20 Paleo Plantain Recipes
I took my first bite of plantain only a few months ago, and now I’m hooked! Plantain, which is available in most large grocery stores as well as Hispanic markets, is a starchy fruit that looks like a banana. Bananas and plantains may look similar, but when it comes to versatility, plantains are the clear winner. Even better, they are cheap and healthy!
For those cutting out the gluten, the variety of gluten-free flours lining your health food shelves may seem overwhelming. With these simple recipes, you can skip the majority of those unusual flours and rely on the unique baking properties of plantains. Some of the recipes here call for coconut flour, which is my favorite grain-and-gluten-free flour (read about the benefits of coconut flour here).
Important tip: when baking with plantains, be sure to use the directed color of plantains. Ripe and unripe plantains have different baking properties and can not be used interchangeably. Green plantains are the least ripe and most starchy, yellow plantains are more ripe, and speckled black plantains are the ripest and sweetest. If a recipe calls for green plantains, that means the plantain is unripe and starch-heavy. If a recipe calls for ripe (nearly black) plantains, do not substitute yellow or green ones.
1. Plantain Pancakes
Try Plantain Pancakes from The Healthy Foodie (contains coconut flour) or the Paleo Mom’s Plantain Pancakes (no coconut flour).
2. Plantain Tortillas
Plantain tortillas from Fresh Tart are rollable, fillable and stuffable (and also egg free). You can also use it as a pizza crust.
3. Plantain Doughnuts
“Single Lady” Plantain Doughnuts with a Chocolate Avocado Frosting from Studio Snacks.
4. Plantain Rice
Plantain Rice from Inspiralized, made with a vegetable spiralizer, is a grain-free alternative to regular rice.
5. Plantain Lasagna
Try this Carribean Plantain Lasagna (a few tweaks needed to make it “real food” such as replacing the vegetable oil with a healthy cooking oil) or Curry Plantain Lasagna from The Paleo Mom.
6. Plantain Waffles
Flourless Gingerbread Plantain Waffles from Purely Twins.
7. Plantain Tortilla Chips
Plantain tortilla chips from Kate’s Healthy Cupboard pair perfectly with salsas or hummus.
8. Plantain Socca
Just three ingredients needed for this Plantain Socca – a multi-purpose flatbread – from Purely Twins.
9. Plantain Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from Created To Be Paleo use fresh plantain and plantain flour, which can be found here.
10. Plantain Biscuits
These Sweet Plantain Biscuits from PaleOMG stand up to copious dollops of jam and butter.
11. Plantain Chocolate Cake
This grain free, egg free Plantain Chocolate Cake from A Clean Plate is topped with a creamy banana chocolate frosting.
12. Plantain Sandwich Rounds
Plantain Sandwich Rounds are an easy grain-free, egg-free sandwich solution from Delicious Obsessions.
13. Plantain Sandwiches
Jibaritos are a Puerto Rican tradition where bread is replaced by fried plantains. Try this Jibaritos recipe from The Healthy Beast.
14. Plantain Clafoutis
Clafoutis usually requires flour. Try this flourless Paleo Plantain Clafoutis from The Paleo Mom.
15. Plantain Nachos
Plantain Chip Nachos from Against All Grain make a grain free version of nachos.
16. Plantain Brownies
Flourless Plantain Brownies with Caramel Sauce from So Let’s Hang Out.
17. Lemon Garlic Plantain Chips
Crispy, crunchy, and flavorful. Try these Lemon Garlic Plantain Chips from Meatified!
18. Plantain Fries
Plantain Fries from South Beach Primal.
19. Plantain Cake
Flourless Plantain Cake from me.
20. Plantain Crackers
Garlic Rosemary Plantain Crackers from Autoimmune Paleo.
What are you favorite plantain recipes? Don’t forget to share with your gluten/grain free friends!
Luv ur website and recipes.
Is plantain flour better use for digestion/bloating rather than nut meAl?
Can u mix it with coconut flour?
Is it low carb?
Much appreciate ur feedback
Hi Lauren,
I think this is kind of a stupid question,but are plaintain’s GAPs legal? Im pretty sure they’re a starch so most likely not ok to have….
Also, I made my first batch of raw goat milk yogurt and well…its pretty much curds and whey! haha. I used my Cuisine yogurt maker, mixed 3 cups milk with 1/4 cup yogurt. Do you think I overcrowded the probiotics? Or maybe the temperature fluctuated to cause that? Are there any other things that cause the separation? And do you have any thoughts on adding gelatin?
Thank you, Lauren! I appreciate your opinion so much. <3
Plantains are not GAPS legal due to the starch, you’re correct. I’m sorry your yogurt didn’t work, I don’t have troubleshooting tips for you and I’ve not tried using gelatin in yogurt 🙁
please do not tease with these pictures and description ! Where have you hidden the recipes ??? I could not find how o access the recipes ! Please help,,,,,,
The green text below the picture is a link – if you scroll over the words “plantain pancake” under the picture, you can click it and go to the recipe.
Great roundup! I love the plantain rice idea.
I love to integrate plantain/bananas to my diet (have been glutenfree/dense starch free for 5 years) and never looked back as the results so outway the short pleasure. However, whenever I tried to sweeten ice cream with bananas I seem to react even now to the too high sugar content (I had major systemic candida to heal and so far only stevia works which is sometimes difficult). From what I read here you had to overcome immune issues as well – how did you accomplish this? Have you always been able to eat bananas/dates etc. or did you have to avoid it at some point and were able to reintegrate – if so any recommendation how to accomplish this? Thanks for this immense and beautiful work – great inspiration to have found your site.
I would love to start cooking/baking with plantains. But I was wondering if it is important to buy only organic plantains, or is it OK to eat conventional. I couldn’t find the answer to this question anywhere online. Sometimes it can be very difficult for me to find organic produce year round where I live.
Thank you!
Thanks for including one of my recipes in this roundup- I am honored!
Plantains are a mainstay in our household, especially since my daughter is allergic to tree nuts, coconut, and eggs, and because I have an autoimmune condition. I don’t know what we would do without this versatile, and cheap, food!
This looks interesting – I just found plantains where I live (Australia), they’re a bit pricey, but I like them, so I’m happy with this list, perfect inspiration. Just wanted to mention quickly, socca is gluten-free already, it’s made with chickpea flour.
I found this recipe on the web years ago and it is my favourite way to enjoy plantain. I am fortunate to have an abundance of passion fruit but one could always sub unsweetened orange juice 1/4 cup. I serve this as a side veggie, usually with chicken or pork.
Baked Plantains with Passion Fruit
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients
• 4 small ripe plantains (or bananas), peeled and sliced
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• juice of 3 passion fruits
• 1/4 cup honey
• juice and zest of one Florida lime
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Directions
Peel, slice, and arrange ripe plantains (or bananas) in a glass pie pan or baking dish. Sprinkle top with the remaining ingredients.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
So many recipes, so little time…