Puerto Rican Mofongo
Fried green plantain, garlic and crisp pork are pounded together while hot—the action that gives mofongo its unmistakable dense, savory texture.
About this dish
Mofongo is a Puerto Rican plantain dish made by frying green plantain pieces and pounding them with garlic, fat and usually chicharrón. It may be shaped into a mound, filled with meat or seafood or served with broth alongside. The texture should be cohesive and rustic, with small plantain pieces still perceptible rather than a smooth purée.
Why this dish matters
Discover Puerto Rico treats mofongo as an essential island food and publishes chef Mario Pagán’s green-plantain method. The dish reflects Puerto Rico’s layered culinary history: plantains arrived through African and Atlantic foodways, while pounding methods and garlic seasoning evolved locally. Mofongo today ranges from humble side dish to elaborate restaurant centerpiece stuffed with seafood or meat.
Puerto Rican cooks vary the fat, garlic, broth and filling. This version focuses on the classic green-plantain-and-chicharrón base rather than a restaurant-style stuffed presentation.
Preparation notes
Yellow ripe plantains are sweet and too soft for classic mofongo.
Warm fried plantain binds much more readily with garlic and pork fat.
Mofongo should be cohesive but still rustic and slightly chunky.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 4 large green plantains
- Neutral oil, for frying
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup crushed chicharrón or crisp bacon
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup warm chicken broth, as needed
- Broth, meat or seafood, optional for serving
Method
- 1.Peel green plantains and cut into 1-inch rounds. Soak in lightly salted water 15 minutes, then dry thoroughly.
- 2.Heat 1 1/2 inches neutral oil to 325–340°F. Fry plantain pieces 5–7 minutes until tender and lightly golden rather than crisp brown.
- 3.Pound garlic and salt in a mortar until pasty. Add olive oil and chicharrón and crush together.
- 4.Add hot fried plantains in batches and pound, folding the mixture between additions.
- 5.Checkpoint: the mixture should hold together when pressed but retain small irregular pieces of plantain and pork rather than becoming baby-food smooth.
- 6.Work in warm broth a tablespoon at a time only if the mofongo is too dry to bind.
- 7.Pack into small bowls or shape by hand and invert onto plates. Serve immediately, optionally with broth or a meat or seafood topping.
Worth finding before you cook
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links below are affiliate links; if you buy through them, Fringe Table may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
These links are included only for ingredients that can be meaningfully harder to find in a standard supermarket.