Sopa de Platano (Plantain Soup)

A bowl of sopa de plátano (plantain soup) garnished with crushed plantain chips and chopped parsley, served with lime wedges on the side.

Sopa de Platano (Plantain Soup)

Sopa de platano (plantain soup) is a flavorful dish made with green plantains. This thick, starchy soup is easy to make and packed with flavor, making it a uniquely delicious starter or light meal.

Course Soup

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword cuban soups, green plantains

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Onion finely diced
1 Large Carrot small dice (about 1 cup)
1 Celery Rib finely diced
3–4 Garlic Cloves minced
½ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Large Green Plantains 1¼–1½ pounds, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
6 cups Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
Chopped Cilantro or Parsley for garnish optional
Crushed Plantain Chips for garnish optional
Limes for serving optional

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in the sliced plantains.
Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Stir well, gently scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil (about 4–5 minutes). Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 35–40 minutes, or until the plantains are tender. Stir occasionally, lowering the heat if needed as the soup thickens.
The plantains should be soft enough to break apart with a wooden spoon. If they’re still firm, continue cooking for another 10 minutes, then check again.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and add salt if needed. (As a reference, we did not add any extra salt to ours.)
Serve the soup as is, or process it for a smoother texture. We used an immersion blender to blend it directly in the pot. For a chunkier texture, use a potato masher to mash some of the plantains while stirring. (Whether blending or mashing, remove the bay leaf first, take the soup off the heat, and let it stop simmering before proceeding.)
Garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and crushed plantain chips, and serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Notes

Choose firm green plantains—ripening plantains will change the texture and add sweetness to the soup.
Use reduced-sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
For a vegetarian version, use a good-quality vegetable broth.
The soup will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick after mashing or blending, add a few tablespoons of broth at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Cut the plantains into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.

Nutrition