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Vegetarian, Americas

Patacones with hogao and cheese

Patacones with hogao and cheese are green plantains that get smashed, fried twice and topped with a tomato onion sauce and melted cheese. The recipe serves 4, takes 45 minutes, rates medium difficulty because of the double frying, and costs about €2.20 per person. The key to success is frying the plantains in two stages, first until soft, then smashed and fried again for crunch.

Tonight, patacones, green plantains smashed and fried, topped with hogao and melted cheese.

Patacones with hogao and cheese
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Patacones are all about texture. Crisp on the outside, soft and faintly sweet on the inside, even though the plantain is still green. The hogao brings tangy sweetness from tomatoes cooked down with onion and garlic, cumin adds warmth, and melted cheese ties everything into a generous, slightly gooey, slightly crunchy bite.

This is a dish for when you have a bit of time on your hands, a Sunday evening or a day when the kids want to get their hands in and smash the plantains themselves. Served over a green salad, it turns into a full, easygoing meal meant to be shared at the center of the table rather than plated individually.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green plantains 4
  • Tomatoes 4
  • Onion 1
  • Scallions or spring onions 4
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Green salad 1
  • Lime 1

Pantry

  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Mozzarella or raclette cheese 200 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Make the hogao by sauteing the chopped onion, scallions and garlic with the cumin, then add the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. 15 min

    Let it simmer gently until the sauce turns glossy.

  2. Peel the plantains by slitting the skin with a knife, cut them into three centimeter chunks.

    Soak them in salted water, they won't turn black.

  3. Fry the chunks in hot oil over medium heat for five minutes, until soft and pale golden. 8 min

    The oil shouldn't smoke, the flesh needs to cook through before it browns.

  4. Smash each chunk with the bottom of a glass, then fry them again over high heat until golden and crisp. 5 min

    Flatten them into one centimeter patties, not too thin, not too thick.

  5. Arrange the patacones over the salad, top with hot hogao, cover with melted cheese under the broiler and finish with a squeeze of lime. 4 min

    Serve right away, they lose their crunch within minutes.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains that are very green and firm, not yet spotted with black, they hold together better during the first fry and smash cleanly.
  • Keep the same oil for both fries but let it heat back up before the second round, that's what gives the final crunch.
  • Make the hogao ahead of time, it reheats beautifully while you finish the plantains, so you're not juggling everything at once.

The variations

  • Swap the mozzarella for crumbled fresh goat cheese for a tangier bite.
  • For a spicier version, stir a chopped fresh chili into the hogao at the end of cooking.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the plain patacones with melted cheese on the side for dipping, skipping the hogao.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with lime
  • Plain white rice
  • Fresh tropical fruit juice

Storage

The hogao keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well. The fried patacones are best eaten the same day, they lose their crunch within a few hours and don't freeze well.

Questions about this dish

Can you use regular bananas instead of plantains?

No, regular bananas are too sweet and too soft to fry and smash properly. You need green, firm plantains, which behave more like a vegetable when cooked.

Why do you fry the plantains twice?

The first fry cooks the flesh gently until it's soft. The second fry, after smashing, creates the crispy shell that defines a patacon, which you can't get from a single frying.

Can you make the hogao ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually a good idea. It keeps in the fridge and reheats gently in a pan while you finish frying the plantains.

What cheese can you use instead of raclette cheese?

Mozzarella works well, and so do young emmental or comte. The key is choosing a cheese that melts easily under the broiler without turning too runny.

How long does it take to make patacones with hogao and melted cheese?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in patacones with hogao and melted cheese?

About 630 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 patacones with hogao and melted cheese cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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