Plátanos Horneados con Queso y Crema (Baked Plantains With Cheese and Cream)

By
Marisel Salazar
headshot of writer marisel salazar
Marisel Salazar
Marisel Salazar a food, restaurant, and travel writer and video host based in New York City. She has written for Michelin, PureWow, VinePair, INSIDER, and more.
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Published on 09/29/20
Plátanos Horneados con Queso y Crema recipe

The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 3 servings
Yield: 3 plantains
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
347 Calories
7g Fat
76g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 347
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 94mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 26mg 132%
Calcium 82mg 6%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 1153mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Platanos (or plantains) are a starchy banana variety commonly used in Latin American cooking. Some dishes call for unripened green plantains, while others use plátanos machos or maduros, which are yellow and ripe. Preparations may be savory, utilizing green plantains, or on the sweeter side if using yellow plantains. These baked plantains with cheese and cream are an easy breakfast or side to lunch or dinner. The dish is also known as plátanos maduros asados con queso.

For those who like spice, a dash of green or cilantro hot sauce is great to add some fire (such as ají criollo). They may be baked with or without the peel, but the peel adds a dramatic presentation.

Ingredients

  • 3 platanos machos (yellow plantains)

  • 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco, grated cotija cheese, or goat cheese

  • 1/4 cup queso crema (sour cream thinned with water) or creme fraiche

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Plátanos Horneados con Queso y Crema ingredients

    The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place unpeeled plantains on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, turning every 10 or 15 minutes, until the peel begins to split open and flesh is tender.

    Place unpeeled plantains on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

  3. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle.

    place on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

  4. Using a knife, split the peel lengthwise and gently open up each plantain.

    split the peel lengthwise

    The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

  5. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with crema to your liking. Salt to taste. Serve warm.

    Plátanos Horneados con Queso y Crema recipe

    The Spruce / Marisel Salazar

Tips

  • If you prefer, you can remove the peel entirely prior baking.
  • If plantains brown quickly, but are not cooked or tender inside yet, cover with aluminum to prevent burning.

Recipe Variation

  • For an even richer baked plantain: Peel the plantain and brush with butter and bake. Or if you want to keep the peel, after slicing lengthwise, brush with butter, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Follow the rest of the directions.