Healthy High-Fiber Baked Sweet Plantains

Add a new source of fiber and sweetness to your recipe book with baked sweet plantains! Plantains look like bananas and are related, but they’re better eaten when cooked. Look for plantains in the produce section of your local supermarket. Yellow ones with brown spots are ripe. 

Traditional recipes with plantains often involve frying them in lard or butter, but this recipe brings out their natural sweetness by baking them. The result is a lower-fat, still delicious side dish that can be an alternative to a grain or another starchy vegetable. 

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• For a savory twist, swap cinnamon for garlic powder, black pepper, and optional cumin or chili powder. 
• For a snack, top plantains with plain Greek yogurt and ½ ounce of chopped peanuts. 
• For a lower-sugar dessert option, top them with 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
• For a side dish, serve them with protein and vegetables as your high-fiber carbohydrate in the meal. 

Recipe for Baked Sweet Plantains

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe plantains
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt to taste. 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
2. Peel the plantains. Cut them into ½-inch slices or halve them lengthwise for longer pieces. In a small bowl, toss the plantain pieces with the olive oil until lightly coated.
3. Arrange the plantains on the baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon and sea salt if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping the plantains halfway through, until they are golden brown, slightly caramelized, and fork-tender.

Nutrition information per serving (1 plantain): 190 calories, 7 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 32 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein

Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH, CDCES