantly, until thoroughly heated and smooth.
Step 4: Serve. Spoon sauce over plantains and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- While I normally recommend that you drain fried items on paper towels, that is NOT the move here. The coating on the fried plantains is super sticky, so the paper towels will get stuck. No bueno!
- Opt for very spotty or entirely black plantains when possible. They’ll be much sweeter this way!
Frequently Asked Questions
Maduros are fried sweet plantains whereas tostones are twice-fried unripe plantains that lean more into savory territory. Maduros are only fried a single time, and in this recipe are coated with a sweet honey-tequila syrup. (Traditional Cuban maduros are deep-fried and served as a sweet side for savory dishes, often with a side of sour cream, but I’ve turned them into a dessert here.) Tostones are also flattened after their first fry, turning them into a sort of thick, starchy chip.
Absolutely! Simply swap in a different liquid sweetener for the honey (e.g. maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup) and opt for plant-based butter.
I don’t recommend that you do. Bananas are less starchy and are more likely to fall apart while cooking in this manner.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)
- Reduced Sugar Pineapple Upside-Down Mini Cakes
- Mexican Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Buñuelos recipe
Platanos Maduros con Miel (Fried Sweet Plantains)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 yellow or black plantains cut into 1-inch julienne-cut slices
- 1/3 cup olive or canola oil for sautéing
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon almond tequila
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Toss together brown sugar and plantain slices.
- Over medium flame, heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Sauté plantains in hot oil on each side for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plantains to serving plates. The coating is sticky so do NOT drain on paper towels.
- Combine honey, tequila, cinnamon, and warm melted butter in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly smooth.
- Spoon sauce over plantains. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Select yellow or black plantains for optimum flavor and tenderness. We do not recommend substituting bananas for plantains.
- Almond Tequila – If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to use regular tequila and add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: October 2011.
I love the idea of using GOOD tequila in the honey syrup. Yummy!
I have never heard of a plantain slicer! With the amount of plantains I consume, I need one in my life for sure. And these maduros con miel look so delicious. I usually fry them and sprinkle a little sugar before they are done but will most certainly be trying this the next time I make them.
Eliana, if you don’t have a plantain slicer you have to get one. I love ours and the bamboo it’s made from is gorgeous! IMUSA makes some great cookware and gadgets, we love everything we’ve tried. Hope you get to try it with the miel…my mouth is watering just thinking about them…
I love platanos maduros and I’m sure they are even better with this tequila and canela sauce. Any favorite brands for the almond tequila?
Andrea: I used my all time favorito tequila called Cava Antigua. We always stock up when we visit Mexico. I am not sure if it is sold in the U.S. You MIGHT be able to find it online but I’ve never tried. I highly recommend it!!!
This looks amazing! I always love your plate deco – so unique and exotic!
Thanks a ton Emme!