Sopa de Platano (Quick & Easy Plantain Soup)

Name: Sopa de Platano (Quick & Easy Plantain Soup)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 4 oz pancetta (can also be substituted for diced bacon or prosciutto); 1 small yellow onion, diced; ¼ cup sofrito; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped; 2 green or yellow* plantains, peeled and chopped into 1 inch rounds; 3 cups stock (could be chicken, beef, veggie, etc.) + extra if you like a thinner soup; salt, pepper, or adobo to taste; optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, avocado, plantain chips

by Salima Benkhalti on October 17, 2024

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I guarantee you will love this Puerto Rican style Sopa de Platano. It’s a quick, easy plantain soup that’s super creamy and full of island flavor. It’s made even more cozy with a topping of sour cream, fresh herbs, and crispy pork. The ultimate comfort food in a bowl!

This creamy sopa de platano is affectionately known in our household as a 30-minute win. We have a growing collection of these 30 minute recipes, that come in super handy on weeknights where we want something delicious and homemade, without much effort.

And this cozy Puerto Rican plantain soup meets all the requirements:

Cooks in one pot to keep the dirty dishes minimal
Makes great leftovers that can be reheated easily in the microwave
Easy to customize with toppings like sour cream, pancetta, bacon, avocado, pique, etc. We especially love topping with a bit of grated cheddar cheese and crunchy plantain chips

The combination of the crispy pancetta, crunchy plantain chips (make them yourself or grab a bag at the store or online), and the creamy rich soup is the true definition of cozy comfort.

Like a bowl of loaded potato soup, but better.

Bowls of chopped onion, plantain, garlic, and more.

Ingredients

pancetta or bacon or prosciutto
yellow onion, diced
sofrito
garlic, minced
red bell pepper, roughly chopped
green plantains, peeled and chopped into 1 inch rounds
stock (could be chicken, beef, veggie, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, avocado, plantain chips

Find the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.

How To Make It

Crispy pancetta in a pot. — Start with the pancetta in a pot over medium heat. Stir until it becomes crispy and fully cooked. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess fat, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Plantains with garlic and onions in a pot. — Start with the pancetta in a pot over medium heat. Stir until it becomes crispy and fully cooked. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess fat, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Tip: Add a splash of additional stock to the pot after blending if you’d like a thinner consistency.

More Topping Ideas

The creamy rich texture of this soup is perfect for loading up with toppings, the most traditional being some sort of crispy ham.

Many Puerto Ricans also love using crispy plantain chips, sliced avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or pique.

I sometimes go a little roque and add some grated cheddar cheese, because why not?

30-Minute Baked Plantain Chips

10 Minute Pique (Puerto Rican Hot Sauce)

5-Minute Cilantro Lime Sauce

Creamy Soup Without Any Shortcuts

The plantains act as a starchy thickener in this recipe (kind of like potatoes in a potato soup), so you won’t need any heavy cream, a flour roux, or cornstarch slurry to get that creamy rich consistency.

If you find the plantain soup is too thick, add a splash of broth and watch it thin out beautifully. This tip is super helpful when reheating leftovers too!