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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Bolitas de Platano (Plantain Balls)

    by Stephenie Published: Sep 9, 2022 · Modified: Feb 26, 2024 . 2 Comments. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Bolitas de Platano are chewy, soft, and juicy plantain balls that you make with only 3 ingredients!

    plate with a puerto rican noodle soup, corn and bolitas de platano.

    Bolitas de platano are grated plantains that are seasoned and shaped into balls made all over the Caribbean. But this recipe is made in a Puerto Rican style.

    In some countries, plantain balls are fried. In Puerto Rico, we cook them in soups. We add them to sancocho soup, to Puerto Rican asopao de camarones or stews.

    You can even add them to Puerto Rican beans and have them with white Puerto Rican style rice!

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • How to make Bolitas de Platano
    • Recipe Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Plantain Recipes To Try
    • Bolitas de Platano (Plantain dumplings)

    Why This Recipe Works

    • Easy- This is a recipe that is so easy to make that can be prepared in 10 minutes like the shredded plantain fritters and cooked in 15 minutes!
    • Different cooking methods- It is a recipe that you boil and even fry.

    Recipe Ingredients

    ingredients needed to make plantain balls.
    • Green plantains- You want to use very green plantains so they can hold their shape when boiling. But if you’re looking to fry this recipe then the plantains can be slightly yellow.
    • Salt- I added ¼ of salt that you can substitute for an adobo mix. We don’t need to add a lot of seasonings because the plantain will absorb all the good flavors from the stock you cook them in.
    • Sazón– I used ¼ teaspoon for flavor and mainly to give the balls some color. You can substitute the sazon for 1 teaspoon of Puerto Rican achiote oil for color.

    How to make Bolitas de Platano


    collage on how to make bolitas de platano on the left peeling the plantain and shredding on the right.
    • Photo 1: First peel your plantain by cutting the ends and making a line lengthwise. With your knife, lift the skin and peel with your hands. There are different ways of peeling a plantain, this is just one of them.
    • Photo 2: Grate the plantain using a box grater on its smallest grating side. You can also make the plantain dough with a food processor or a blender. 
    collage on how to make bolitas de platano on the left making the balls and cooking on the right.
    • Photo 3: Season the dough and mix well. I usually taste a little bit of the dough to make sure is perfectly seasoned. Then grease your hands with a little bit of oil, butter, or shortening and shape the balls. Take a tablespoon, scoop the dough into your hands, and shape a ball. The ball won’t but perfectly shaped but that’s okay. Freeze for at least 10 minutes.
    • Photo 4: Gently place the balls in your soup. Try to place them at least 1 inch apart to avoid sticking to each other. Cook for 15 minutes or til they feel firm in the middle.
    • ☛ Important: Don’t move the bolitas while cooking. Doing so will risk the chance of the balls from falling apart.

    Recipe Tips

    • Shaping- If you’re having trouble shaping your balls, freeze the dough for 10 minutes before shaping.
    • Binding- Some people like to add flour to the bolitas to ensure they don’t fall apart.
    • Cooking- You can also cook these plantain balls by steaming them, frying or even air frying them.
    • Make ahead- You can make the bolitas ahead by seasoning, shaping, and freezing. Then freeze them in a tray flat, once frozen you can store in a freezer bag.
    one bolitas de platano in a laddle with soup.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why add plantain balls to soups?

    You should add these balls to your soup because are a great way to add more vegetables. Plus, your plantain balls will absorb the flavors you already have in your soup and will taste delicious. Another great benefit is that It helps to thicken your soup. This is done by releasing starch and tiny bits of plantain while they cook.

    Other ways of shaping the balls?

    You can take two spoons and with the aid of each other make a small oval shape. With one spoon push the dough from the other spoon into your soup. You can also use a greased ice cream scoop or even fill a pastry bag with the plantain and pipe the dough into your soup.

    More Plantain Recipes To Try

    • Arañitas
    • a plate with carne frita y mofongo.
      Mofongo
    • tostones- fried green plantains sprinkle with sea salt.
      Tostones (Fried Green Plantains)
    • a hand holding a bunch of platanutres or plantain chips.
      Platanutres (plantain chips)

    💬 If you enjoyed this Bolitas de Platano recipe, give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment, or question below. 

    If you rather watch how to make a recipe you can follow us on YouTube and our Facebook Page. Or keep up with us on Instagram and Pinterest.

    Bolitas de Platano (Plantain dumplings)

    Plantain balls are delicious and perfect to add to any soup.
    By: Stephenie
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep :10 minutes mins
    Cook :15 minutes mins
    Time :25 minutes mins
    servings :3

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 green plantain
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon sazón
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Peel your plantain and cut it in half. This is for better handling. Now grate your plantain with a box grater using the smallest holes side. Add your salt and sazón to your plantain dough. Mix until you see a uniform color.
    • First, put a couple of drops of oil onto your hands to avoid the dough from sticking to your hands. Take 2 scoops of a tablespoon of the dough and shape it into small balls. Freeze for 10 minutes so your dough can firm up
    • After you take the balls out of your freezer immediately add them to your soup and cook for 15 minutes over high heat. If you are not making a soup you can still cook them. Just take a medium-sized pan over high heat, add water, and boil for 15 minutes or until firm. Serve and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    • You can use a small blender or a food processor to grate the plantain just make sure that there are no clumps.
    • Make the bolitas fairly the same size to ensure even cooking.
    • When shaping the balls, grease whatever you’re using to avoid the dough from sticking.
    • The serving size is 2 balls for each serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 0.1mg
    Course :Appetizer
    Cuisine :Caribbean | Latin Inspired
    Tried this Recipe? Leave A Comment Below!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Stephenie says

      February 27, 2023 at 9:43 pm

      Your welcome Hilda, freezing is great not only to avoid falling apart but also to save to make another time.

    2. Hilda Johannes says

      February 27, 2023 at 1:27 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you I never thought of freezing them so they don’t full a part after.

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