Caramelized Plantains are easy to make with caramelized, crispy, and sweet texture on the outside and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth inside. You need only five ingredients and less than 15 minutes to make them.
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Recipe card
Caramelized Plantains or Bananas | Best Plantain Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 Plantains ripe, check tips
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Butter coconut oil for vegan version
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Sugar adjust to taste,
- 2 Cardamom skin (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
How to slice plantains?
- Trim off the ends. With your hands, remove the peel.2 Plantains
- Cut them into ¼ or ½-inch thick slices.
How to caramelize plantains?
- Heat a pan or skillet on medium flame. Add butter. Once the butter melts, sprinkle with tablespoon sugar, add cardamom skin, cinnamon stick for flavor, and arrange the plantain slices on a single layer.2 to 3 tablespoon Butter, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 2 to 3 tablespoon Sugar, 2 Cardamom skin
- Sprinkle another tablespoon of sugar on top of the banana slices and cardamom powder.½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- Pan-fry: Cook the plantains for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they become golden brown and caramelized. Do not be in a rush. For the best flavor, pan-fry on a medium flame.
- Remove from the heat. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream or as it is.
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. You can reheat them in a pan (skillet) or eat them directly from the fridge. They taste great both ways.
- Reduce the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of the plantains or bananas.
- Substitute Whole Cinnamon or cardamom skin with a sprinkle of powders.
- The plantains or the bananas will burn quickly if the pan is too hot, so I highly recommend pan frying on a medium to low flame.
- If using plantains, make sure they are ripe and blackened with some yellow spots for best results, as they will be sweetest at this point. Fully blackened plantains will also work.
- If you use bananas, make sure they are yellow and have no brown spots. Bananas with brown spots will become mushy.
- Never store plantains or bananas in the fridge. The fruit will not ripen. Keep them in a warm spot in your kitchen. Yellow plantains with black spots are best for pan-frying or making desserts. In India, these are called Kerala bananas or Nendran bananas.
Nutrition
Caramelized bananas
Caramelized bananas are pan-fried with sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Serve this as it is or as an after-meal dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This is the most loved recipe, which needs minimal preparation and basic ingredients.
I have used plantains or bananas in the title as they work with both. For best results, make sure the plantains are ripe (brown spots), as they will be sweetest at this point.
This unique, sweet, warm, and satisfying dessert is perfect for any special occasion, such as Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, or even Super Bowl game night.
Try our popular and reader's favorite pan-fried plantains and no-cook banana pudding.
Ingredients
Plantains: If using plantains, make sure they are ripe and blackened with some yellow spots for best results, as they will be sweetest at this point. Fully blackened plantains will also work.
If you use bananas, make sure they are yellow and have no brown spots. Bananas with brown spots will become mushy.
Never store plantains or bananas in the fridge. The fruit will not ripen. Keep them in a warm spot in your kitchen. Yellow plantains with black spots are best for pan-frying or making desserts. In India, these are called Kerala bananas or Nendran bananas.
Butter: Adds rich flavor. For the vegan version, use coconut oil.
Sugar: Brown or regular granulated sugar to sweeten the banana and add caramel flavor.
Cinnamon and cardamom: Use one or both spices for a warm flavor.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
How to slice plantains?
- Trim off the ends. With your hands, remove the peel.
- Cut them into ¼ or ½-inch thick slices.
How to caramelize plantains?
Step 1: Heat a pan or skillet on medium flame. Add butter. Once the butter melts, sprinkle with tablespoon of sugar, cardamom skin, and cinnamon stick for flavor, and arrange the plantain slices on a single layer. Sprinkle some more sugar and cardamom powder on top of banana slices.
Step 2: Pan-fry: Cook the plantains for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they become golden brown and caramelized. Do not be in a rush. For the best flavor, pan-fry on a medium flame.
Remove from the heat. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream or as it is.
Tips
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. You can reheat them in a pan (skillet) or eat them directly from the fridge. They taste great both ways.
- Reduce the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of the plantains or bananas.
- Substitute Whole Cinnamon or cardamom skin with a sprinkle of powders.
- The plantains or the bananas will burn quickly if the pan is too hot, so I highly recommend pan frying on a medium to low flame.
Serving suggestions
- Caramelized plantains or bananas taste delicious on their own.
- For a delicious dessert, Serve them with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Add it as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or even French toast.
- Like banana foster, serve it with ice cream and top it with some walnuts or pecans.
- You can also enjoy them as a side with any meal, add to your rice or burrito bowl, or for an evening snack.
Recipe FAQs
Plantains are larger in size than bananas, have a high starch content, and less sugar than bananas.
Fully ripe plantains will be yellow and then turn black. If you buy green plantains, it will take at least a week to 10 days to turn yellow and black so that you can make sweet recipes. Do not store it in the refrigerator. Please keep them in a dark place on your kitchen counter.
More plantain recipes
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Paula
I adore caramelized plantains! I used to enjoy them all the time when I lived in Asia and I positively can't wait to try these at home!