Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
Finger foods and appetizers have got to be one of my favorite dishes to make and eat! There’s something about my favorite dishes being bite sized that makes it fun!
Tostones Rellenos are stuffed plantain cups that you can practically fill with anything. However, my absolute favorite filling is Dominican Carne Molida (ground beef) or Cuban Picadillo. The savory and perfectly seasoned ground beef is a family favorite and it’s no wonder we use it in other dishes like Pastelon, Cuban Pastelitos, and Beef and Cheese Empanadas!
Green Plantains: They’re starchy and hold their shape which is perfect for this recipe
Carne Molida / Picadillo (Ground Beef): You can make this in a variety of ways. The key is to make it well seasoned and saucy!
Oil For Frying: Use your preferred neutral oil of choice whether that be canola, corn, or vegetable oil
Plantain cups are extremely fun and easy to make. To start, peel and cut the plantain into 1 ½ – 2 inch pieces and fry them until they’re evenly golden throughout.
Drain the excess oil and create the plantain cups while the plantain is still warm. After they’re shaped, fry the plantains again before filling with yummy carne molida (ground beef).
Now when it comes to forming the plantains into cups, you can also make them a few ways. To start, you can use a special plantain cup tostonera that will make the plantain cup shape for you.
IMUSA makes one of the popular tostonera and you can easily find them on Amazon, Walmart, or any kitchen goods store at a Caribbean or Latin market.
But what if I told you that I have an even better hack? One that you probably have in your kitchen drawer! You can easily make the perfect plantain cups with a lemon or lime squeezer!
The trick is to line the lime or lemon squeezer with saran wrap and place the fried plantain. Gently press down to make the plantain cup shape.
The saran wrap will keep the plantain from oozing out of the holes meant for the lemon or lime juice.
Green plantains are the foundation to tostones rellenos, however, the filling is the literal heart and soul of this dish! Mastering the art of making a delicious ground beef filling will unlock the magic to so many other dishes!
When it comes to the ground beef filling, I personally go and forth between making it the Cuban and the Dominican way. Both are delicious since they’re perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection.
This may seem like over-kill, but trust me when I tell you that the key to making ground beef is to stew and braise it for at least 45 minutes to an hour! You never realize just how chewy ground beef can be until you tenderly stew it for a while.
In the end, you get a velvety smooth carne molida / picadillo that will make you a hero in your home. My aunt taught me this trick long ago, and now it’s a step that I will never skip!
Making tostones relleno de carne is pretty straight forward. However, there’s a few key things that you have to keep in mind. Unlike empanadas and pastelitos that you can make ahead of time, freeze, and fry just before serving, tostones rellenos is a bit different.
For the best results, you HAVE to make green plantains fresh. If you make them ahead of time and re-heat them, you’re wasting your time. Green plantains become dry and hard if you make them ahead of time.
This is why it’s best to make the filling first. If you’re making this dish for a party or the holidays, make the filling ahead of time and then fry the plantains just before serving. Green plantains, much like tostones, are best when served fresh and hot!
Tostones Rellenos can be filled with a variety of fillings. Here are a few of my favorites that are worth considering!
Camarones Enchilados: Saucy and savory shrimp in a slowly stewed tomato sauce – what’s not to love?
Shredded Chicken: I make a Chicken Ropa Vieja that’s truly out of this world and a great chicken filling!
Crispy Pork Carnitas: Juicy and perfectly seasoned crispy pork combines the best elements of one of my favorite dishes – Dominican Pernil
Guacamole: Sometimes, I want to keep things light and fresh. Avocados with lime juice, garlic, and jalapeños never fail!
Tip #1: Always use green plantains! They’re savory and firm, which helps them hold their plantain cup shape
Tip #2: Avoid plantains that are on their way to turning yellow. Think: half green and half green. These never make good tostones or mangu
Tip #3: If you want to save time, make the filling ahead of time. However, always fry the green plantains just before serving.
What Plantains To Use?
For best results, always use green plantains. Avoid plantains that are on their way to turning yellow. This means plantains that are somewhat green and somewhat yellow. These plantains aren’t savory or sweet. They’re kind of just – meh. It’s best to use fully green plantains whenever you need them. And if you’re craving sweet plantains, just wait until they’re fully ripe to get that sweet kick you’re looking for.
What Oil To Use For Frying?
Any neutral oil of your choice will do. This means that you can use canola, corn, or vegetable oil. Peanut oil will also work and has a high smoke point. Avoid using olive oil since the oil will burn before you’ve had a chance to properly fry the plantain cups.
Storage & Re-Heating Tips
Unfortunately, fried green plantains aren’t the best when reheated. However, the best method (outside of frying fresh ones) is to warm up in the oven at 375° for a few minutes until warm throughout.
More Yumminess This Way!
Tostones Rellenos de Carne | Stuffed Plantain Cups
Perfectly fried tostones de platanos filled with savory and sauce Dominican style carne molida (ground beef).
- Total Time2 Hours
- Yield8 Servings 1x
- DietGluten-Free
Ingredients
Ground Beef
- 2 lbs Grass-fed Ground Beef (85/15 Blend or Leaner)
- 1 White Onion Minced
- 1/2 Green Pepper Minced
- 5 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 teaspoon Dominican Oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon Sazon con Achiote
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 Lime
- 1/2 tablespoon Kosher Salt or 1/2 tablespoon Chicken Bouillon
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cups Water
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Spanish Manzanilla Olives
Plantain Cups
- 3 Green Plantains
- 3 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Vegetable Oil for Frying
Instructions
Ground Beef
- Season ground beef with onions, bell peppers, garlic, sazon con achiote, Dominican oregano, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combine and set aside. You can season ground beef ahead of time up to 2 hours in advance and let rest in the refrigerator
- In a large braiser or skillet, set heat to medium-high. Add olive oil and once it begins to smoke, add seasoned ground beef. Brown evenly on all sides using a meat masher to break the clumps that form. Once the meat has browned and the clumps have been broken up, add 2 cups of water. Braise for 20 minutes until the meat is tender. If the meat is still chewy or tough after 20 minutes, add 2 more cups of water and braise again for another 20 minutes until the meat softens
- Once the ground beef has softened, add tomato paste and tomato sauce. Mix together until well combined. Then add Spanish manzanilla olives and mix. Turn off heat and set ground beef aside. You can make the ground beef filling up to 2 days ahead of time before making the plantain cups.
Plantain Cups
- Carefully peel green plantains and cut into 1 1/2 – 2 inch pieces. As you dice plantains, set plantains in a bowl with cold water and 1 teaspoon of salt. This will help plantains crisp up nicely and develop a golden color when frying. Let plantains sit in cold salt water for 20 minutes. Then drain and pat dry
- Set flame to medium-high and add vegetable oil (or preferred oil of choice) to a large skillet. Once oil reaches 375°F or begins to slightly smoke, carefully add plantains. Fry evenly on all sides for about 7-10 minutes. If the plantains begin to burn or brown, reduce heat. Feel free to flip plantains every 2 minutes so that they fry evenly on all sides. The goal is for plantains to be a bright golden color. Once the plantains are evenly fried, remove from oil and into a colander to drain excess oil. You can also place into a bowl with paper towel
- If you’re using a plantain cup tostonera, place fried plantain cup and gently press down to form the plantain cup shape. Then gently remove and place plantain cup off to the side. Repeat until all of the plantain cups have been formed. If you’re using a lime or lemon squeezer, simply line the inside of the squeezer with saran wrap. Then place fried plantain and gently press down to form the plantain cup shape. Then carefully remove plantain cup and set off to the side. Repeat until you have formed all of the plantain cups
- Once all of the plantain cups have been formed, add to the heated oil and fry once more. Carefully baste with oil for 2-3 minutes to ensure that the plantain is cooked all of the way through. Then remove and repeat until all of the plantain cups have been fried.
- Now that the plantain cups have been formed and fried, add warmed up ground beef filling. Feel free to garnish with cilantro and cheese. For best results, enjoy stuffed plantain cups while warm!
Notes
Re-Heating & Storage
- Green plantains are notorious for re-heating poorly. For the best results, fry and serve the plantains cups on the same day as you’re eating them. If you have leftovers, warm up plantain cups in the oven at 375°F until warm throughout about 5-10 minutes
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Frying, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Caribbean, Cuban, Dominican, Latin