Tostones recipe and content provided by Joshua Weissman
To put it simply: Tostones are literally just twice-fried green plantains. But to me, they’re much more than that. Plantains have a type of starchiness that creates such a stark crusty crunch on the outside and smooth fluffy inside in tostones — tasty enough to rival French fries. They are a perfect vessel for just about any sauce; in this case that sauce would be guacamole, but the list goes on and on.
The first time I had tostones was when I first visited Jamaica. I went to a local restaurant, placed my order, then saw a waiter drop off a plate that was brimming with these gorgeous golden fried medallions. I hesitated and ended up not getting them. That decision plagued me for months until I finally found another place that served them. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Quick disclaimer: Yes, these tostones are an upgrade from other fried foods because they use higher-quality starches and cooking fats. However, deep frying is still not a Bulletproof-friendly cooking method. For that reason, this recipe is best to enjoy only occasionally. Alternatively, you can bake tostones: Arrange slices on a sheet pan, brush with fat, and bake at 375 for 10 minutes before smashing, flipping, and baking for two more 5-minute increments (brushing with more fat each time).
Crispy Paleo Tostones With Guacamole
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 green plantains, peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch rounds
- 3 cups avocado oil, grass-fed ghee, or pastured beef tallow
- 1 large avocado
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- fresh oregano leaves to garnish
- salt to taste
Instructions:
- Add oil, ghee, or tallow to a pan at least 3 inches deep on medium heat. A deep cast iron skillet works well.
- When oil is hot, add sliced plantain and make sure they’re evenly dispersed in the oil and not overcrowding the pan. Fry until the outsides are a light golden and they are soft enough to pierce with a fork. If needed, work in batches to fry.
- Remove slices and drain on paper towels. Using the bottom of a mason jar, squash and flatten the plantains until each one is about 1/4-inch thick.
- Add slices back into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on fresh paper towels and season immediately with salt.
- Prepare guacamole: Peel and pit your avocado, then mash with lime juice until the mixture is mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt.
- Serve tostones with guacamole and garnish with fresh oregano leaves.
Serves: 2-4
Nutritional Information (Per Serving):
- Calories: 176
- Total Fat: 8.1g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3g
- Cholesterol: 0g
- Sodium: 8mg
- Total Carbs: 28.3g
- Fiber: 5.2g
- Sugars: 0g
- Net Carbs: 23.1g
- Protein: 1.6g
- Calcium: 8mg
- Iron: 1mg
- Potassium: 611mg
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