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Mofongo

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side dishes•puerto rican•contains meat, gluten-free, dairy-free
45 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 4 green plantains – peeled, cut into 1-inch rounds
  • 4 cups vegetable oil – for frying
  • 2 cups chicken broth – warmed
  • 4 cloves garlic – peeled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 ounces pork cracklings – roughly chopped
Mofongo

Instructions

1. Peel and cut the green plantains into 1-inch rounds.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. Fry the rounds in batches until tender and pale golden, 8–12 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

3. Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming, 3–5 minutes; keep warm.

4. In a large mortar (pilón), pound the garlic with the kosher salt to a coarse paste.

5. Add half of the fried rounds to the mortar, drizzle in the olive oil, and mash until chunky. Add the pork cracklings and the remaining rounds; mash together, moistening a little at a time with the warm broth until the mixture is cohesive but still textured, 2–3 minutes.

6. With damp hands, pack and shape the mash into 4 tight mounds (or press into a small bowl and invert onto plates). Serve immediately with the remaining warm broth alongside for dipping or spooning around.

Mofongo is a comforting, garlicky mash of fried green plantains and pork cracklings, pounded together in a wooden pilón until cohesive yet chunky. The texture is hearty and rustic, with edges of fried plantain softened by olive oil and a little broth, and punctuated by crisp bits of chicharrón. It’s often served with a simple warm broth on the side, inviting you to moisten each bite to taste.

Rooted in Puerto Rican cooking, mofongo draws a direct line to West and Central African fufu traditions brought through the African diaspora, adapted to the island’s abundant plantains and pork. Over time it became a staple of fondas and home kitchens alike, appearing plain as a side or as a base for seafood or stewed meats (mofongo relleno). Neighboring islands share related preparations, but Puerto Rico’s version with chicharrón and garlic is the best known and widely celebrated.