What Is a Plantain?

Bananas are a really good way to tell how old someone is. If you’re around someone and just blurt out that “this ish is bananas” and they respond by spelling out the word “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” then you know they were born at least a few years before 2004. For all the non-Hollaback girls out there, bananas are simply those things on your kitchen counter that turn brown before you can eat all of them. If you’re familiar with Caribbean cuisine or have ever simply gone to a grocery store, you may also be familiar with plantains. So what is a plantain banana? Is a plantain a banana? What’s the difference between a banana and a plantain? Does a plantain taste like a banana? Let’s dig into plantain vs banana!

What is a plantain banana? Is a plantain a banana?

There are many types of bananas—way more than the ones we commonly eat in the U.S. (those are called cavendish bananas). And one type of banana is a plantain. Now, if you’re speaking broadly, starchy green bananas are often referred to as plantains. But a true plantain is the fruit from a plantain tree. These things are a staple food in tons of tropical areas. 

So, wait, is a plantain a banana? Yep! A plantain is just another type of banana—whether you’re talking about true plantains or a group of starchy green cooking bananas. All plantains are bananas but not all bananas are plantains.

What’s the difference between a plantain and a banana?

Okay, so when comparing plantains vs bananas (as in, the bananas you usually eat), the first thing you’ll notice is that plantains are usually green. I mean, sometimes bananas are green when you buy them, but you want those suckers to turn yellow before you eat them. Plantains are usually sold, bought, and consumed while they are green. 

Why? Well, plantains contain a lot more starch than a regular banana. That starch is good for cooking. They have even more starch before they’re ripe, when they’re green, so that’s when people cook them (although you can also cook and eat sweet plantains). In contrast, bananas are usually eaten when they’re soft and ripe. 

There are other differences as well. Bananas are softer and smaller while plantains are harder and usually larger. 

Does a plantain taste like a banana?

Cavendish bananas and plantains are different. So do they taste different as well? You bet they do. Bananas are creamier with a distinct sweet taste. Plantains are hard and have a milder taste than bananas. But the thing to remember is, you don’t eat plantains raw. 

Depending on how and when you cook them, they can taste sweet or savory. A lot of times, plantains are cooked in sugar or in coconut water. Plantains can be cooked and served in dessert dishes, but a lot of times they’re served as a side or part of a savory meal, the way you’d use a vegetable. 

Plantains can be sauteed, fried, baked, boiled, or cooked just about any way you can imagine. There’s fried sweet plantains, deep-fried tostones, and even a plantain sandwich called Patacon Maracucho, which swaps out bread for fried plantains. My personal favorite way of eating plantains is to grab them at the grocery store and shove them in my mouth while no one is looking. They taste nice and felonious!