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These Puerto Rican piononos are sweet and savory treats made with a combination of fried brown plantains, picadillo, and beaten eggs. The result is sweet plantain cups stuffed with a salty ground beef & fluffy egg filling. They’re the perfect bite-sized appetizers or entrees that capture the flavors of Puerto Rico in a cup!

a plate of piononos

Why We Love This Recipe

Piononos are one of those classic Puerto Rican recipes that combines several things we love: maduros, picadillo, and eggs.

While the word has origins in Italy, Spain and the Philippines, the Puerto Rican version of piononos is actually said to have originated from baker D. Juan Boschetti.

They were originally known on the island to be sweet, sponge cake based treats filled with sweeter ingredients.

Nowadays they lean on the much more savory side with a picadillo-egg filling that pulls at my heart strings, as a true sweet-and-savory lover.

If you enjoy savory bite-sized Puerto Rican appetizers like crispy tostones and empanadillas, you will love these. And also be sure to check out my recipe for pastelón, that uses similar ingredients for a lasagna-style dish.

bowls of tomato sauce, spices, olives, and more

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make piononos:

For the Picadillo:

For the Plantains:

  • Canola or vegetable oil
  • Brown plantains

Other Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Nonstick spray

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Optional: Feel free to top the eggs with a sprinkle of grated cheese before baking, if desired.

a pan of picadillo
Step 1: Make the picadillo. Add sofrito and ground beef to a pan over medium high heat. Cook until the beef has browned, breaking up the meat. Add seasonings, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and olives, stir and bring to a heavy simmer. Lower, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until beef is fully cooked.
sliced plantains on a cutting board
Step 2: Peel & cut the plantains. Cut the tips off the plantains and peel the skin. Slice plantains into fourths lengthwise to create thick strips (see images above). 
plantains frying in oil
Step 3: Fry plantains. Heat oil in a clean frying pan. Fry plantain strips in batches, flipping to brown on both sides. Transfer fried plantains to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil. 
fried plantains with picadillo in cupcake tins
Step 4: Assemble piononos. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line each muffin tin slot with a fried plantain, wrapping it around the pocket. Add a few tablespoons of the picadillo to the inside of the plantains. Fill the remaining space with the beaten eggs. 
fried plantains with picadillo in cupcake tins
Step 5: Bake. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 205 degrees Celsius. Bake the piononos for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are no longer liquid.
a plate of piononos
Step 6: Enjoy. Remove from the tins and let cool before enjoying!

I recommend placing a baking sheet under the muffin tin to prevent any grease from spilling into the oven.

What to Eat with Piononos

This recipe goes well with these sides & sauces:

10 Minute Ensalada Verde

10 Minute Pique (Puerto Rican Hot Sauce)

Puerto Rican Style Stewed Black Beans (Habichuelas Negras)

5 Minute Puerto Rican MayoKetchup (Pink Sauce)
a plate of piononos

Easy Additions

While it’s not considered authentic, you can totally add some shredded cheese to your piononos before popping in the oven.

More Recipes with Picadillo

If you like this recipe with picadillo, be sure to check out these:

Baked Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)

Empanadillas (fried Puerto Rican turnovers)

30 Minute Puerto Rican Style Picadillo

Homemade Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters)

Special Kitchen Tools

The only special equipment you will need to make piononos is a muffin tin!

a plate of piononos

Storage

These reheat well in the oven or microwave, and can keep up to 5 days when stored in the fridge in an air tight container.

I do not recommend freezing them.

a plate of piononos

More Puerto Rican Recipes with Picadillo

You will likely not have leftover picadillo, but in case you do, here are some other fun ways to use your leftovers:

Papas Rellenas (Stuffed Potato Croquettes)

Empanadillas (fried Puerto Rican turnovers)

Baked Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)

Homemade Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters)

Buen Provecho,

the name Salima
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a plate of piononos

Puerto Rican Piononos (Plantain Cups with Picadillo)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 piononos 1x
  • Category: Entree, Dinner, Appetizer, Lunch, Breakfast
  • Method: Fried, Baked
  • Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Latin
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

These Puerto Rican piononos are sweet and savory treats made with a combination of fried brown plantains, picadillo, and beaten eggs. The result is sweet plantain cups stuffed with a salty ground beef & fluffy egg filling. They’re the perfect bite-sized appetizers or entrees that capture the flavors of Puerto Rico in a cup!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Picadillo:

For the Plantains:

  • 2 cups canola or vegetable oil
  • 3–4 large brown plantains

Other Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • Nonstick spray

Instructions

  1. Make the picadillo. Add sofrito and ground beef to a pan over medium high heat. Cook until the beef has browned, breaking up the meat. Add seasonings, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and olives, stir and bring to a heavy simmer. Lower, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until beef is fully cooked.
  2. Peel & cut the plantains. Cut the tips off the plantains and peel the skin. Slice plantains lengthwise to create ¼ inch thick strips (see images above).
  3. Fry plantains. Heat oil in a clean frying pan. Fry plantain strips in batches, flipping until golden brown on both sides. Transfer fried plantains to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.
  4. Assemble piononos. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line each muffin tin slot with a fried plantain, wrapping it around the pocket. Add a few tablespoons of the picadillo to the inside of the plantains. Fill the remaining space with the beaten eggs.
  5. Bake. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 205 degrees Celsius. Bake the piononos for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are no longer liquid. I recommend placing a baking sheet under the muffin tin to prevent any grease from spilling into the oven.
  6. Enjoy. Remove from the tins and let cool before enjoying!

Notes

Optional: Feel free to top the eggs with a sprinkle of grated cheese before baking, if desired.

Enjoy this recipe?

If you tried this recipe, please consider leaving a review in the comment section. I love hearing feedback and your review helps to keep Salima’s Kitchen going!