Fried Plantains With Black Beans, Roasted Poblanos, Avocado, and Pickled Red Onion Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 29, 2025
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Patacones are the Colombian equivalent of Caribbean tostones—double-fried green plantains. Just like cooking a french fry, you start with a starchy chunk of green plantain, cook it once at a low temperature, then cook it a second time at a higher temperature to crisp it up. The difference is that with patacones, you smash them into a flat disk in between. This shape makes them ideal for loading up with toppings. In this version, I go with black beans (canned are fine), roasted poblano peppers, slices of creamy avocado, and a few pickled red onions.

Recipe Details

Fried Plantains With Black Beans, Roasted Poblanos, Avocado, and Pickled Red Onion Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins
Active 45 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts vegetable oil

  • 4 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments

  • 2 poblano peppers

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans

  • 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

  • 1 to 2 avocados, thinly sliced

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 batch pickled red onions

  • 3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. In a large wok or Dutch oven, heat oil to 300°F. Add plantains and cook until pierced easily with a knife, but not browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

  2. Place poblano chiles directly over the flame of a gas burner or as close as possible to the broiler element of an electric oven. Cook, turning occasionally, until deeply charred and blacked on all sides and completely tender, about 8 minutes. Wrap with foil and set aside.

  3. Combine black beans and chopped chiles in a small bowl. Press with back of form to mash lightly.

  4. Carefully peel poblanos under cold running water (or if you can, peel them without rinsing them). Discard stem an seeds and slice flesh into thin strips.

  5. Smash each plantain under a metal can to about 1/4-inch thick. Reheat oil to 400°F. Add plantains (working in batches if necessary). Adjust heat to maintain a temperature of 350°F to 375°F. Fry, agitating occasionally, until plantains are golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with kosher salt.

  6. To serve, spread each plantain with some bean mixture, a slice of avocado, a few strips of pepper, some pickled red onions (along with a jalapeño or serrano slice from the pickles), and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Special equipment

Wok

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
478Calories
20gFat
77gCarbs
9gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories478
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g25%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 343mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 77g28%
Dietary Fiber 17g59%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 86mg429%
Calcium 57mg4%
Iron 3mg18%
Potassium 1608mg34%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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