Traditional Puerto Rican Mofongo (25 Minutes!)
Mofongo is a popular Puerto Rican side dish made with fried green plantains mashed by hand together with chicharrones (crispy pork skin) and fresh garlic. It’s traditionally served with stews, sauces, or broth, and makes for a super delicious main or side. Because of the crispy texture from the pork rinds, it’s best enjoyed fresh!
If you enjoy plantains and Classic Puerto Rican recipes, you probably know and love mofongo.
Similar to other classic side dishes like maduros or tostones, it’s nearly impossible to visit a Puerto Rican restaurant or household without trying this plantain based dish.
Why we’re so crazy about mofongo:
- You get a creamy, smooth texture with salty bits of crunchy chicharrones and fried plantain throughout
- There’s a savory saltiness that’s neutral (thanks to the green plantains), making this dish easy to pair with tons of other recipes
- It’s the perfect base to top with sauces, stews and broths – they make their way into every inch of the mashed plantains, like gravy with mashed potatoes
I especially love serving it with Stewed Shrimp (Camarones Guisados) or Carne Guisada for a complete meal.
Ingredients
The grocery list to make this mofongo recipe is surprisingly simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
Because of the simple ingredients and directions, it’s a dish that is often compared to the popular Dominican mashed plantains, mangu.
Instructions
Tip: if things feel too dry before serving, you can add a few tablespoons of water or broth and continue to mash.
Chicharrones Substitutes
Although Mofongo Puerto Rico is made primarily from plantains, the use of chicharrones means it is not vegetarian or plant based.
Here are some of my favorite (yet totally unorthodox) plant based substitutions for chicharrones:
- crunchy puffed onion chips
- store bought plant based pork rinds
- fried rice paper ‘pork’ rinds
You can also omit the chicharrones and add a pinch of salt or two. It will compromise the texture slightly, but the flavor from the fried plantains and garlic will satisfy the mofongo craving!
Featured Review
I’ve tried making mofongo several times and this is by far the best one I’ve made! And it was so easy! I topped it with carne guisada and served it with rice and beans. So good!
Yovany
Toppings
Some of my favorite easy toppings for this mashed plantain dish:
- a simple cilantro lime sauce
- a squeeze of lime juice
- warm chicken broth
Or top with one of these traditional Puerto Rican stews:
More Plantain Recipes
If you love plantains as much as me, I have a list of 5+ of my favorite recipes using them. That’s a great place to find inspiration for any leftovers you have hanging around!
Buen provecho,
Traditional Puerto Rican Mofongo (25 Minutes!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Latin
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Mofongo is a popular Puerto Rican side dish made with fried green plantains mashed by hand together with chicharrones (crispy pork skin) and fresh garlic. It’s traditionally served with stews, sauces, or broth, and makes for a super delicious main or side. Because of the crispy texture from the pork rinds, it’s best enjoyed fresh!
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 3 green plantains
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4–5 garlic cloves
- 1 cup chicharrón (crispy pork skin)
- 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
Instructions
- Prep the plantains. Start by heating your oil too 350°F in a heavy duty pot or pan. While the oil is heating, prep the plantains by peeling and slicing them into 1 inch slices.
- Fry the plantains. Once the oil is hot, fry plantain pieces on both sides until golden brown and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Once they are cooked, remove from the oil and dry on a paper towel lined plate.
- Mash the mofongo. In a large bowl or mortar and pestle add the olive oil and garlic cloves and mash. Add fried plantains, chicharrones, and butter and mash everything together until evenly combined. Add salt to taste.
- Serve. To serve, fill a small bowl with your mofongo and flip onto a plate, to get that perfect dome-like shape. Serve with warm broth or a saucy dish of choice.
Notes
- If things feel too dry before serving, you can add a few tablespoons of water or broth and continue to mash.
- For an easy sauce combine 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup cilantro and 2 tsp lime juice or vinegar, blend with an immersion blender and enjoy.
It’s coming next month! Thanks Steven.
I’ve tried it without them before; the texture is not as crunchy but still great flavor.
Where did you get that wooden mortar and pestle?
It was my mom’s! I believe she got it in Puerto Rico but I’m not 100% sure.
Awesome recipe. I love plaintains but use an air-fryer instead of a frying pan. Maybe not as crispy but taste fried.
Can I use a blender to mash it up? Just wondering
I haven’t tried using a blender but I think a food processor should work, try pulsing gently until you get the desired texture.
Looks delish.
Yummy
I’ve tried making mofongo several times and this is by far the best one I’ve made! And it was so easy! I topped it with carne guisada and served it with rice and beans. So good!
Old time recipe, circa 1930-50s. Fry plantains until tender 6 -7 minutes. Remove, mash and fry again just as you do with tostones. Add 4 to 5 of them to your mortar that has the prepared garlic, chicharrón and olive oil. Mash all the ingredients together and serve accordingly. My mother, my grandmother and aunts made them in this fashion. They are fantastic because of the double frying. I’m now 88 years and that’s how it was done back then.
Thank you for posting your comment!
I just shared your comment with my cousin. He’d had Mofongo years ago and wanted a recipe. I’d sent him Salima’s recipe to him yesterday. Today, he tried and at first he was successful, then it didn’t turn out well for him. He blames himself, not the recipe.
I added my own comments to this blog, scrolled down, and spotted your comment. I just sent him your recipe, too. His issue was the plantains were too dry. I think he was afraid he’d cooked them too much, until I shared that you friend yours again, which is what he did.
He’s not giving up! He’s going to try again. Thank you for posting!-Kim
Sweet😋
Great recipe! Love the way you explained it. Made it really easy to make, thanks
Thank you so much for your comment Jose! If you have a moment, I’d greatly appreciate a star rating on this recipe, as it helps to support my work here at Salima’s Kitchen.