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Vegetarian, Americas

Cuban style rice with fried egg and plantain

Cuban style rice is a dish for 4 people made of white rice, a tomato sauce with onion and bell pepper, one fried egg per person, and fried sweet plantains. It takes 40 minutes to make, rates as very easy, and costs about €1.80 per person. The key to success is a well reduced sauce and ripe, nearly black plantains that caramelize as they fry.

The plate that reassures everyone, Cuban style rice with its tomato sauce, fried egg and fried plantains.

Cuban style rice with fried egg and plantain
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish plays on contrast, with plain rice, a tomato sauce seasoned with cumin, a runny egg yolk, and soft, sweet plantain. It's a full meal on one plate, with no fuss, where each element keeps its own texture instead of blending into a single mush.

It's the kind of weeknight dinner you make when you want something comforting without spending the whole evening cooking. Kids love breaking the yolk into the rice, and sweet, well fried plantain usually wins over even picky eaters. Mon Chou suggests it for days when you want a dish that's both generous and simple.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Ripe plantains 2

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water with a spoon of oil, then drain it. 11 min

    A splash of oil in the water keeps the grains from sticking together.

  2. Sauté the chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic in 2 spoons of oil, then add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. 15 min

    Let the sauce reduce until it's almost jam like.

  3. Cut the plantains into diagonal slices and brown them in hot oil, two minutes on each side. 6 min

    Drain them on paper towels so they stay crisp.

  4. Fry the eggs in the same pan, in a little oil. 4 min

    Spoon hot oil over the white so it sets without flipping the egg.

  5. Plate the rice, top with sauce, place the egg on top and add the plantains on the side.

    Serve right away, the yolk should run over the rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains with skin that's almost entirely black, that's when they're sweet enough to caramelize while frying, green or yellow plantains stay bland and firm.
  • Let the tomato sauce reduce until it really thickens, a watery sauce soaks the rice instead of coating it.
  • Use the same pan for the plantains and then the eggs, the flavored oil adds a little extra taste to the eggs.

The variations

  • Swap the green bell pepper for a red one, the sauce will turn out a bit sweeter and milder.
  • For an egg free version, top the rice with warmed black beans in a little tomato sauce instead.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the rice and sauce mixed together with just the fried egg, and save the plantains for a sweet treat afterward.

What to serve it with

  • A lime dressed avocado salad
  • Black beans with cilantro
  • A glass of fresh fruit juice

Storage

The tomato sauce keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it freezes well. Cooked rice also keeps for 2 days chilled. Reheat the sauce and rice separately in a pan or microwave, and cook the egg and plantains fresh right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a regular banana instead of plantain?

No, a regular banana turns too soft and overly sweet when fried. Plantain keeps a firm texture and caramelizes instead of turning to mush.

Can you make the tomato sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually convenient, you can make it the day before and reheat it gently before serving. The cumin flavor even deepens a bit as it sits.

How do you get a fried egg with a nice runny yolk?

Cook the egg over medium heat without flipping it, and spoon a little hot oil over the white so it sets without touching the yolk.

Is Cuban style rice good for kids?

Yes, it's mild in flavor, not spicy, with simple elements kids can easily recognize on the plate. Many kids enjoy mixing the egg yolk into the rice.

How long does it take to make a Cuban style rice with a fried egg and fried plantain?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a Cuban style rice with a fried egg and fried plantain?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Cuban style rice with a fried egg and fried plantain cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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