Roasted Plantain and Sweet Potato Tostadas — Throw some plantains and sweet potatoes in the oven and the hard part is over.
Sometimes I feel like I’m on a special committee for spreading the word about plantains.
It seems like every time I go to the grocery store I get questions from the check-out employees about “those weird bananas.”
“What are they? How are they different from bananas? How do you use them?”
Being the total food nerd that I am, I love having the opportunity to forcibly educate people about weird bananas.
“They’re a member of the banana family, but you use them for cooking. They are starchier and firmer than bananas. You can fry or roast them and use them in Latin or Caribbean-style recipes.”
Of course, this is all very simplified, but I try to keep it succinct. I can see the look in their eyes when I start telling them about the weird bananas. The look that say “I immediately regret asking about the weird bananas.”
How many times do you think I can write “weird bananas” in one blog post?
Anyway, I’m in a pretty serious relationship with plantains. You should be, too.
For this recipe I used ripe plantains, which means that more of the starches have converted to sugar than in under-ripe plantains. The peel should be yellow with streaks of black. If it looks green, it’s not ready yet.
For more information about plantains that you didn’t ask for, see my Vegan Cuban Bowls and Huevos Motulenos recipes.
Alright. Enough about plantains.
How about them sweet potatoes? And black beans?
And TOPPINGS.
I’m seriously such a sucker for toppings. I can make Mexican food pretty much any time I like because I *always* have cilantro, avocado, lime, and pickled onions on hand.
Save some time with this great 3-in-1 Avocado peeler, slicer and pitter tool.
I love how the onions turn bright purple as they pickle.
Of course, the toppings are always up to you; but trust me on the base for this recipe. The savory black beans pair perfectly with the roasted plantains on these sweet potato tostadas.
Ready to dig in?
Here’s the Recipe!
Plantain, Sweet Potato, and Black Bean Tostadas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 2 ripe plantains
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil - divided
- Kosher salt
- 2 14.5 ounce cans Old El Paso™ refried black beans
- 1 12 count package Old El Paso™ tostada shells
- Optional Toppings: pickled jalapenos - red pepper flakes, avocado, cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Peel and finely dice the sweet potato; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Peel and slice the plantains; transfer to a second parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle one tablespoon of oil over each sheet and season generously with kosher salt. Toss the sweet potato and plantains in the oil to coat evenly. Place the sweet potatoes on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and the plantains on the top rack. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the plantains and sweet potatoes begin to brown. Working one sheet at a time, use a spatula to flip over the plantains and sweet potatoes. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the plantains are golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a large pan set over medium heat. Stir frequently; once the beans are warm, turn the heat off and cover the pan.
- Heat the tostada shells in the microwave according to package instructions.
- Spread the refried beans over the tostada shells. Top with the plantains and sweet potatoes. Garnish as desired and serve at once.
NOTES
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Today’s recipe is sponsored by the wonderful people over at Old El Paso. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Wanderlust Kitchen!
the plantains look so crispy!! and what a coincidence that you spout banana trivia too; somehow i started talking about how bananas are climacteric yesterday out of the blue, with people who i’m pretty sure don’t care about how bananas ripen. oops.