Can You Make Banana Bread With Plantains? (And Which Is Better?)

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Moist, flavorful, and easy to make—these are the words that come to mind when I think of banana bread.

It’s my go-to comfort food for when I don’t have time to bake anything else. All you need is some flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and overripe bananas to make the whole neighborhood go “that smells delish!”

But let’s say you don’t have regular bananas. Can you make banana bread with plantains?

The answer is yes, you can use plantains if you don’t have regular bananas. The banana bread won’t be as sweet or flavorful, but it’ll turn out delicious nonetheless!

How Does Banana Bread Made With Plantain Taste?

Banana bread made with plantain, though not as sweet or flavorful, is no less delicious. Plantain offers a well-balanced semi-sweet flavor, a firm texture, and a moist consistency.

The secret to a successful plantain bread is using overripe plantain.

Raw plantain is tough, grainy, and almost potato-like in flavor, so raw plantain is a no-no when making banana bread.

Wait until the plantain’s skin turns mostly black with just a bit of yellow before using it on your bread.

Are Plantains Healthier Than Bananas?

Plantains are often dubbed as the healthier alternative to bananas. But is there actually some merit to this claim?

The truth is, bananas and plantains are equally healthy. They both offer high potassium and fiber content.

The difference between the two is that plantains contain more starch whereas bananas contain more sugar. This means that plantains are healthier for people with diabetes.

How to Make Plantain Bread

Though they both use the same preparation method, plantain bread, and banana bread have slightly different ingredients. Here’s how to make plantain bread:

Ingredients

• 2 overripe plantains
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of sugar (more, if you want it sweeter)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream, if you don’t have it)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (or cinnamon, if you prefer)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C for 20 minutes.
2. In a deep bowl, mash the plantains with a fork or a potato masher until soft and gooey. If you find it difficult to mash with a fork/potato masher, use an electric mixer. Plantains are tougher to mash than regular bananas, so you need to put a bit more elbow grease when mashing them.
3. In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar with milk and butter using an electric mixer. You can beat the mixture by hand, but you need to keep mixing until the batter is light and fluffy.
4. Add plain yogurt, eggs, mashed plantains, and vanilla extract to the creamed batter. Mix until combined.
5. In a different bowl, sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add nutmeg or cinnamon if desired.
6. Add in the wet ingredients and mix just until everything is combined. Don’t overmix as the bread may turn out dense.
7. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf pan and bake for about 50 to 65 minutes. If a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, it’s ready to pull out of the oven.
8. Let the plantain bread cool for at least 10 to 20 minutes before removing it from the pan.
9. Use a serrated knife to slice and enjoy with your favorite topping or icing.

Other Delicious Plantain Recipes

Plantains are often fried to make chips or tostones. They can also be boiled, baked, or mashed to create dozens of sweet and savory dishes. Here are some of my favorite plantain recipes:

• Spicy Plantain Black Bean Tacos: Ripe plantains coated in cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, and Mexican spices, and prepared on or alongside black bean tacos.
• Plantain and Avocado Salad: Fry the plantains until golden brown and toss it with beans, red onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocado, and your favorite salad dressing.
• Sweet Plantain Lasagna (Pastelón): Instead of using regular lasagna strips, replace them with thinly-sliced sweet plantains.
• Caramelized Plantains With Coconut Whipped Cream: Chop the plantains into 1/2-inch slices and toss them in a bowl of coconut sugar, cinnamon, and a dash of sea salt. Fry the plantains in a lightly oiled pan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, and serve with a generous dollop of coconut whipped cream.
• Baked Plantain Chips: Slice your plantains with a mandoline and toss it in with some olive oil and coconut oil. Then, lay the slices on a lined baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Final Thoughts

The answer to the question “can you make banana bread with plantains?” is yes, absolutely!

You’ll need to tweak the banana bread recipe a bit because plantain is starchier than a regular banana, but you’ll get an equally delicious result.

Plantain bread is semi-sweet and moist, making it a perfect companion for tea, coffee, and warm milk!

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