Green Plantain Waffles

Green plantains might look intimidating if you’ve never used them, but they’re surprisingly easy to cook with. These Green Plantain Waffles are made from mashed boiled plantains that turn into a smooth, starchy dough, no flour needed! Pressed in a waffle maker until golden and crisp, they make a savory base for all kinds of toppings, from avocado and cheese to fried eggs!

Receta en Español

What are green plantain waffles?

Green plantain waffles are a savory version of waffles made with a simple green plantain dough that is naturally gluten free! They are actually a creative twist on traditional Ecuadorian tortillas de verde (green plantain patties). Instead of pan-frying, the plantain dough is cooked in a waffle maker until crisp on the outside and soft inside.

You can keep them plain or stuff them with cheese for a gooey, melty center. They’re naturally gluten-free, savory, and make an incredible base for both breakfast and lunch dishes.

Keep in mind that these are made with green, unripe plantains. If you have plantains that are already ripened and yellow, you can follow my sweet plantain waffle recipe instead!

Ingredient Notes

• Green plantains: The star of the show! Make sure they’re green and firm, not yellow, since those are sweet and won’t work here. Green plantains have a starchy texture that turns soft and doughy once cooked.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps the plantain dough stay tender.
• Cooking water: The reserved water from boiling the plantains helps bind the dough and keep it smooth.
• Salt: Essential for flavor!
• Garlic powder: A touch of flavor that pairs beautifully with the earthy plantain taste.
• Mozzarella or quesillo cheese: For stuffed waffles! The melted cheese adds gooey, salty contrast.
• Topping ideas: Get creative! Try mashed avocado, tomato-onion curtido, crumbled queso fresco, eggs, smoked salmon, or a drizzle of Ecuadorian ají hot sauce.

Tips for Success

• To peel green plantains, you can slice off the two ends of the plantain. Then, use a knife to cut a slit down the side of the peel. Once there is an opening, you can use the knife or your thumbs to take the peel of the plantain.
• Cook them fully. The plantains should be tender all the way through before mashing, this makes the dough smooth and easy to shape.
• Don’t over-process. If using a food processor, pulse gently to avoid gummy dough. A potato ricer or manual masher gives the best texture.

• Shape with wet hands. The dough can get sticky, so wetting your hands makes it easier to handle.
• Check your waffle iron. Each one cooks differently, so look for a crisp golden exterior before removing.
• Make ahead! You can shape the patties in advance and refrigerate them until ready to cook.

How to Serve Them

• For breakfast: Top with mashed avocado, fried eggs, and tree tomato ají for a twist on avocado toast. Green plantain waffles are also great with salprieta on top!
• For brunch: Add smoked salmon, cream cheese, and a sprinkle of chives.
• For lunch or dinner: Try with chorizo, tomato and onion curtido, or crumbled queso fresco and a drizzle of olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these without a waffle maker?

Technically, yes! While I think the waffle maker makes them extra special, you can flatten the dough into patties or thick pancakes and pan-fry them over medium heat until golden and crispy on both sides.

Can I freeze them?

You can freeze the cooked waffles once cooled. Reheat them in a toaster or oven until warm and crisp again.

Are green plantain waffles sweet or savory?

They’re savory! Green plantains are starchy like potatoes, not sweet like ripe yellow plantains.

Green Plantain Waffles (Waffles de Plátano Verde)

These savory plantain waffles are made with boiled mashed green plantains, butter, garlic powder, and stuffed with cheese. Served with mashed avocado, tomato onion curtido salsa, fried eggs, queso fresco, and hot sauce.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Ecuadorian, Latin American, South American

Keyword: Cheese, Comfort food, Green plantain, Plátanos, Verdes, Waffles

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 waffles

Ingredients

• 5 green plantains
• 2 tablespoons of butter room temperature
• 2-3 tablespoons of water from cooking the plantains
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder optional, add more to taste
• 1 ½ cup grated mozzarella or quesillo cheese optional, if making stuffed waffles

Topping ideas:

• Mashed avocado or guacamole
• Tomato and onion curtido salsa
• Crumbled queso fresco
• Fried or poached eggs and/or smoked salmon, chorizo, ham, etc
• Ecuadorian sal prieta
• Ají hot sauce

Instructions

• Wash and peel the green plantains, I recommend doing this under running cold water to help prevent any stains from the plantains.
• Cut the peeled green plantains into halves and place them into a large pot of boiling water, you can also add a teaspoon of salt to the water.
  
• Cook the plantains for 30 minutes or until they are tender and soft.
  
• Keep the plantains in the pot and let them cool down a bit, but keep them in the warm water to help them stay soft.
• Next proceed to mash the green plantains to make the dough. There are several ways to do this, one option is to use an Ecuadorian wood masher. Some very talented home cooks in Ecuador will even do this with a fork. Another more modern option is to use a food processor, I used to do this when I started making green plantain dough, but the dough can sometimes be a bit sticky due to overmixing the plantain starch. My current favorite method is to use a potato ricer as it gives the best texture and is still less work than using a manual masher.
  
• When you have finished mashing or ricing the cooked green plantains, mix in 2 tablespoons of the warm plantain cooking water, 2 tablespoons of butter and salt to taste. You can also add a teaspoon of garlic powder for extra flavor. Mix and knead the plantain dough until you have a smooth but firm dough.
  
• Use your hands to form 10 medium sized plantain balls (you should be able to get 2 waffles for each plantain). If the dough is sticky, rinse your hands with water and use your wet hands to shape the dough.
  
• You can make the green plantain waffles plain or fill them some cheese (similar to Ecuadorian tortillas de verde). Both options are delicious. To fill them with cheese, make a hole in the middle of each plantain ball and fill it with 1-2 tablespoons of grated cheese. Then carefully push down the cheese while closing the dough and shaping it into a thick patty.
  
• If you are not stuffing the waffles, then simply flatten and reshape the balls into thick patties. The waffles will expand as they are flattened in the waffle maker, so make them slightly smaller than the room they will have in the waffle maker.
  
• You can make the green plantain patties ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to make the waffles.
• Heat the waffle maker as you usually would for regular waffles. Place the green plantain patties in the waffle maker. If you have a round waffle maker that makes single large waffle, place a patty on the center, close the waffle maker, and let it cook until crispy, about 7 minutes.
  
• If you have a square waffle maker that makes multiple waffles (4), place each patty in the center of each waffle section and cook until crisp, it might take a little longer (10 minutes). Open the waffle maker gently when checking for doneness.
• Remove the green plantain waffles from the machine and serve them warm with your favorite toppings (mashed avocado, fried eggs, smoked salmon, aji sauce, etc).
  

Step by step preparation photos for Green Plantain Waffles:

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