Tostones With Fried Shrimp – The Best Appetizer

Are you a traditional Cuban food lover? You must have heard about tostones. This crispy and delicious mouthwatering dish can be eaten as a side dish with your favorite meal.

But today I am going to share with you a delicious recipe which is a combination of tostones and fried shrimp. It’s one of the most famous appetizers, especially in tropical areas.

What Are Tostones Made of?

I think you already know about the famous Cuban tropical fruit plantains. Plantains are one of the major fruits in Latin America, Central Africa, and the Caribbean islands. It especially grows in the sea area.

It’s a starchy fruit like Bananas. But the plantains grow larger than bananas. You will see that multiple types of tropical dishes are made from plantains. Tostones is one of the famous dishes that are made of plantains. Also, people eat boiled and smashed plantains. By the way, sweet fried plantains called jibarito are also another famous dish in Cuba.

Tostones are prepared with green unripe plantains. Raw sliced plantains are deep-fried in hot oil. This crispy dish is especially enjoyed with different types of traditional Cuban sauces.

It’s mainly popular in Latin America and the Caribbean region. There is no doubt that you have tried french fries and potato chips. You can call tostones tropical french fries. As the tostones are famous in different regions, it serves in multiple ways.

In the Caribbean area, it is served with different types of fish and seafood as a delicious side dish. On the other hand, tostones are served with shredded beefColombia. Besides that, if you look at other latin american areas, you will see that tostones are served with fried pork.

Well, there are also different variations of tostones that are popular in another tropical island called Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican tostones are made with unripe breadfruit.

Necessary Ingredients For Tostones With Fried Shrimp

1. 1.5 Pound Raw Shrimps
2. 2-3 Green Unripe Plantains
3. Olive oil and regular cooking oil
4. Garlic Paste
5. Yellow Onions Paste
6. Lemon juice
7. Black pepper
8. Butter
9. Cilantro

➡️ Prep Time: 10 Minutes

➡️ Cook Time: 25 Minutes

➡️ Total Time: 35 Minutes

How to Cook Tostones With Fried Shrimp

Before jumping into the cooking process you must gather all the necessary ingredients.

✅ Step 1 – Process The Plantains

We already know that plantains are the main ingredients for preparing tostones. So first, you have to choose the right plantains. Ensure the plantains are entirely green and unripe. Otherwise, you can’t make tostones.

After choosing the plantains, peel them off. Now slice the plantains into appropriate sizes.

✅ Step 2 – Fry The Plantains

You don’t need to add any spices or other ingredients for making tostones. First, heat the oil in the frying pan. The oil should be properly heated. Because you need crispy tostones.

Now put the sliced plantains in the frying pan. Fry the plantain slices for at least 5 minutes to get a crunchy and yummy taste. When the plantain slices become dark yellowish, take them from the pan. You can place them on tissue paper for soaking extra oils.

Voila! Your tasty tostones are ready. If you want, you can add some salt to the tostones. You can enjoy the tostones with different types of meals like Arroz Moro, Empanadas Beef, Te Huele A Pescado, etc.

✅ Step 3 – Prepare The Shrimp

Well, our tostones are ready. Now the time has come to prepare the shrimp. Mix all the ingredients like garlic paste, onions, black peppers, and lemon juice. After that, you need to marinate the shrimp for 10-20 minutes in the freeze.

Now you need to fry them for 1- 2 minutes at low heat. Properly cook them gradually. When the shrimps look golden, take them from the pan. Some people like overcooked shrimp. If you want to, you can cook them for a longer period.

By the way, you can add garlic sauce to increase the taste of the fried shrimp. There are different types of garlic sauce available at your nearest market.

If you want to try another unique and delicious shrimp recipe, you can follow this recipe – How to Cook Calle Ocho Coconut Shrimp With Some Easy Steps.

Also, I  have a variety of shrimp-related items in our Havana Dreams like coconut shrimp, Guantanamera Empanadas-Shrimp, etc. Don’t forget to try them!

Don’t miss out on my tasty appetizer recipes such as-

•  Peruvian-Style Fish Ceviche Recipe
• How To Make Beef Empanadas
• How to Make Dominican Quipes (Kipes)
• How to Make Cuban croquetas de jamón
• How to Make the Best Guacamole

Additionally,

• How To Cook Vegan Tacos
• How to Make Truffled Yuca Fries at Home
•  Yummy Pork Chicharrón Recipe at Home
• How to Cook Papa Rellena
• The Fancy Jibarito- Recipe

Check out my recipe for Blistered Shishito Peppers.  The mild, slightly sweet flavor of the tostones can provide a nice contrast to the spicy, smoky flavor of the blistered shishito peppers.

Try also my other delicious recipes like-

• How to Make Truffled Yuca Fries
• How to make authentic Cuban black beans and rice
• Easy Coquito Tres Leches Cake Recipe
• Easy Steps to Cook Yellow Rice

Final Words

If you want to try something delicious and the quickest appetizer, you can choose tostones with fried shrimp. It’s a very easy and convenient recipe. Usually, it’s appetizers, only tostones can be eaten as side dishes or snacks. So, you can easily enjoy it with your friends and family. After following this recipe, leave a reply below about your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What pairs well with tostones?

Individually tostones are a very delicious meal. You can do this with different types of meals like black beans, and yellow rice with garlic sauce.

2. Can tostones be healthy?

Tostones are made from a fruit called plantains. So it’s gluten and refined carbohydrate free.

3. What is the origin of Cuban tostones?

Tostones are a famous and traditional Latin American meal. It’s also very popular in the Caribbean region. Generally, plantains are found in multiple tropical areas of the world. So there is no specific origin of tostones.