Unripe plantain porridge is a hearty and easy one-pot African recipe that’s both filling and full of flavor. It’s a popular meal in many Nigerian homes, made with green plantains, a handful of green vegetables, and seasonings that bring everything together.
You might already be familiar with Nigerian plantain porridge, or maybe you’re just looking for a new way to cook with green plantains. Either way, this is a simple and tasty recipe worth trying.
What makes this plantain porridge recipe stand out is how it turns simple ingredients into a tasty, filling meal.
The green plantains cook until softened and soak up the flavors from the sauce and seasonings. It’s good on its own, but also easy to serve with extra proteins like chicken and beef.
Looking for more recipes like this? You might also like our potato porridge that comes together fast, or this classic beans porridge that pairs well soaked garri or fried plantains.
Table of Contents
What’s great about our recipe!
- Wholesome and Filling: Green plantains are a great source of fiber and complex carbs, keeping you full for longer.
- Budget-Friendly: Simple pantry ingredients and easy prep make it a great option for affordable home cooking.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: No wheat, no problem—this is a naturally gluten-free dish.
- Flavorful and Customizable: Whether you like it spicy or mild, this Nigerian plantain porridge can be adjusted to your taste.
✅ We’ve got more unripe plantain recipes! Try this soft plantain fufu to be served with Efo riro or snack on these plantain chips.
Ingredients
- Unripe Plantains: firm green plantains are preferred. If you want kids to enjoy it you can add a ripe firm ripe plantain in the mix.
- Palm Oil: Traditional red palm oil gives the dish its rich color and classic taste.
- Onions: These are sautéed to create a flavorful base.
- Garlic powder: for more flavor.
- Bell Pepper and Scotch Bonnet: Add for heat and color
- Crayfish : Adds a smoky, savory depth.
- Bouillon powder and Salt: A common seasoning base in West African cooking.
- Kale or Spinach: Add a leafy green toward the end for added nutrition and flavor. You can use some scent leaves instead.
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- Large pot
- Chopping board
- Knife
How to make unripe plantain porridge
This is traditionally a one pot meal. However instead of frying the onions and pepper at the beginning and then adding the plantains, I prefer to fry it separately then add it towards the end because I find that it has a better flavor this way.
Step 1: Peel and dice the ripe plantain and set aside. Peel and chop the unripe plantains, then place them in a pot with 6–8 cups of water (just enough to cover).
I know green plantains can be difficult to peel so here’s a quick video on how to peel the green plantains.
Step 2: Add ⅓ of the diced onions, crayfish, bouillon powder, garlic powder, and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat. After about 10 minutes, add the ripe plantain to the pot.
Step 3: While that cooks, heat palm oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining ⅔ onions and scotch bonnet pepper, and sauté until soft and fragrant.
Step 4: Add your greens (kale, spinach, etc.), stir, and turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook the vegetables through.
Serve with
Nigerian unripe plantain porridge is a meal on its own and usually isn’t served with any sides.
You can easily serve with more protein like fried fish, air fryer chicken or fried beef. Then round it off with a glass of cold drink like Chapman or homemade orange juice.
How to store and reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm on the stovetop over low heat or microwave in a covered bowl. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the texture.
FAQs
Ripe plantains will give a sweeter taste and softer texture, which can be enjoyable but is quite different from traditional Nigerian plantain porridge.
It’s not out of the box vegan. It can easily be adapted to a plant based lifestyle by using vegetable bouillon and skipping the crayfish.
Yes, it freezes well. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
No, Jamaican plantain porridge is a sweet, creamy breakfast made with ripe plantains, milk, and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
Nigerian plantain porridge, on the other hand, is a savory one-pot meal made with unripe plantains, vegetables, and seasonings, often served for lunch or dinner.
Tips
- Use firm green plantains.
- I like to add one ripe plantain to my unripe plantain porridge. It adds flavor and makes it easier for kids to enjoy it.
- Cook on medium heat and stir occasionally to prevent the porridge from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Unripe plantain porridge is one of those meals that take me home to my roots. It’s warm, filling, and made from ingredients you can feel good about.
Whether you stick to this classic version or decide to cook it with some beans or yams, this dish brings the comforting flavors of West African cooking to your table.
Try it for a cozy weeknight dinner or a weekend meal that feeds the whole family.
Happy cooking!
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Unripe Plantain Porridge recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
- Chopping board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 6 green plantains
- 1 Yellow plantain This is optional. Ripe Plantain should be firm and not mushy.
- 1 medium Red bell pepper diced see note 2
- 2 Purple onions (diced and divided into thirds)
- ½ cup Crayfish (coarsely ground)
- 1 teaspoon Bouillon powder (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 to 3 handfuls Spinach (substitute with Kale)
- 1 to 2 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero pepper)
- 1 cup Palm oil
Instructions
- Peel the ripe plantain, cut it into small cubes, and set it aside.
- Peel the unripe plantains and chop them into cubes. Place them in a large pot with enough water to cover it (about 6 to 8 cups of water)
- Add ⅓ of the diced onions. crayfish, bouillon powder to garlic powder and salt cover the pot and let it cook over medium heat.
- After about 10 minutes, add the diced ripe plantain to the pot. This adds a hint of natural sweetness and soft texture.
- While it cooks, start making the sauce. Heat up the palm oil on low medium heat, add the remaining ⅔ of the diced onions and the scotch bonnet pepper. Cook till the onion softens and fragrant.
- Stir in the onion sauce into the plantain porridge. Add the diced red bell peppers. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add the greens. If you’re using kale, spinach, or any green vegetable, stir it in now.
- Give it another stir and turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook the vegetables.
Notes
- This is traditionally a one pot meal. However instead of frying the onions and pepper at the beginning and then adding the plantains, I prefer to fry it separately then add it towards the end because I find that it has a better flavor this way.
- For the red bell pepper you can blend it and it along side tut onions and crayfish if you prefer.
- The unripe plantains give the dish structure and that familiar starchy texture. The ripe plantain adds a slight natural sweetness and softens up quickly, so it’s best added later in the cooking process.
- Adding ripe plantain is optional but balances the dish with a touch of sweetness especially if you want the kids to enjoy it too.
- You can adjust the water based on how thick or light you like your porridge.
- Crayfish adds a nice umami flavor. If you’re not a fan, you can reduce the amount or leave it out.
- Kale, spinach, or ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves) work well. Add them at the end so they stay bright and fresh.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in Feb 2017. It’s been updated with clearer recipe instructions, answers to FAQs and better photos.
Here are some of the photos from the 2017 blog post. Enjoy!
I’m a secondary school student who has a food and nutrition practical tomorrow where we have to cook individual meals, this is what I’m preparing and I’m going to try out this recipe 😁. Hope it tastes good..ill leave peoples feedback after the meal tomorrow
Hey Obiajulu,
How did your F &N practicals go? That was one of my favorite classes when I was in secondary school.
Hmmmm. Yum! I happen to be among the few who like plantain porridge. Thanks for sharing. I love coming to your blog. It’s beautiful.