The traditional method is to twice-fry the plantains in oil, but today I am sharing an air-fried version of my Puerto Rican family’s recipe, which is much lighter as it uses olive oil spray instead of deep-frying.
I am so happy with how crispy and good they come out using the air fryer instead of deep frying them, and love having this low-guilt alternative for our traditional comfort food!
Slice tips off the plantain. Make a vertical cut in the skin from end to end, making sure to cut only through the thick skin and not into the plantain flesh. Cut plantain, still with the peel, into 1-inch chunks.
Remove the plantain pieces from the air fryer with tongs. Smash to about 1/2-inch thickness using a tostonera (plantain smasher). Soak the smashed tostones in the bowl of salted water while smashing the rest.