🇵🇦 Panamanian Cuisine

Patacones

Twice-Fried Green Plantains

Prep Time 10 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy
Calories 240 kcal

Thick green plantain rounds, fried, smashed flat, and fried again until crispy — Panama's ubiquitous side dish served with every meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Peel plantains and cut into 2cm thick rounds.
  2. 2 Fry in hot oil at 160°C for 4-5 min until pale golden. Remove.
  3. 3 Flatten each piece with a tostonera or cup bottom to about 5mm thick.
  4. 4 Fry again at 180°C for 2-3 min until deep golden and crispy.
  5. 5 Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt immediately.
  6. 6 Serve hot alongside any main dish.

Did You Know?

In Panama, asking for a meal without patacones is like asking for a sandwich without bread — technically possible but deeply wrong.