Jamaican Plantain Fritters Recipe (2024)

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Written by Lesa Updated on July 10, 2023 in Breakfast, Side Dish

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Below you will find a quick and easy Jamaican plantain fritters recipe, which not only tastes great but is also vegan-friendly—made with sweet ripe plantain mashed and mixed with flour and spice, then fried for the soft, lovely fritters you can any time of the day.

What is Jamaican plantain fritters

Jamaican plantain fritters are sweet ripe plantain combined with plain flour and spices such as vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon to make a soft batter, which is then pan-fried. The result is all most like pancakes, and it’s also considered a breakfast meal but is eaten at any time of the day. Sugar is a part of the recipe giving the fritters and sweet taste. Vegans and anyone who doesn’t consume animal products can eat Jamaican plantain fritters. Make the fritters gluten-free by using the correct flour. If you ever had banana fritters, it’s made the same with plantain.

Plantain vs banana fritters

Even though plantain and banana are similar fruits, they have distinct differences, which are elaborated when you cook. Plantain and banana fritters have obvious differences in terms of taste and texture. Compared to banana fritters, plantain fritters are more dense and filling. I find it hard to eat the same number of plantain fritters as I do bananas.

Plantain fritters recipe ingredient

Here are the ingredients for the Jamaican plantain fritters recipe. See the recipe card below for measurement.

Plantain: It’s better to use an over-ripe plantain for this recipe. Very ripe plantain is sweeter and softer.
Plan flour: Use any plain flour to make the batter. The flour should be less than the mashed plantain to get the correct consistency of the batter.
Sugar: Plantain fritter is sweet, and the sugar helps to do that. I use brown sugar but use your preference.
Salt: This is a sweet fritter; so much salt is unnecessary. The salt taste shouldn’t be overpowering but use just enough that you would notice if you didn’t use it. So a pinch of salt is enough for this recipe. See the recipe card below.
Spices: Vanilla and ground cinnamon is essential to this fritter recipe. Nutmeg is missing from the image above, which is optional for the recipe.

How to make plantain fritters

Crush plantain: Peel and mash the plantain. If the plantain is ripe enough, it is possible to peel it as you would with a ripe banana. But if not, cut off the tips of the plantain, then cut along the side, and you can easily remove the skin. The riper the plantain is, the easier it is to mash. You can use and masher or a fork.
Sugar and spice: Add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg if you use them. You will notice that the sugar helps soften the plantain. If you find it a bit difficult to mash the plantain, add the sugar to it to aid you in the task.
Combine flour: Only use enough plain flour that makes a soft batter similar to a pancake mix, but not as runny. With plantain fritters batter, you may have to add water to get the right consistency.

Heat oil: Use just enough oil that covers the frying side of the fritters. Heat the oil on medium fire. The fritters burn easily because of the sugar, so keep your eyes on them while they fry and turn the heat down if necessary.

Serving

Jamaican usually eat plantain fritters for breakfast and serve it with scrambled egg, steamed callaloo or ackee and saltfish. Because of its sweet taste, plantain fritters are also eaten alone. It also goes well with maple syrup.

How to store

Plantain fritters can last in the fridge for up to a week if stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze the fritters.