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Last Updated on April 30, 2025
Holy moly, get ready to love the ease and flavor of these Plantain empanadas! They’re a fast and simple way to use up those sweet plantains without a ton of extra stress. If you love empanadas, you’re going to want to make this recipe. And if you love plantains, your heart and tastebuds are going to be very happy!
In Latin America, cooked plantains are a common dish. Not only is it a great way to use up those ripe plantains, but that sweet plantain taste is one that will have everyone coming back for more.
How do you find a ripe plantain?
To get the best flavor, stay away from a green plantain. The best plantains to use for empanadas are ones that are ripe and ready. They’ll have a sweet flavor that is delicious when cooked.
Look at the plantain and choose one that has some black spots on it mixed with some visible yellow as well. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use an all-black plantain, but having a plantain that is a bit firmer rather than mushy is really ideal.
How do you ripen plantains quickly?
For the best flavor combo, you want to use ripe plantains. You can give them about ten days to ripen up and hopefully speed up that process by placing them in a plastic bag, or you can pop them in the oven on medium heat (about 300 degrees) and bake them for about 20-22 minutes.
Can you cook green plantains?
Yes, you actually can. Plantains can be cooked at any stage, actually, but the sweet factor and flavor will depend on how ripe it is when cooked.
Plantain Empanadas Ingredients
All you need are the following ingredients to make plantain dough (empanada dough) perfectly!
- 6 cups water to boil
- 3 large green plantains peeled
- Filling of your Choice, I suggest shredded chicken or shredded beef
- 2 cups coconut oil (to fry), I recommend this coconut oil.
How to make Empanadas using Sweet Plantains
Place a large pot on your stove on medium high heat.
Slice the peeled plantains in half and place in the water. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the water and place the plantains in your food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a bowl and let sit for 4 minutes. It will firm up. Pinch a golf ball size of dough and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll until you have a 6″ diameter circle.
Place whatever filling you want inside. Fold the dough into a half circle and pinch the seams. Repeat until you have used all the dough and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil and then place the empanadas in two at a time and frying until golden brown, roughly 3 to 4 minutes, and flip and repeat. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Repeat until all the empanadas are cooked.
Tips for making Plantain empanadas
Having a baking sheet ready so that you can set the cooked dough on it. Pinching the sides of the plantain dough is important for this recipe. If the sides don’t get sealed all the way, the filling is going to spill out potentially.
Make sure that any leftovers are at room temperature before storing them. If the empanadas are still hot, they might release steam which will release condensation in the container and will cause the dough to lose that crispiness.
What can I use as an empanada filling?
This is where you can really have a ton of fun! The filling that goes into the plantain dough can easily be changed up every single time.
The flavor of the sweet plantains pairs perfectly with cheese filling, ground beef, beans, onions, garlic cloves, or even more mashed plantains!
Have fun with the filling options because anything that you add is going to be delicious! You can go sweet or savory here or do a mixture of both options!
How do I flatten the plantain dough/empanada dough?
You’re going to treat it a lot like homemade bread dough. You can flatten it with a rolling pin or even use a tortilla press as well.
If you do use a press, make sure that you put down plastic wrap or wax paper so that the sweet plantain dough doesn’t stick to the sides.
What do I serve with empanadas?
Serve warm with any toppings or side dishes of your choice. I find this best eaten warm with queso fresco, chili powder, or even some extra cheese on top.
Can you bake empanadas?
Yes, empanada dough can be fried or baked. I prefer to fry these because it’s a quicker way to cook them and has minimal prep time.
Either way is delicious, but if you want that fried crisp, you won’t accomplish that by putting them in the oven to be baked.
What type of oil can I use for frying my empanada?
Recipes that need to be fried need good oil! I prefer to use olive oil or coconut oil, but vegetable oil could work as well.
Use an oil that can have a high heat point and, if possible, adds health benefits. You also need to make sure that you have hot oil to get that outer crisp!
What is the best way to store leftover plantain empanadas?
No matter what filling you add to the plantain dough, leftovers of this gluten free recipe need to be stored in the fridge.
To reheat, you can warm them up low and slow in the oven or give them a quick fry in a skillet on the stove. Just be careful that you don’t overcook the plantain dough and just cook it enough to hit the filling thoroughly.
As you can see, this easy empanada recipe is one that is fast and simple. It’s one of those perfect recipes that can be used as a main dish or a side dish – or even just a fun and yummy snack.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water to boil
- 3 large green plantains peeled
- Filling of your Choice
- 2 cups coconut oil to fry
Instructions
- Place a large pot on your stove on medium high heat.
- Slice the peeled plantains in half and place in the water. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the water and place the plantains in your food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a bowl and let sit for 4 minutes. It will firm up. Pinch a golf ball size of dough and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll until you have a 6″ diameter circle.
- Place whatever filling you want inside. Fold the dough in to a half circle pinch the seams. Repeat until you have used all the dough and set aside.
- In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil and the place the empanadas in two at time and frying until golden brown, roughly 3 to 4 minutes and flip and repeat. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Repeat until all the empanadas are cooked.
I love empanadas and can’t wait to try these.
If I am using the instant pot to cook the plantains, what setting and long do you think these should cook for/at?
Hey Marla, I have never cooked them in the instant pot hun so I’m not sure. SOrry!
Do you think I could bake this instead?
I’m not sure what the bake time would be but I think that would work. I would start at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
This recipe is genius! Seriously. I was very hesitant to make this as I have previously made plantain waffles and they were very… plantain-y. But boiling them first makes them sooooo good. Perfect dough, easy to work with. Used leftover dough to make scallion pancakes, which were so good that I ate them up consecutively as they came out of the pan.
So glad you enjoyed them Emily!
Hi, the blog indicates you should use ripe plantain – so plantain that has started to go yellow with some black spots, but the recipe itself indicates green plaintain – which would not be ripe. Can you clairfy please?
Great catch, Emilia—thank you! For this recipe, you’ll want to use green plantains (not ripe). They hold their shape and provide the best dough texture for empanadas. I’ll update the blog to make that clearer!