Crispy Air Fryer Plantains (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

These crispy air fryer plantains are about to become your favorite snack! Incredibly crunchy and tasty, these delicious savory plantains are perfect for dipping in guacamole or hummus. Make a batch or two of this easy recipe for plantain chips that is totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too!

Jump to:

• Easy Air Fryer Snacks
• What Are Plantains?
• What’s the Difference between Plantains and Bananas?
• Are Plantains Gluten-Free?
• Which Type of Plantains Should I Use?
• Crispy Plantain Chips for a Healthy Snack
• Why This Recipe Works:
• Ingredients You’ll Need for Plantain Chips:
• Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Peel and Cut a Plantain:
• How to Cook Air Fryer Plantains (Step by Step):
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Other Gluten-Free Air Fryer Recipes:
• Gluten-Free Snack Recipes:
• Crispy Air Fryer Plantains (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Easy Air Fryer Snacks

If you haven’t already experienced the miracle that is the air fryer, it’s time to do so (what are you waiting for)?

We love that the air fryer uses just a fraction of the oil that a deep fryer would require, but still results in a crispy, crunchy texture.

Ever since we bought our air fryer, we’ve been cooking with it at least once a week and some of our favorite air fryer snacks include the following: air fryer chicken wings, air fryer chicken tenders, and air fryer bacon.

Of course, not everything has to include meat, and our favorite air fryer vegetarian snacks include air fryer kale chips, air fryer chickpeas, air fryer French fries, and air fryer zucchini fries.

What Are Plantains?

Native to Southeast Asia, plantains are now grown in tropical areas all over the world.

Plantains are highly popular in African, Carribean and Latin American cuisine (particularly in countries such as Cuba, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic).

What’s the Difference between Plantains and Bananas?

At first glance, plantains look like the bigger versions of regular bananas, only with tougher and thicker skins. You might even mistake them to be extra-large bananas.

Flavor-wise however, they are very different!

Bananas are naturally sweet and can be eaten raw, while plantains are more savory in taste and have a higher starch content, except when extremely ripe, so it would be best to cook them instead of eating them raw.

Plantains are often known as “cooking bananas“, are often used in their green, unripe stage, and are popular for making savory foods and snacks.

Are Plantains Gluten-Free?

Plantains are naturally gluten-free, which makes them a great food for Celiacs or those with gluten intolerances or allergies.

Which Type of Plantains Should I Use?

The type of plantain you use will ultimately depend on the recipe you wish to make.

• For savory foods: If you want to cook something savory, I recommend green, unripe plantains, which will be harder and have a more neutral taste.

• For sweeter foods: If you plan to make a sweet recipe, I recommend using mature, yellow sweet plantains, which will be softer in texture and also sweeter in taste.

Crispy Plantain Chips for a Healthy Snack

It’s been on my mind to cook plantains in the air fryer for the longest time, and I finally got around to doing!

I wanted to create plantain chips (which are a very popular snack in Central America and Latin American countries) to go with dipping sauces such as our rainbow guacamole or creamy hummus, and these were a huge, huge hit!

These make a healthy alternative to normal potato chips and make a perfect snack for when you’re hungry. These are also a great side dish for any meal.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: You only need 2 ingredients to make this air fryer plantain chips (nothing fancy required)!

• Ready in No Time: A batch of these air fryer plantains is ready from scratch in just 20 minutes, which means you can enjoy them very quickly!

• Little Oil Required and No Oil Splatters: As opposed to deep-frying, using the air fryer means a very little amount of oil is required to air-fry the sliced plantains. Also, you won’t experience any oil splatters as the plantain chips are cooked with the air fryer closed.

• Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The best part is that this air fryer plantain recipe is 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, which means that even those who have Celiac disease, or gluten or lactose intolerances, or even those simply on a gluten-free or vegan diet, are able to enjoy these chips without any issues.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Plantain Chips:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this air fryer plantains recipe.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Use Green Plantains: Green plantains have a more neutral taste, as compared to ripe yellow plantains which are sweeter in flavor profile. Since we are going for a savory snack here, green unripened plantains would be the best.

• Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. You may also use another type of vegetable oil such as olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.

How to Peel and Cut a Plantain:

While plantains sure look a lot like their banana cousins, plantains actually have way thicker skins than bananas, so you won’t be able to peel them like you would a normal banana.

In my experience, here’s the best way to peel plantains. If it’s your first time with plantains, let’s show you how to do it!

1. Cut off Both Ends and Slit the Peel

Use a sharp knife to cut off the ends of the plantains, before slitting the peel three times along the length of the plantain (make sure you only cut as deep as the thickness of the peel).

2. Peel off the slit skin a third at a time.

Peel off the green skin a third at a time. Note that the greener the plantain, the thicker and harder the skin, which will make the skin harder to peel, so don’t rush.

3. Slice the Plantain

Slice the plantain into even slices (approximately 1/4-inch thick). Note that the thinner the slice, the crispier the plantain chips will be once cooked.

How to Cook Air Fryer Plantains (Step by Step):

1. Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400F.

2. Coat Plantains with Oil

In a large bowl, toss the plantain slices with the oil until plantains are all coated.

3. Place Plantain Slices in Single Layer

Place the oiled plantain slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket (you may need to cook the plantains in a few batches depending on the size of your air fryer).

4. Cook on One Side

Cook for 7 minutes, before flipping over.

5. Cook on the Other Side

Continue to cook the plantain chips for another 5 to 7 minutes until crispy.

6. Repeat for All Plantain Slices

Repeat the process above until all the plantains are cooked.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Use Green Plantains: Green plantains have a more neutral taste, as compared to ripe plantains which are sweeter in flavor profile. Since we are going for a savory snack in this air fryer plantain chips recipe, green plantains would be the best.

• Place Slices in Single Layer: Make sure to place the plantain slices in a single layer so there is sufficient space for the hot air to circulate and the plantains can crisp up on all sides. If your air fryer basket is small, you may need to cook the sliced plantains in batches.

• Reheat Plantain Chips: If your air fryer basket is small and you need to cook the plantains in a few batches, simply reheat the plantain chips in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them up again.

• Add Seasonings: I usually only sprinkle salt over these air fryer plantains, but feel free to sprinkle other seasonings such as paprika, turmeric, black pepper, or whatever else you prefer!

Recipe FAQs:

Other Gluten-Free Air Fryer Recipes:

• Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Air Fryer French Fries (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Air Fryer Kale Chips (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Air Fryer Chickpeas (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Air Fryer Diced Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Air Fryer Bacon (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Gluten-Free Snack Recipes:

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