Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains) are sweet fried or baked plantains stuffed with savory ground meat and topped with shredded cheese. A delicious savory dish!
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If you love fried or baked plantains, you will truly enjoy these Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains). Where ripe sweet plantains come together with a savory carne molida (seasoned ground beef) and are topped with gooey melted monterey jack cheese.
The combination of the carne molida (Puerto Rico Picadillo) with the sweet ripe plantains and cheese is to die for!
“Canoas de Platano” translates to plantain canoes! Canoas in Spanish is pronounced (ka-no-ahhs).
If you follow my recipes, then these canoas may remind you of a similar dish, Puerto Rican Pastelon (Puerto Rican Plantain “Lasagna”).
These canoas de platano are perfect for lunch served by themselves or as a snack.
For a delicious dinner option, serve these alongside white rice with habichuelas guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans) and your belly will certainly thank you.
Ingredients for Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)
For Filling:
Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)
Ingredients
For Meat Filling
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 2 tbsp Puerto Rican sofrito optional
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp pimiento stuffed olives cut in half
- 1 packet Sazón with Culantro and Annato found in the Latin section
- 4 ounces tomato sauce I use Goya brand
- half a handful of fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1 capful of white or red vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 4 plantains peeled and fried or baked
- monterey cheese shredded
- oil for frying
Instructions
For Meat Filling
- Begin with adding the ground meat to a skillet over medium heat. Break ground meat apart with a spoon or spatula.Add the peppers, onions, garlic, sazon, oregano, cumin and vinegar and mix well. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes covered.If ground meat is too oily, drain some of the oil out of pan.
- Add tomato sauce, olives, water and cilantro. Stir well. Cook for 15 minutes covered.Turn off stove and set aside.
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Preparing the Plantains
- Cut the ends off of plantains (about two inches from each end) and score the skin of each plantain down the middle with a knife to remove skin. Be careful not to cut through into the plantain itself.
- Add about 1/2 inch of oil to a skillet over medium heat.Fry plantains whole until golden brown on all sides. (Use a fork to turn over as you cook them)Drain plantains on paper towels and let cool for a few minutes.
- After plantains have cooled for a few minutes, cut down the middle to form a sort of "canoe."
- Add shredded cheese to plantains and top with the carne molida. Top again with more cheese.
- Bake plantains for 10 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melted. You could also put canoas de platano under broiler to melt cheese.Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
I have never tried a savory dish with plantain before so this is highly interesting for me, though being an Indonesian I have had plenty of plantain dessert. Will definitely be giving this a try. 🙂
Awesome Anita, you must, promise you will not be disappointed!
Wow these plantains look super yummy with all that melty cheese. I never got to cook with them and they look so tempting right now.
Then you must try these Neha! THX for the compliment! 🙂
A very interesting and unique recipe. Love the combination of ingredients to making it. Cute and delicious and amazing presentation too.
Thanks Veena!
I never tasted plantains before, but these look and sound so delicious! Perfect for parties!
Thanks Natalie!
This looks SO good – I love the stuffing flavours in this dish.
Beautiful and flavoursome.
Thank you Alexandra! Yes the ground meat stuffing is SO good and compliments the ripe plantain perfectly!
I make plantains quite often but why have i never thought to stuff them?? This looks amazing!
Thanks Rosa! Yes you definitely have to give these a try for sure! They are amazing!
I have never actually tried a plantain – didn’t realize you could stuff them. I want to try your recipe!
Great! Let me know how you like them!