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Plantain Empanadas

Name: Plantain Empanadas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 0.5 White onion; 1 cdta Salt; 1 cup Green salsa; 2 cloves Garlic cloves; 200 ml Vegetable oil; 4 cdas Soured cream; 4 Ripe plantain; 300 g Cooked black beans

45 min (25 prep + 20 cook) Medium 4 servings Tabasco

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Tabascan empanadas with ripe plantain dough filled with refried black beans, fried until golden.

About this recipe

Plantain empanadas are a speciality from Tabasco state in southern Mexico, made with ripe plantain flesh instead of flour. The dough is formed by mashing ripe plantains until smooth, creating a soft, slightly sweet wrapper that contrasts beautifully with the savoury refried black bean filling. They are fried in hot oil until golden and crispy on the outside, whilst remaining creamy within. A traditional street food from Villahermosa markets and a true example of Mexico's tropical cuisine.

History & Origin

The plantain arrived in Mexico with Spanish colonisers in the 16th century and found its ideal home in Tabasco, Veracruz and Chiapas thanks to the tropical climate. Plantain empanadas are a Creole evolution of European empanadas, where wheat dough was replaced with ripe plantain flesh - an ingredient found in extraordinary abundance across the region. In Villahermosa markets these empanadas have been sold since the early hours of the morning as breakfast or a snack. The filling varies by cook: black beans, local cheese, crackling or coconut jam. The black bean version is the most traditional. Today they are a symbol of Tabascan gastronomy, appearing at local festivities including the Feria de Tabasco.

Estimated cost

£5.50

Total cost

£1.38

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

10g

Protein

50g

Carbohydrates

25g

Fat

Fibre

600mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Peel 4 very ripe plantains (blackened skin). Mash the flesh with a fork until smooth. Add a pinch of salt.
💡 The plantain must be very ripe so the dough is pliable and slightly sweet.
2
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Soften finely chopped white onion with garlic for 3 minutes. Add cooked black beans and mash with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and cook 5 minutes until thick.
💡 The beans should be thick so they don't leak out during frying.
3
Oil your hands. Take portions of plantain dough the size of a golf ball. Flatten each on cling film into a 10 cm disc. Place a tablespoon of beans in the centre.
4
Fold the disc in half, pressing the edges firmly together with damp fingers. Patch any cracks with extra dough. Shape into a half-moon empanada.
5
Heat enough oil in a deep pan to 175°C. Fry the empanadas 3-4 minutes per side until well golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with soured cream and green salsa.
💡 Don't move them during the first minute so they don't split open.