Empanadas de Plátano with Refried Beans and Cinnamon Sugar

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-10 · Updated 2026-10-10

Ripe plantain dough wrapped around creamy refried black beans, pan-fried until golden and finished with cinnamon sugar — a sweet-savory Salvadoran favorite. This Salvadoran-inspired quick recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 37 minutes, pairs very ripe plantains (black-skinned), all-purpose flour or masa harina, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 360 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe plantains (black-skinned)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or masa harina
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup refried black beans
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil for pan-frying
• 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar for dusting

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut unpeeled plantains into thirds and boil for 12-15 minutes until very soft. Peel and mash smooth with flour and salt; let cool slightly.
2. Step 2: Warm refried beans in a small pan with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, stirring until thick, about 3 minutes.
3. Step 3: With oiled hands, divide plantain dough into 8 balls. Flatten each into a 3-inch disk, add 1 heaping tbsp beans, fold into a half-moon, and seal the edges.
4. Step 4: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry empanadas 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden.
5. Step 5: Drain on paper towels and dust with cinnamon sugar while warm.