The Canon

Rellenitos de Plátano

Rellenitos de Plátanoes

Also: Rellenitos, Plantain Bean Fritters

Guatemalan fried croquettes of mashed ripe plantain wrapped around a sweetened black bean filling.

Identity criteria

  1. 1Outer shell of mashed very ripe (sweet) plantain
  2. 2Filled with sweetened, spiced black bean paste
  3. 3Shaped into balls or ovals enclosing the filling
  4. 4Deep-fried until the plantain forms a caramelized crust
  5. 5Sweet-savory in character, eaten as a treat
  6. 6Dusted with sugar and often served warm

Components

Base

Ripe plantainsessentialBoiled or fried then mashed into a moldable dough

Fat

Oil for fryingessential

Binder

Sweetened black bean pasteessentialThe filling, sweetened and often spiced with cinnamon

Seasoning

SugaressentialIn the filling and dusted on the finished fritters

Cinnamonoptional

Garnish

Granulated or powdered sugaroptional

Technique

Plantain mashing
Cooked ripe plantain is mashed into a pliable dough that can enclose the filling
Stuffing and sealing
The bean paste must be fully encased so it doesn't leak during frying
Deep-frying
Frying caramelizes the plantain sugars into a crisp, sweet crust

Form & serving

Served
Warm fritters dusted with sugar, often two or three per portion
Temperature
warm
Portion
snack or dessert serving
Pairs with
coffee · crema · hot chocolate

Character

Flavour

sweetsavorycaramelizedwarm-spiced

Texture

crisp caramelized plantain exterior with a soft sweet bean center

Eaten

A traditional Guatemalan dessert or afternoon snack, sold by street vendors and made at home, eaten warm with coffee.

When

all-year

Variations & related

Regional variations

  • Cinnamon-spiced filling · Guatemala

    Bean paste flavored with cinnamon for a more aromatic sweetness

  • Chocolate-touched · Guatemala

    A little chocolate or extra sugar worked into the bean filling

Related dishes

  • sibling Frijoles volteados

    Guatemalan sweetened black bean preparation used as the filling

  • sibling Maduros

    Shares the fried sweet ripe plantain element

Substitutions

  • Black beans → Red beansadmissible

    Less traditional but works as a sweet bean filling

  • Ripe plantain → Green plantaininadmissible

    Green plantain lacks the sweetness and pliable texture, breaking the dish

  • Bean filling → No fillinginadmissible

    Without the bean center it is not a rellenito (literally 'little filled one')

Common mistakes

  • Using under-ripe plantains, which won't be sweet or moldable enough
  • Leaving the filling unsealed so it bursts out while frying
  • Making the plantain dough too wet, causing the fritters to fall apart in the oil
  • Skipping the sweetening of the beans, which is essential to the dessert character

Provenance

A classic Guatemalan sweet, born of the local pairing of plantain and black bean; a beloved street and home dessert.

References

  1. 1.Guatemalan home and street cooking
  2. 2.Central American plantain cookery

Confidence: high