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Air Fryer Tostones

Name: Air Fryer Tostones
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 large plantain (green or yellow plantains); 2-4 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon sea salt

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Air Fryer Tostones is comfort food at its finest! We all have those dishes that bring back memories of home cooking and family gatherings, and for many, fried tostones are one of these nostalgia-inducing recipes. If you’re looking for a healthier way to enjoy this treat, try using your air fryer!

overhead closeup: air fryer tostones on a gray plate

Tostones in Air Fryer

Today was a great day at our house for lunch. I surprised the kids and made these Air Fryer Tostones when they were finishing school.

This is one of my favorite things to make in the air fryer! Today, I’m going to show you how easy it is to make delicious, crunchy fried tostone chips right at home with your own.

These make for such a healthy and delicious snack. The kids loved them, and I loved that they are not deep-fried — which provides a great and healthy snack for my family!

If you love AIR FRYER BANANA CHIPS and AIR FRYER PLANTAINS, you will absolutely love tostones in air fryer. Made with a few ingredients, and provide a great snack for the kids.

If you’re looking for even more Air Fryer Fruit Recipes, some of my favorites are AIR FRYER STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE BRUSCHETTA, AIR FRYER BAKED APPLES, AIR FRYER ROASTED PEAR SALAD and AIR FRYER DEHYDRATED BLUEBERRIES.

Why You’ll Love This Tostones Air Fryer Recipe

A great alternative to deep frying
Family-friendly and kid-approved
Air fried to perfection in under 20 minutes
Tasty and delicious

What Are Tostones?

If you are not familiar with tostones, they are twice-fried (in this case air fried) plantains. The word tostones is actually the Spanish verb that means to toast. They are very popular in Latin American or Caribbean cuisine, specifically in Puerto Rico.

They are really just unripe plantains that are air fried or fried, flattened, and then fried again. The key to any great tostone recipe is green plantain.

A great option for a side dish instead of French fries or onion rings, they go with any sandwich amazingly!

If you’re trying to stick to a healthier diet, air frying is an easy way of making this tasty dish without all the added fat from deep-frying. With the right ingredients and preparation techniques — which we’ll go through in this post — you can be munching on crispy homemade air fryer tostones in no time!

Ingredients Needed For Fried Tostones

Remember the step-by-step directions are below in the printable recipe card, at the end of the post.

Raw Plantains: Use green plantains or yellow plantains found at your local grocery store.
Olive Oil Spray
Cold Water
Sea Salt

How To Peel Plantains

Unlike bananas, plantains are very hard to peel. The peel of the plantain flesh is very thick.

The best way to peel a plantain to make tostones in air fryer is to cut the ends, cut some lines in the skin, and peel.

How To Pick a Plantain For Tostones

The best ones to get are completely green without any bruises. If the plantain has any spots of yellow, do not get it. You really want completely green plantains for the best results.

How To Make Air Fried Tostones

overhead: a peeled green plantain for tostones in air fryer

Step 1: Peel and cut the plantains

Start by peeling the green plantains. They have thick skin, so you will need to use a sharp knife.

On a large cutting board, cut off the end of the plantains. Slice the fruit into 1-inch chunks.

overhead: soaking plantain in water and salt in a red bowl

Step 2: Place tostones in air fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F, air fryer setting.

In a large bowl add your plantain pieces, warm water, and salt. Allow the mixture to soak for about 20 minutes.

Dry the plantains with paper towels, then coat them with olive oil. Place them into your air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes, being sure to flip halfway.

overhead: smashed air fried tostone next to a glass drinking glass

Step 3: Smash

Carefully remove the air fryer tostones from the air fryer basket. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to smash them.

closeup: frying air fryer tostones for a second time in air fryer basket

Step 4: Air fry again

Place the fried tostones in the air fryer basket to fry again. Spray them generously with cooking spray, and air fry for another 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.

How to Flatten Tostones

In Latin America and Mexico where these are a staple in the daily diet, they use a Tostonera Press to flatten the plantain.

Since you most likely won’t be making this tostones air fryer recipe every day, I would suggest using a drinking glass or using a rolling pin after you place it in between parchment paper.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Tostones?

Air fried tostones are typically served with fresh lime wedges, lime juice, sour cream, mayo, or ketchup.

You can also serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, or a spray of olive oil and some sea salt.

Are Tostones the Same As Plantain Chips?

While both are made from fried plantains, tostones and plantain chips do differ slightly.

Unlike regular fried sweet plantains, tostones are made from firm, starchy green plantains that are sliced, double-fried, and seasoned. The result is a crispy, savory snack with a mild, nutty flavor, as opposed to the sweet and ripe taste of regular fried plantains.

Remember, I also have an AIR FRYER PLANTAINS recipe!

Make Ahead Tips for Tostones

I often make this tostones air fryer recipe ahead of time. There are several ways that you can do this.

The first is that you can stop at the pressing part, and then fry the second time later.

Or, you can make them and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in your air fryer or in your oven. For best results, I would spray them again with olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt on top.

Storing and Freezing Tostones

If you have any leftover air fryer tostones, place them into an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will last for about a day.

To Freeze: Make them as directed, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and pop them into the freezer. Freeze until solid, then transfer frozen tostones into a freezer bag. They will last for about a month. If you want to make a double batch and then freeze some, go for it!
To Cook From Frozen: Place the frozen tostones into the air fryer basket, spray with some olive oil, and heat until warmed through.

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