This recipe for bacon and cheese stuffed ripe plantains is all about love. I love plantains. I love bacon. I love cheese. The ripe plantains are baked until golden and then filled with crispy bacon, grated mozzarella and queso fresco. Stuffed ripe plantains are known as canoas de platano maduro in Spanish, this translates as plantain canoes or boats – which is what they resemble when you cut them open and stuff them. The most common filling or stuffing for ripe plantain canoas is usually cheese, other popular fillings include ground meat, chorizo, veggies and more. I thought it would be a sinfully delicious idea to stuff them with bacon and cheese.
Recipe for bacon and cheese stuffed ripe plantains made with baked ripe plantains filled with crispy bacon, grated mozzarella and queso fresco. Served with spicy aji criollo hot sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 ripe plantains, whole
- 1-2 tbs melted butter or oil, use as little as you want
- 2 cups, about 8 ounces, of grated or crumbled cheese, a mix of mozzarella and queso fresco
- 8 ounces of bacon, cut into small pieces
- Aji criollo sauce or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
- Peel the ripe plantains, place them on a baking sheet and rub them with butter or oil.
- Bake the plantains for 25-30 minutes, then turn plantain over. You can brush them with oil or melted butter when turning them over if they look like they are getting too dry.
- Bake for another 15 minutes or until they’re golden on both sides.
- While the plantains are baking, or ahead of time, cook the bacon pieces in a frying pan until crispy, drain the grease and let the bacon pieces cool down.
- Remove the plantains from the oven, made a lengthwise slit in the center of each plantain, and stuff them with layers of bacon and cheese.
- Return the bacon and cheese stuffed plantains to the oven and bake for about 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
- Serve immediately.
Have I mentioned that we love bacon around here? I’ve always thought that bacon (and chorizo) makes everything better. The combination of sweet plantains with the smokey crispy bacon and the melted cheese is amazingly good. These bacon stuffed plantains can be served for brunch, lunch or dinner.
These baked ripe plantains stuffed with bacon and cheese are extremely easy to make. Just rub the plantains with a bit of oil or butter, bake on one side for about 25-30 minutes, turn them over and bake for another 15 minutes. The bacon can be cooked ahead of time or while the plantains are baking. Once the plantains are finished baking, cut them open in the center, fill them with the crispy bacon and cheese. Return them to the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and enjoy.
I used a mix of grated mozzarella and queso fresco; you also use quesillo, oaxaca, monterrey jack, or any cheese combination that you prefer – just make sure to have at least one type of cheese that is good for melting. I love serving these stuffed ripe plantains with aji criollo, an Ecuadorian hot pepper and cilantro hot sauce – it adds that perfect touch of spice to the dish.
Step by step preparation photos for bacon and cheese stuffed ripe plantains {Canoas de plátano con tocino y queso}
*Disclosure: This bacon stuffed baked plantain recipe was created for Smithfield and I received compensation for this sponsored post. All photos, recipes, opinions and ideas are 100% my own.
Debbie Benavides says
November 16, 2014 at 5:48 pmAmazing, will do this tommorow
Russ says
May 16, 2014 at 8:21 amI work nights and should be sleeping, but instead I need to go find plantains! !
April says
February 18, 2014 at 2:35 pmOh. My. GAWSH. My mouth is watering. THANK YOU!