Mangu, is a delicious Dominican Republic treasure! Made with green plantains, simple seasonings and topped with an amazing blend of vinaigrette red onions.
Mangu is one of the most beloved dishes of the Dominican Republic. With full reason too!
Absolutely one of my most favorite dishes!
This dish is known for its simplicity but superb flavor. Typically served for breakfast with a side of salchichón (Dominican fried salami), queso frito (fried cheese) and a side of eggs.
Also known as “Mangu con Los Tres Golpes” or mangu with the three hits due to the traditionally three fried sides.
This may sound like a heavy breakfast but lacking in flavor and utter deliciousness, I promise it is not!
It can also be served for dinner as a side dish with pork, chicken, beef or even seafood.
I remember from the very first time I ever tried this dish (I was about 13 years old) I fell in love.
My mother, her Dominican friend and myself were on vacation in the Dominican Republic.
We arrived early in the morning and immediately went to visit her parents who lived in Santiago.
Needless to say and typical of a Latin welcoming, we arrived to a feast! The table was filled with an assortment of pastries and over half a dozen other delicious breakfast dishes.
From my first bite, I was hooked!
If you love plantains, so will you!
Ingredients
- 2 Green Plantains
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt, to taste
- reserve 1 cup of water plantains are cooked in
Red Onion Vinaigrette
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
- salt, to taste
How to Make Dominican Mangu
This dish is so easy to make, you’ll soon be adding it to your weekend breakfast routine.
Begin with the plantains.
Peel and cut the plantains.
Add plantain pieces to a pot filled with plenty of water, add salt and cook for 20-30 minutes.
While plantains are cooking, prepare the pickled onions.
Peel and slice the red onion into thin slices.
Place in a bowl with vinegar and salt. Mix onions with a fork.
Add oil and onion mixture to a small skillet and cook over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent.
Turn heat off. They are ready.
Back to the plantains.
Once plantains are tender, remove from water and mash with a fork.
(Reserve one cup of the water the plantains were cooked in.)
Add butter and mix with the mashed plantains.
Add a tablespoon at a time of the reserved plantain water until desired consistency of mash is reached. (Mangú, should have the consistency of a stiff potato mash)
Add a few teaspoons of the vinegar from cooked red onion mixture at a time. Mix again.
(Note: The vinegar from the cooked onions add tremendous flavor to this mash so don’t skip on this step!)
Add salt to taste.
Done!
Key Tips to Make the Best Mangu
Always, always use green plantains! The greener the plantain the better! You cannot make this dish with plantains that are starting to ripe!
Even though the consistency is usually that of stiff mashed potatoes, get it to the consistency that pleases you and your family. In other words, if you like a smoother consistency, simply add more plantain water, butter or oil to the mix until you are happy with the texture and consistency.
For a Typical Mangu Breakfast (Los Tres Golpes)
If you would like to make this delicious combination you will need:
- Latin frying cheese
- Dominican Salami Roll (can substitute with SPAM,
- Eggs
Instructions:
- Boil plantains.
- Make the onions while the plantains are cooking.
- Slice a few pieces of the salami and cheese.
- Fry both in a skillet with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Prepare mangú.
- Fry eggs to your liking.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Mangu Serving Ideas
Breakfast
Fried eggs and SPAM.
Dinner
Chicharrones de Pollo (Crispy Fried Chicken)
Camarones Empanizados (Battered Fried Shrimp)
Carne Mechada (Puerto Rican Style Pot Roast)
Pinchos de Cerdo (Puerto Rican Pork Skewers)
Mangu (Dominican Plantain Mash)
Ingredients
Plantains
- 2 green plantains peeled and cut up into chunks
- 3 tbsp butter
- salt to taste
- 1 cup reserve of water plantains are cooked in
Red Onion Vinaigrette (Pickled Red Onions)
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
Preparing Plantains
- Cut ends off plantains,Using a knife score the skin vertically down the plantain and peel skin off.Cut each plantains into large chunks.
- Add water to a large pot over medium heat.
- Add plantain chunks, salt and cook for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Red Onion Vinaigrette (Pickled Red Onions)
- Peel and slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Place onions inside a bowl with the vinegar and salt.
- Add the oil to a small skillet.Add the oil and cook onions over medium heat until soft and translucent.Turn heat off. They are ready.
Finish Plantains
- Once plantains are tender, drain the water from pot.Add plantain pieces to a bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add butter and mix with the mashed plantains.
- Add a tablespoon at a time of the reserved plantain water until desired consistency of mash is reached. (Mangú, should have the consistency of a stiff potato mash)NOTE: Do not add too much water as you will be adding a few teaspoons of the vinegar sauce from cooked onions.
- Add a few teaspoons of the vinegar from cooked red onion mixture at a time. Mix again. Note: The vinegar from the cooked onions adds tremendous flavor to this mash so don’t skip on this step!
- Add salt to taste.Done!
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