Learn how to make one of Puerto Ricos Traditional Mofongo. It is soft, buttery, and delicious. Made with only 4 ingredients in 15 minutes!
The Mofongo is one of the most popular Puerto Rican dishes there is. You can find it practically anywhere on the island.
It is traditionally served with a Puerto Rican salad, mayoketchup sauce, and protein. My favorite meat of choice to have it with is Puerto Rican fried pork chunks.
What is Mofongo?
Mofongo is a Puerto Rican side dish made with fried green plantains that are mashed, seasoned, shaped, and served. They have a very soft tender texture and it is delicious.
Mofongo is one of those recipes that goes with anything. It is very popular to serve along with a Puerto Rican arroz chino.
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Why this Recipe Works
- This recipe will teach you to make a delicious and very soft mofongo.
- This can be a vegetarian and vegan-friendly mofongo by just removing the butter.
Recipe Ingredientes
- Oil- The oil is only used to fry the plantains. You can avoid using oil by cooking the plantains in an air fryer.
- Plantains– The plantains must be as green as possible. If they are even a little yellow it will change the savory taste to one that is sweeter. Is not bad but it will just be different.
- Garlic- I used ½ teaspoon of garlic to start but you can always add more. I always tend to add more but is because I love it when it has an intense garlic flavor.
- Adobo-I always is adobo to season because it gives a distinct taste to the mofongo.
- Butter- The butter is a must for this recipe. It will make it tender and soft. But it also adds a delicious flavor. If you want to avoid using butter you can use 3-4 tablespoons of stock to make it soft.
Variations
- There’s a variation to mofongo called trifongo which is also made with plantains but also has yuca and sweet plantains.
- Some people like to add pork grinds or even bacon to mofongo.
How To Make A Mofongo
- Photo 1: Peel the plantains and cut them into 1-inch circles. Remember you can peel a plantain in different ways.
- Photo 2: Add oil to a big pot to fry the plantains for 7 minutes.
- Photo 3: Depending on the size of your pilon you can mash all the plantain at the same time or do it in 2 batches. Add all the plantains, seasoning, and garlic. Mash until you have a smoother consistency. That’s why I suggest using a big pilon.
- Photo 4: Now the very last step is to add the butter and mash until smooth like a Play-Doh consistency. The mofongo should not have a lumpy consistency. If it does then keep mashing. Mold and serve.
📓 Note: Don’t forget to top your mofongo with garlic oil, mayo ketchup, or a garlic cilantro sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Try to fry and mash the plantains as fast as you cook them because if. they get too cold it will be harder to mash and shape.
- If peeling multiple plantains is best to wear gloves or put some oil in your hands to avoid the stickiness from the plantain skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
These 3 are not the same. You can find that other countries do similar versions of mofongo. In the Dominican Republic, they make mofongo and also mangu which are similar but the plantains are boiled. In many parts of Africa, they make Fufu which also has plantains but they add yuca(cassava) and yams.
While a pilon is the tool traditionally used to make mofongo, you don’t have to use it. You just need a container big enough to hold the plantains and mash with anything strong enough like a bottle.
Kind of and no. Mofongo is meant to be eaten fresh. Yes, you can reheat this and eat it but it won’t be as soft as a fresh one or as pleasant to eat.
You can shape the leftovers into balls and freeze them for later. These balls you’re then going to fry until the outside forms a crust or until golden brown. Then you’ll have mofongo balls!
More Plantain Recipes
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Puerto Rican Mofongo
Ingredients
- 2 green plantain
- 1 teaspoons adobo
- ½ teaspoon garlic or 1 small garlic clove
- 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 cup oil
Instructions
- Cut the ends of the plantain and make a vertical line on opposite sides and peel. Cut into circles that are about 1 ½ inch thick.
- In a medium pan add your oil. Fry for 3 ½ minutes on each side over medium heat.
- Now add your fried plantains to your pilon and start mashing. Do this for about 2 minutes and you will start seeing the plantain getting smooth.
- Add your adobo and garlic and mash for another minute. Finally add your butter and mash for another minute. Serve right away and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Your plantains should be green but if yours are starting to change color into a light yellow you can still make it but it will have a sweet taste it won’t have that authentic flavor.
- The size of the plantains can change how seasoned the mofongo tastes. Make sure that after you add your seasoning and mash the plantains you taste it to see if it needs more.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. The reason for this is that if you use cold butter it will make your mofongo cold.
- To serve you can leave the mofongo in the mortar or just flip it onto a plate. You can use a small bowl or dish to shape it.
Stephenie says
Hola Margarita, thank you for visiting the site. While I do agree we do add chicharron to the mofongo not every one does it. Like por ejemplo no todos le hechamos garbanzo a los pasteles right? Y important to note that the Dominican mangu is boiled while this mofongo is fried. I mention the chicharrones in the variations just in case people who like and can eat chicharron can add it.
Margarita Toro says
This is more like Dominican Republic mangú than genuine Puerto Rican mofongo, although it’s how they do it almost everywhere nowadays. For real, original, and authentic Puerto Rican mofongo make it with fried green plantains and crispy bits of chicharrón de cerdo and garlic. Mash together:
4 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices and fried
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups chicharrón (crispy pork rinds)
Best when using real chicharrón rather than a bag of pork rinds.
Stephenie says
Joanne, you can make the mongongo and reheat again but it never taste the same. To try and get the same quality you can make it and wrap it with plastic, this is to avoid the mofongo from getting dry. Another thing you can do is make the mofongo into a ball, when you are ready to eat fry this ball. It will still be soft in the middle and it will be crispy on the outside.
Joanne says
Can it be made ahead and reheated?