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    Home » Puerto Rican Recipes » Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

    Published: May 3, 2019 Modified: Jul 10, 2023 by Catherine Arena 17 Comments

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

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    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!

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains) served on a white platter.

    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 (Stuffed Plantains) served on a white platter.

    “Canoas de Platano” translates to plantain canoes!  Canoas in Spanish is pronounced (ka-no-ahhs).

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains) topped with chopped cilantro and served on a white platter.

    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.

    Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans) on a white plate served with avocado slices and lime wedges.

    Ingredients for Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

    For Filling:

    📖 Recipe

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains) served on a white platter.

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains)

    Canoas de Platano (Stuffed Plantains) are sweet fried or baked plantains stuffed with savory ground meat and topped with shredded cheese.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack
    Cuisine: Puerto Rican
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 532kcal
    Author: Catherine Arena

    Ingredients

    For Meat Filling

    • 1 pound ground meat
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • ½ green pepper chopped
    • 2 tablespoon Puerto Rican sofrito optional
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 tablespoon 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
    • ¼ teaspoon oregano
    • ⅛ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 capful of white or red vinegar
    • ¼ 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 ½ 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

    Serving: 4 | Calories: 532kcal | Carbohydrates: 246g | Protein: 90g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 322mg | Sodium: 1184mg | Potassium: 5379mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 116g | Vitamin A: 8845IU | Vitamin C: 194.5mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 14.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Click the stars above or below to rate or leave a comment down below!

    More Puerto Rican Recipes

    • Empanadillas de Guayaba on a gray plate.
      Empanadillas de Guayaba
    • Alcapurrias de Yuca (Cassava Fritters) sitting on top of plantain leaves with a side of hot sauce.
      Authentic Alcapurrias de Yuca
    • Flancocho (Vanilla Flan Cake) served on a white transparent platter with a serving on the side.
      Puerto Rican Flancocho
    • Alcapurrias (alcapurrias puertorriqueñas) served on a white platter with hot sauce.
      Homemade Alcapurrias

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    Comments

    1. Etienne says

      June 10, 2023 at 1:00 pm

      This looks amazing! AND WAS AMAZING. Thank you for the recipe! My Puerto Rican wife approved of it, my kids loved it. It will definitely be in our weekly rotation from now on. Puerto Rican dishes remind me of my own home in Mexico. We have some recipes like this in my region of Mexico and some that are just in the exact style of the recipe. The examples would be molotes de platano and platano relleno. Puerto Rican food always takes me back. Me and my wife are always sharing plantain recipes. Puerto Rican mofongo even reminds me of the Mexican mogo mogo/machuco de platano.

      Thank you very much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        June 17, 2023 at 4:00 am

        THANK YOU ETIENNE! Thank you for your kinds words and for taking the time to let me know how much you and your family enjoyed it! You warmed my heart when you mentioned your children enjoyed it! How beautiful how your wife and yourself influence one another and your children with all our delicious cuisine. Thank you again for your input and time Etienne! By the way, one of my upcoming recipes is moletes de platanos! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Krys clevinger says

      April 19, 2023 at 10:19 pm

      Flavorful. An amazing recipe. I just did a little less cilantro.

      Reply
    3. Jill says

      May 08, 2019 at 10:24 pm

      I have never actually tried a plantain – didn’t realize you could stuff them. I want to try your recipe!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 09, 2019 at 10:03 pm

        Great! Let me know how you like them!

        Reply
    4. Rosa says

      May 06, 2019 at 8:13 am

      I make plantains quite often but why have i never thought to stuff them?? This looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        Thanks Rosa! Yes you definitely have to give these a try for sure! They are amazing!

        Reply
    5. Alexandra Cook says

      May 06, 2019 at 2:26 am

      This looks SO good – I love the stuffing flavours in this dish.
      Beautiful and flavoursome.

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 3:07 am

        Thank you Alexandra! Yes the ground meat stuffing is SO good and compliments the ripe plantain perfectly!

        Reply
    6. Natalie says

      May 06, 2019 at 12:37 am

      I never tasted plantains before, but these look and sound so delicious! Perfect for parties!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 3:08 am

        Thanks Natalie!

        Reply
    7. Veena Azmanov says

      May 05, 2019 at 10:49 pm

      A very interesting and unique recipe. Love the combination of ingredients to making it. Cute and delicious and amazing presentation too.

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 3:08 am

        Thanks Veena!

        Reply
    8. Neha says

      May 05, 2019 at 10:21 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 3:09 am

        Then you must try these Neha! THX for the compliment! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says

      May 05, 2019 at 8:54 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        May 06, 2019 at 3:10 am

        Awesome Anita, you must, promise you will not be disappointed!

        Reply
    5 from 9 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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