Mofongo (Puerto Rican mashed plantain with garlic)
Fried green plantain pounded with garlic, olive oil and crispy bacon into a savoury mound, a Puerto Rican favourite.
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.82 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Fry the bacon in a dry pan for 8 minutes until very crisp. Lift out onto kitchen paper and chop finely, keeping the fat.
8 min - 2
Peel the plantains by cutting off the ends, scoring the skin down its length and prising it off. Cut into 2 cm rounds.
- 3
Heat the sunflower oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain for 5 minutes, turning, until pale gold and tender, not brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
5 min - 4
Bash the garlic with the salt in a mortar, or a bowl with the end of a rolling pin, to a paste. Stir in the olive oil.
- 5
While the plantain is hot, add it to the garlic oil in batches with a splash of the bacon fat and mash firmly until coarse and sticky. Fold in the bacon.
- 6
Pack into a small bowl, tip out onto plates, and serve at once with a cup of hot chicken broth if you have some, to spoon over.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.