Puerto Rican Piononos are golden plantain cups filled with savory picadillo and topped with melted cheese. Perfect as a snack, appetizer, or served with rice and beans for lunch or dinner. A bite of the island in every bite!
In Puerto Rico, and really all throughout Latin America, you quickly learn that plantains are never just one recipe. We grow up cooking them every which way, yet somehow we always find new ways to use them. Whether added to stews and soups, mashed, fried, or baked, there's always another version waiting to be made. Some of our most quintessential dishes are made with plantains, like mofongo con carne frita and mofongo con camarones, while a quick snack might be crispy plantain chips or even empanadas like these empanadas de plátano. Plantains are a true staple in our kitchens. And today, I'm excited to share one of my favorite classic Puerto Rican recipes: piononos puertorriqueños, Puerto Rican cups or pinwheels, made with ripe plantains and stuffed with a savory picadillo carne molida filling.
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What are Puerto Rican Piononos?
These savory little delights are made with vertically sliced plantains that are first fried or baked until golden, then rolled into neat little cups and stuffed with a flavorful ground beef filling of carne molida (picadillo), and topped with melted cheese. You'll find them all over Puerto Rico, enjoyed as a snack, an appetizer, or even for lunch or dinner with a side of rice and beans. They're similar to pastelón and canoas de plátano, but instead of a casserole or individual stuffed plantains, piononos are served as little cups. If you've never tried them before but love plantains, I promise you're in for a truly delicious treat!
Ingredients
- ripe yellow plantains
- carne molida
- shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- eggs
- oil for frying
- toothpicks to hold piononos together
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Note: When choosing the plantains for this recipe, it is important to use plantains that are yellow with just a few black spots and not plantains that are too ripe. Plantains that have mostly black skin will not be able to hold the beef filling. So choose plantains that are yellow with a few black spots on the skin to produce the best piononos recipe.
Step by Step Instructions How to Make Piononos
Carne Molida (Picadillo) Filling
1. In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat and break it apart with a spoon or spatula.
2. Add the peppers, onions, garlic, sazon, oregano, cumin, and vinegar. Mix well. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes (Images 1, 2 and 3). If there's too much oil in the pan, drain some out and discard.
3. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, water, and cilantro. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside (Images 4 and 5).
1. Prepare the Plantains
- Cut off the ends of each plantain.
- Score the plantains lengthwise with a knife, cutting through the skin but not the flesh.
- Gently pry the skin at one end with your fingertip and peel the plantains.
- Slice the plantains vertically into thin slices (Image 1).
2. Fry the Plantains
- Add about ½ inch of vegetable or corn oil to a skillet over medium heat.
- Fry plantain slices on both sides until golden brown (Image 2).
- Drain fried plantains on paper towels and allow to cool for a few minutes.
3. Form Pinwheels
- Roll the cooled plantain slices into pinwheels and secure each with a toothpick (Image 3).
4. Prepare Egg Wash
- Lightly beat two eggs and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
5. Assemble Piononos
- Fill the center of each plantain pinwheel with the prepared carne molida filling and press lightly (Image 4).
- Drizzle beaten egg over each pionono to help keep the filling together (Image 5).
- Top with shredded cheese if desired.
6. Bake
- Carefully transfer each pionono to a greased baking sheet or casserole using a spatula.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until heated through and cheese has melted.
7. Serve
- Remove toothpicks carefully before serving.
- Enjoy warm as a snack, appetizer, or alongside rice and beans.
What to Serve Piononos Boricuas With
- Enjoy them on their own as a savory snack or appetizer.
- Serve alongside fresh avocado slices.
- Pair with a tossed salad for a lighter meal.
- Add a side of vegetables.
- Make it a full Puerto Rican-style meal with arroz blanco (white rice) and habichuelas guisadas (stewed beans).
Cathy’s Expert Tips
- Choosing plantains: Use ripe yellow plantains with some black spots.
- Peeling tip: Score the skin and gently pry it off.
- Frying vs. baking: Frying gives a golden, slightly caramelized texture, while baking is lighter and a little less messy.
- Keeping cups (pinwheels) together: Drizzling a bit of beaten egg over the assembled piononos before baking helps the filling stay in place.
- Cheese options: Monterey Jack melts beautifully, but you can try mozzarella, cheddar, or a combination.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Assemble them without cheese and refrigerate until ready to bake. Top with cheese before baking for 15-20 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Absolutely! Baking is a lighter option and still produces delicious piononos.
Yes! Although the traditional filling is picadillo, you can also use shredded chicken, seafood, or a vegetarian filling.
Yes. Assemble without cheese and freeze on a tray. Once frozen, store in a freezer safe bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to cook through.
Other Plantains Dishes We Love
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📖 Recipe
Piononos Boricuas
Ingredients
Carne Molida (Picadillo)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- ½ green pepper rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons sofrito
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons pimiento stuffed olives cut in half
- 1 packet sazón with culantro and annato
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- half a handful of fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- 1 capful white or red vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- salt to taste
Plantains and Other Ingredients Needed
- 3 ripe plantains (yellow with a few black spots) peeled and sliced
- shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- vegetable or corn oil for frying
- toothpicks to hold piononos together
Instructions
Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat and break it apart with a spoon or spatula.
- Add the peppers, onions, garlic, sazon, oregano, cumin, and vinegar. Mix well. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. If there's too much oil in the pan, drain some out and discard.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, water, and cilantro. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Prepare the Plantains
- Cut off the ends of each plantain.Score the plantains lengthwise with a knife, cutting through the skin but not the flesh. Gently pry the skin at one end with your fingertip and peel the plantains.Slice the plantains vertically into thin slices.
Fry the Plantains
- Add about ½ inch of vegetable or corn oil to a skillet over medium heat.Fry plantain slices on both sides until golden brown.Drain fried plantains on paper towels and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Form Plantain Cups (Pinwheels)
- Roll the cooled plantain slices into pinwheels and secure each with a toothpick.
Prepare Eggwash
- Lightly beat two eggs and set aside.
Assemble Piononos
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Fill the center of each plantain pinwheel with the prepared carne molida filling and press lightly.
- Drizzle beaten egg over each pionono to help keep the filling together. Additionally, top each pionono with cheese if desired.
Bake
- Carefully transfer each pionono to a greased baking sheet or casserole using a spatula.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until heated through and cheese has melted.
Serve
- Remove toothpicks carefully before serving. Enjoy warm as a snack, appetizer, or alongside rice and beans.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the plantain slices in a single layer.
- Lightly spray the tops of the plantain slices.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully flip each slice.
- Continue baking for another 8-10 minutes, or until the plantains are tender and lightly golden.
- Once baked, proceed with the recipe instructions to form, fill, and bake the piononos.
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