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
Units
Scale
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 3 green plantains
- 4–5 garlic cloves
- 1 cup chicharrón (crispy pork skin)
Optional toppings:
- cilantro
- lime juice or vinegar
- olive oil
- chicken broth
- camarones guisados or carne guisada
Instructions
- Prep the plantains. Start by heating your oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium heat. 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, gently add in the plantain slices and fry until golden brown and cooked through (about 10 minutes), making sure to move them around in the oil occasionally so they cook evenly. 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 garlic cloves and chicharrón and mash (using the back of a wooden spoon if you don’t have a mortar and pestle). Add in the fried plantain slices and mash those in with the garlic and pork rinds.
- Serve. To serve, fill a small bowl with your mofongo and flip onto a plate, to get that perfect dome-like shape. Top with a blend of cilantro, vinegar, and olive oil and serve with chicken broth or saucy dish of choice.
Notes
- If things feel too dry before serving, you can add a few tablespoons of warm water, broth, or butter (softened to room temperature) 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.
- Mofongo can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. That said, because of the crispy texture from the pork rinds, it’s best to enjoy it fresh.