Give your breakfast a savory, tropical spin with this mangú recipe! Plantains are cooked until they’re tender, then mashed and topped with pickled red onions.
One of my favourite things about cooking is the opportunity it gives me to try dishes from around the world. From congri to tahô and katsu curry , it’s fun to cook different cuisines—and to find ways to make those traditional dishes vegan. Like this vegan mangú!
What Is Mangú?
Mangú is a traditional Dominican dish made with mashed green plantains that are topped with pickled red onions. It’s one of the most popular dishes in the Dominican Republic, and it’s a breakfast staple there—although you can definitely eat mangú any time of day!
Like tostones, mangú is made with unripe green plantains; unlike tostones, the plantains are mashed into a smooth, creamy texture, a little bit like mashed potatoes . Traditionally, mangú contains butter, but we can make a simple swap and use plant-based butter instead to make vegan mangú that’s every bit as delicious as the original recipe.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Green plantains – Cut off the ends and remove the peel.
- Salt
- Vegan butter – Store-bought or homemade vegan butter both work.
- Water
- Pickled red onion – This is the traditional topping for mangú. It’s optional, but I highly recommend it!
- Fresh cilantro – Another optional topping.
- Olive oil – You can add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top if you’d like.
How Do You Pick Good Plantains?
When you’re making mangú, you need to start with green plantains, not ripe yellow plantains or brown. Look for plantains that are entirely green on the outside, without any black spots, and that feel firm when you give them a gentle squeeze.
How to Make Mangú
Making mangú is easy—in fact, the method is just like making mashed potatoes!
Prepare . Slice the plantains in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3-inch pieces.
Cook the plantains . Place the plantains in a large pot and cover them with water. Add the salt, then bring them to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the plantains with a fork.
Drain . Reserve 1 1/4 cup of water from the pot, then drain the plantains and return them to the pot.
Mash . Use a potato masher or fork to mash the plantains. Add the butter and continue mashing until the plantains are mostly broken down, adding the reserved water a little at a time until the plantains are smooth and creamy.
Finish . Season to taste and serve with pickled red onion , cilantro, and/or a drizzle of olive oil.
Tips for Success
Here are some simple tips for making perfect vegan mangú!
- Use green plantains . This is a savory dish, and using yellow plantains will make it sweet.
- Don’t be afraid to add a little extra liquid . Plantains are very starchy, so they’ll soak up the liquid and thicken as they cool.
- Mash it well . Mangú is meant to be smooth and creamy, not lumpy! Although it doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, you do want to make sure that all of the bigger pieces of plantain are mashed.
Serving Suggestions
Mangú is often served alongside what’s known in the Dominican Republic as los tres golpes , or the three hits—salami, fried eggs, and fried cheese. You can make a vegan version of this with tofu scramble in place of the eggs, your favourite vegan sausage, and plant-based cheese.
Other serving options include rice and beans, sliced avocado, or marinated tofu .
How to Store
Mangú can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave; you’ll need to add some water to thin it out and keep it from being dry.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This vegan mangú can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
More Savory Breakfast Recipes
- Vegan Ackee and Saltfish (Jamaican Breakfast Feast)
- Mexican Breakfast Burritos
- Breakfast Tacos with Avocado Pico De Gallo Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 Green Plantains , ends cut off and peels removed (900 grams)
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Salt , 12 grams
- 4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter , ¼ cup or 56 grams
- 1 ¼ Cup Reserved Water , 282 grams/milliliters
- Pickled Red Onion , optional for topping
- Fresh Cilantro , optional for topping
- Olive Oil , optional for topping
Instructions
- Cut each plantain in half lengthwise then cut each half into 3 inch pieces.
- Add the plantain chunks to a large pot or saucepan and cover with water.
- Add the salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender. When the plantains are finished, reserve 1 1⁄4 cup (283 grams/milliliters) of water from the pot and set aside.
- Using a strainer, drain the water and put the plantains back in the pot.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the plantains.
- Add the butter and continue mashing until the plantains are mostly broken down.
- Add the reserved water a little at a time while mashing until the plantains are semi-smooth like mashed potatoes.
- Taste and season with any additional salt or add black pepper if preferred. serve as desired or top with pickled red onion, cilantro, or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Mangú (Dominican Mashed Plantains)
Ingredients
- 4 Green Plantains ends cut off and peels removed (900 grams)
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Salt 12 grams
- 4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter ¼ cup or 56 grams
- 1 ¼ Cup Reserved Water 282 grams/milliliters
- Pickled Red Onion optional for topping
- Fresh Cilantro optional for topping
- Olive Oil optional for topping
Instructions
- Cut each plantain in half lengthwise then cut each half into 3 inch pieces.
- Add the plantain chunks to a large pot or saucepan and cover with water.
- Add the salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender. When the plantains are finished, reserve 1 1⁄4 cup (283 grams/milliliters) of water from the pot and set aside.
- Using a strainer, drain the water and put the plantains back in the pot.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the plantains.
- Add the butter and continue mashing until the plantains are mostly broken down.
- Add the reserved water a little at a time while mashing until the plantains are semi-smooth like mashed potatoes.
- Taste and season with any additional salt or add black pepper if preferred. serve as desired or top with pickled red onion, cilantro, or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Mangú (Dominican Mashed Plantains) https://jessicainthekitchen.com/mangu-dominican-mashed-plantains/ June 15, 2023
If you’re new to veganism, you may be wondering, “is honey vegan?” Here’s what you need to know.
There’s a whole lot to navigate as a new vegan, and the process can definitely be overwhelming.
Although I’ve been a vegan for many years now, I remember the frustration and disappointment of realizing some of my former favourite foods contained hidden animal-derived ingredients.
Honey is an area of uncertainty for many new vegans—and also friends and family who are cooking for them! Let’s take a deep-dive to answer the question of whether honey is vegan.
What Is Honey?
Honey is a sweet, golden liquid produced by bees. It has been used since ancient times for its medicinal properties, sweetness, and flavor.
Technically speaking, honey contains around 80% carbohydrates, 15 to 17% water, and the rest is minerals, vitamins, pollen, and amino acids. The carbohydrates in honey are primarily fructose and glucose, but it has a slightly lower glycemic index than table sugar, which is why it’s often perceived as a healthier alternative.
How and Why Bees Make Honey
Bees make honey from the sugary nectar of flowers. Bees use their tongues to lap up the nectar and then store it in a special part of their stomachs, known as honey sacs. After returning to the hive, they regurgitate the nectar and a process of evaporation and enzyme-reaction takes place in the hive, reducing the water content of the nectar and producing the signature amber color and sweet flavor of honey.
Bees make honey for two main reasons: to feed their colonies in winter and to sustain new bee colonies. Honey keeps well, providing bees with a stable food source throughout the year. It also offers an important source of nutrition for newly established hives. When beekeepers remove honey from a hive, they replace it with a corn-syrup-based substitute that lacks the essential nutrients of honey.
Why Honey Isn’t Vegan
So is honey vegan? The answer is no.
Vegans avoid consuming all products that are derived from animals or animal byproducts, including honey. Strict ethical vegans do not consume honey or use it in their recipes. ( What Does It Mean to Be Vegan? )
The production of honey involves exploiting bees and denying them their autonomy as living beings. While some ethical beekeepers try to minimize the impact on bees, commercial beekeeping operations often fail to take into account the needs of the bee community. Bees are highly social beings and rely heavily on their colonies for survival. The intensive practices of commercial beekeeping often disrupt the social structure of the hive, leading to poor health and reduced production.
As with the dairy industry, honeybees are often artificially inseminated, and bees may also be killed before winter to save on the costs of feeding them through the cold months.
Honey production and beekeeping can also cause environmental harm. Large, commercial operations often ship bees across the country to pollinate crops. This disrupts the bees’ natural migratory patterns. Commercial honey production also produces honeybee colonies that supplant native bee populations.
Plant-Based Honey
Luckily, there are a number of vegan honey substitutes on the market today—and yes, they really do taste like actual honey!
Some popular brands include Bee Free Honey, Nectar, Vegan Un-Honey, Just Like Honey, and Humble Honee. You can use these vegan honey substitutes the same way you use regular honey.
More Vegan Alternatives to Honey
If you can’t find the vegan honey substitutes listed above, don’t despair! You can also substitute these sweeteners in almost any recipe that calls for honey:
- Maple syrup – A sweetener made from the sap of maple trees that can be used as a 1:1 substitute for honey. It’s a little bit thinner and less sticky, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a substitute to drizzle on top of fruit or vegan yogurt .
- Agave nectar – Made from the agave plant, this syrup is sweeter than honey and has a milder flavor.
- Date syrup – This thick syrup is made by blending dates with water to create a delicious, caramel-like flavor. It’s absolutely divine!
- Coconut nectar – A mild-tasting syrup made from coconut trees, coconut nectar has a lower glycemic index than honey and is a good source of minerals.
- Molasses – A thick syrup made from sugar cane or sugar beets that you can use as an alternative to honey in baking. Note that it has a much more pronounced flavor, especially if you use the blackstrap variety.
- Simple syrup – A basic syrup made from equal parts sugar and water, it has a neutral flavor it works well for sweetening cocktails and other drinks that call for honey.
- Brown rice syrup – A thick syrup made from cooked down brown rice. It has a mild flavor and you can use it as an alternative to honey in baking, granola bars, and more.
- Sugar – You can also use old-fashioned sugar as a honey substitute!
Other Ingredients to Watch Out For
Honey isn’t the only food product or ingredient that comes from bees. Ethical vegans who avoid honey should be aware of these other ingredients in foods, cosmetics, skincare, home products, and supplements:
- Beeswax – Used in the production of candles, cosmetics, and food products.
- Propolis – A resin-like substance used in skincare and dietary supplements.
- Royal jelly – A milky white secretion from young bee larvae used as a dietary supplement.
More Vegan Lifestyle Guides and Tips
- Is Yeast Vegan?
- How to Cook Lentils
- How To Cook Tofu 101 + Best Tips on Making the Most Delicious Tofu
