This recipe for Guatemalan rellenos de plátano can be served as a dessert, an appetizer, or just because. I learned how to make this from my granny. You have just discovered what you were looking for if you were seeking something unusual! Earn whatever you desire. Eat them simple, with a sprinkle of sugar, or, like we do in Guatemala, with sour cream!
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
Ingredients
- 6 plantains, peeled and broken into chunks
- 1 (16 ounce) can refried black beans
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 quart oil for frying
Instructions
- Place plantains in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash.
- Heat refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar and salt. Remove from heat.
- Form a palm-sized amount of mashed plantains into a ball; flatten and place about a teaspoon of bean mixture in the middle; then mold the sides of plantain around beans, making an egg-shaped ball.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), or until a small amount of batter sizzles and browns in oil.
- Fry rellenitos in hot oil until browned. Drain on paper towels.
- We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.
Reviews
To add to authentic taste: As the previous reviewer suggested, add a stick or two of cinnamon when boiling the plantains. For a sweeter taste (or to make it more likely that ninos will eat them), when you mash the plantains, add a bit of sugar. I also make salted cinnamon fudge to put inside. If you want it purely as dessert, you can even use cinnamon fudge in place of the beans; but to keep it authentic keep the beans, too.
For this recipe you MUST use ripened plantains, with green plantains it will taste completely different. It won’t necessarily be bad but it is a totally different dish altogether because plantains change in texture and flavor when they ripen. If you use green, these will be more like a potato dumpling filled with beans and will favor a savory taste. If you use ripe plantains these will be softer and have a sweet taste, similar to a sweet potato fritter (slightly sweeter depending on the ripeness level of the plantains). I am using the potato/sweet potato analogy to give you an idea of the sweetness, not because the taste is the same.
I like this recipe but i added more sugar to the beans and left out the salt .. also i placed the plantains in the water with their peels to give it more flavor and put 2 tablespoons of sugar and some cinnamon in the water as well ..
I was looking for something from Guatemala besides black beans and tortillas ( which are great!)These were delicious! I took them to a church function and the plate was left empty! Thanks!
Awesome!
I liked these fine though they were a little difficult to handle. Not sure I’d make them again. Boyfriend didn’t like
I am Guatemalan born in the US and I’ve always had these. This is as close as you’re going to get to the ones in El mercado central! couple of suggestions: Boil the plantains with a stick of cinnamon and use very rippened plantains. Greasy black peel almost moldy works best. It’s easier to work with and is way sweeter.
Absolutely delicious. One of my favorites.
My mother-in-law made these for me when she was visiting from Guatemala and I have made them a few times. I omit the salt. My family loves them.
All the family loved them. Next time omit the salt.
I grew up on platanos (plantains) and they are great! For a simpler treat, peel, slice up, and fry them in a bit of oil. The trick is to first let them ripen until the SKINS’s all black and getting moldy. Yes, it sounds gross, but this lets the starches break down & makes the plaintains extra sweet! They’re perfect with just some black beans and sour cream, but throw in some fried eggs and it’s the best breakfast ever!
These were okay. I really thought that they needed something more. I think next time I’ll add a little salt to the plantains. Also, I used powdered sugar but I think they would really be better with sour cream as suggested. They might benefit from being fried in coconut oil as well. Thanks!
I love this recipe! I taught a Spanish class this summer and for our last class we all brought food, the only rule was that it had to be Latin. So I went on a search for something out of the ordinary and found this. Everyone loved it! I was surprised at how easy it was to work with the mashed plantain, I thought it would be too sticky but it wasn’t. I didn’t have any refried black beans so I used a can of black beans, drained most of the liquid and mashed them. Instead of sour cream I used “media crema” (table cream) that you can find in the Mexican aisle of most major grocery stores. I used platanos maduros and didn’t try the cinnamon as another reviewer suggested but I might next time. I will definitely make this again. ¡Gracias por compartir esta receta tan buena!
I gave it 5 stars because it’s sure to taste good. But what’s missing from the recipe is whether one should use platanos maduros or platanos verdes.
I made this and they were so good. I took some to a friend of mine at work and she wants to make them too. This was the first time I cooked plantains but it won’t be the last. The recipe was very easy to do. Thanks! It’s a Keeper!
this recipe is fantastic!
There is one ingredient missing on this recipe. Add 1 stick of cinnamon to the water when cooking the plantains (remove the stick before mashing them). Do the same with the black beans. This is the original Guatemalan recipe. Some people also like to add a square of “cinnamon chocolate” which you can get at Mexican or Central American stores.
I tried this recipe for an Xmas party. It went over great for those who weren’t afraid to try it. I served it as an appetizer and it was yummy and not at all sweet. Use an electric mixer for mashing the bannanas and that will speed things up a bit in the preparation time.