This Plantain bowl recipe is the perfect meal for meatless Mondays.
You will love this hearty power bowl dish filled with brown rice, edamame beans, and sweet plantains, paired with veggies on the side and topped with a lovely cilantro parsley chimichurri sauce.
It's savory, a tad spicy, sweet, and simply delicious.
I love plantains, whether in a healthy plantain breakfast bowl, to make plantain waffles, or this savory dish. They are so versatile and wonderful fruits to cook with. Let's make these Avocado Plantain Rice Bowls.
Also, try my Cooked Salmon Poke Bowls.
Why You'll Love This Plantain Recipe
- It's a build-your-own plantain bowl for dinner that's fun and super easy to make.
- It's topped with fresh cilantro chimichurri sauce, which adds a lovely refreshing spiciness.
- Sweet plantains are the star of this dish and are so comforting.
- Quick-pan-fried edamame beans add a lovely crunch and are a great source of plant-based proteins.
- Brown rice adds a chewy texture and is quickly boiled in about 25 minutes. You'll use that time to prepare the rest.
Ingredients & Substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Brown rice: White rice and coconut rice are great alternative options.
- Olive oil: I use it to fry the plantains and beans. If you have them on hand, avocado or coconut oil are great options.
- Edamame beans: You can also use canned black beans.
- Yellow plantains with brown spots are sweet yet firm enough for this plantain bowl recipe.
- Veggies like avocado and cherry tomatoes: Bell pepper or cooked sweet potatoes are great options or add-ons too.
- Seasoning: Sea salt, black pepper, and cracked dried Rosemary (optional).
- Sauce: I love this paired with my homemade cilantro parsley chimichurri sauce. Another great option is a Habanera hot sauce if you like to spice it up more.
How to Make These Fried Plantain Bowls
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Note: if serving with rice, cook it while preparing this dish. When done, drain and season with a little bit of salt.
Step 1: Place frozen beans in a bowl covered with water to defrost and set aside.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick or cast iron pan. Fry plantains on both sides until golden brown for a few minutes, and set aside.
Step 3: Heat oil in the same large skillet. Cook and stir the drained and dried beans until slightly browned.
Step 4: Serve the ingredients, including any veggies, avocado slices, or sauce, separately to assemble the plantain bowls at the table.
Expert Tips
- Make the chimichurri sauce in advance: Although ready in 10 minutes, shave off that time by prepping this sauce with fresh herbs ahead of time.
- Reduce the rice's cooking time by bringing the water in a medium saucepan to a boil first and then adding the rice—like you would cook pasta. This starchy grain will be ready and tender in about 25 minutes.
- Use that time to prepare the other components of this fried plantain bowl recipe while keeping an eye on the rice.
- Use a large nonstick skillet to pan-fry plantains: I love my cast iron skillet because it evenly browns the plantains and holds its heat well.
- Fry the sliced plantains in a single layer to get that crispy brown texture. You might have to work in batches.
- Reduce the heat if your pan browns the plantains too quickly. Otherwise, they will turn blackish before being sweet and tender on the inside.
- Use the same large skillet to pan-fry the beans briefly—less clean-up: First, remove the browned yellow plantains and set aside. The pan's surface is already hot. Add a tad more oil and toss in the beans for about 5-7 minutes until they're cooked through and slightly brown.
Variations
- Use guacamole instead of avocado slices to add a delicious creaminess.
- You can use canned black beans instead. Drain and warm them in the skillet, like the edamame beans, in some olive oil until warm, and season with salt.
- Dried Rosemary needles: If you have them, sprinkle some over the end result. It adds a minty aroma and balances the flavors of this sweet-savory meal.
- Other alternative options to serve on the side: For a more spicy crunch, add a small, thinly sliced red onion, or add more citrusy flavors with extra cilantro or lime wedges.
- Not vegan: Try serving a fried egg on top for a more savory touch, or make chicken plantain bowls by adding any leftovers from this healthy chicken salad recipe or this cast-iron roast chicken.
- Mango Avocado Salad is the perfect refreshing side to complement this Meatless Monday plantain bowl recipe.
- Try microwaving the plantains instead of frying them. They'll become soft and sweet with an almost mushy texture.
Recipe FAQs
The plantain is a fruit and a starchy cousin of the banana and is often mistaken for a vegetable because it needs to be cooked for consumption.
Plantains go from a green (most starchy) state to yellow and then black when fully ripened.
They taste deliciously sweet when cooked ripened (without the banana flavor) or savory when still green (similar to cooked potatoes).
In this plantain recipe, I'm using ripe, yellow, spotty plantains. They caramelize when pan-fried and become sweet and tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Making them a wonderful choice to make vegan plantain bowls mixed with savory, spicy flavors.
Yes, they are naturally gluten-free.
These plantain bowls are the perfect meal for family or friends to make their own hearty, satisfying Meatless Monday dinner at the table. Enjoy!
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Have questions? Simply comment below or message me. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below. Thank you!
Here it is, a delicious and easy plantain bowl that's fun to make and combines wonderful sweet and savory flavors.
📖 Recipe
Avocado Plantain Rice Bowl Recipe with Edamame Beans
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 Cast iron skillet or large nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups brown rice short or long grain (about 237 grams)
- 4-6 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame beans 340 grams
- 4 ripe plantains (yellow with brown spots) peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 large ripe avocado peeled and sliced or chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half, 155 grams
Garnishes
- Dried Rosemary needles
- Chimichurri sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil (about 4 quarts). Once the water is boiling, add the rice and continue boiling for 25 minutes.1 ¼ cups brown rice
- Place frozen beans in a bowl covered with water to quickly defrost, and set aside.1 (10-ounce) package frozen shelled edamame beans
- While rice is cooking, pan fry the plantains. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, non-stick skillet.4-6 tablespoons olive oil
- When oil is shimmering, add the plantains (you'll have to work in batches).4 ripe plantains (yellow with brown spots)
- Fry for 1 to 2 minutes on one side and then another minute on the other side or until caramelized and browned. Season with salt to taste.Salt and black pepper
- Heat more olive oil if needed to fry the next batch. Continue untill all plantains are fried. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the same medium heat.
- Toss in the drained and dried beans. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned, set aside.
- When the rice is ready, drain and return the rice back to the pot. Season with a sprinkle of salt and stir to combine.
- Serve each ingredient separately in serving bowls or plates together with the tomatoes, avocado slices, and chimichurri sauce. Assemble the bowls at the table.1 large ripe avocado, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- To serve, layer rice, edamame beans, and fried plantains into 4 serving bowls. Arrange some tomatoes and avocado slices on the side.
- Serve with chimichurri sauce and dried rosemary needles (optional) for garnish.Chimichurri sauce
- Store leftovers except for avocado in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Make the chimichurri sauce in advance.
- Reduce the rice's cooking time by bringing the water in a medium saucepan to a boil and then adding the rice—like you would cook pasta. This starchy grain will be ready and tender in about 25 minutes.
- Use that time to prepare the other components of this fried plantain bowl while keeping an eye on the rice.
- Fry the sliced plantains in a single layer to get that crispy brown texture. You might have to work in batches.
- Reduce heat to medium or medium-high if your pan browns the fried plantains too quickly. Otherwise, they turn blackish before being sweet and tender on the inside.
- Use the same large skillet to pan-fry the beans briefly—less clean-up: First, remove the browned yellow plantains and set aside. The pan's surface is already hot. Add a tad more oil and toss in the beans for about 5-7 minutes until they're cooked through and slightly brown.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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