Patacones (Colombian Fried Green Plantain Cakes)

About This Recipe

Patacones — known as tostones in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico — are the most direct expression of the twice-fried plantain technique that spans the entire tropical Americas: green unripe plantains are cut, fried once to soften, smashed flat, then fried a second time to achieve a thin, shatteringly crisp disc with a dense, starchy, slightly sticky interior. Colombia's version, patacones, is particularly associated with the Caribbean coast (Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta) and the Pacific coast, where plantains grow in extraordinary abundance. The critical detail is the plantain must be green — unripe — because at this stage the starch hasn't yet converted to sugar, which would make them sticky and sweet rather than the required neutral, starchy base. A properly made patacón is golden-brown, rigid enough to hold toppings without bending, and subtly salty. Served as a side dish to everything from whole fried fish (pescado frito) to ceviche, topped with hogao (Colombian tomato-onion sauce), or eaten plain with a squeeze of lime, patacones are simultaneously the most humble and the most versatile thing on a Colombian table.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 largegreen plantains (fully unripe, hard and starchy)
• 500 mlneutral oil (vegetable or corn) for frying
• 1.5 tspcoarse salt
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced(optional; for salted water soak)
• 300 mlwater with 1 tsp salt(for optional soak between fries)
• 2 mediumripe tomatoes, finely diced(for hogao)
• 1 largewhite onion, finely diced(for hogao)
• 2 tbspneutral oil(for hogao)

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the plantains

   Cut off both ends of each plantain. Score the skin along the ridges with a knife and peel — green plantain skin is much tougher than ripe, so you may need to pry it off. Cut into 3–4 cm rounds.

2. 2

   First fry

   Heat oil in a deep pot or pan to 160°C. Fry plantain rounds in batches for 4–5 minutes until softened and pale gold but not crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon.

3. 3

   Smash

   While still hot, place each round between two sheets of parchment paper or in a tostonera (plantain press) and press firmly to flatten to about 6–8 mm thickness. They should spread into rough discs.

   Press firmly and evenly — thinner means crispier. Uneven thickness leads to uneven frying.

4. 4

   Optional salt soak

   Briefly dip flattened patacones in lightly salted water with garlic for 30 seconds, then pat completely dry. This adds flavour and helps achieve extra crispiness — a coastal Colombian secret.

5. 5

   Second fry

   Raise oil temperature to 185°C. Fry smashed rounds 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and rigid. Drain on paper towels and immediately season with salt.

6. 6

   Make hogao

   Sauté onion in oil over medium heat 5 minutes until soft. Add tomatoes, season with salt, and cook 10 minutes until jammy. This is hogao — Colombia's fundamental tomato-onion sauce.

7. 7

   Serve

   Stack patacones on a plate and top with hogao, guacamole, shredded chicken, or coastal-style with cooked shrimp and lime. Serve immediately while still crispy.

Variations

• •

  Patacón pisao: the Cartagena street version, smashed extra thin (3–4 mm) for maximum crispiness.

• •

  Topped patacón: serve as an open-face tostada topped with pulled pork, guacamole, and pico de gallo.

• •

  Twice-fried chips: cut green plantain very thin (use a mandolin) and fry at 180°C for chips (chifles).

Storage

Best eaten immediately after the second fry. They cannot be reheated successfully — they become leathery. Cook and serve in the same sitting.

Frequently Asked Questions