Ripe plantain · Sweet

Plátanos al caldero

Name: Plátanos al caldero
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 ripe plantains; ¾ cup brown sugar; 2 cups water; 1 cinnamon stick; 3 whole cloves; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons butter; A pinch of salt

Ripe plantains in cinnamon syrup

A sweet Dominican-style side or dessert: ripe plantains simmer slowly in a spiced brown-sugar syrup.

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AI-generated illustration of Plátanos al caldero — AI-generated serving illustration. About our imagery

Prep10 min

Cook35 min

Total45 min

Serves6

Let’s make it.

Prepare
Peel the plantains and cut into thick diagonal pieces.
Make syrup
Combine sugar, water, cinnamon, and cloves in a wide saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Simmer
Add plantains, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 25–35 minutes. Turn carefully once or twice, until tender and the syrup coats a spoon.
Finish
Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Remove the whole spices before serving. If needed, lift out tender plantains and reduce the syrup separately.
Serve
Spoon the syrup over the plantains and serve warm.

A little kitchen wisdom

Use ripe but intact plantains so the pieces hold their shape.
Watch closely as the syrup thickens.
This is a sweet preparation; serve small portions alongside savory food.

Need a hand getting started? Read how to peel a plantain and our cooking guide.

Times are estimates; use the doneness cues in the method. Follow safe internal temperatures for meat, seafood, and egg dishes. Read our recipe approach.

Plátanos al caldero

Let’s make it.

Prepare

Make syrup

Simmer

Finish

Serve

A little kitchen wisdom

Keep a good thing going.

Maduros

Baked plantains

Yaroa de plátano maduro