With Cinco de Mayo approaching, these Loaded Tropical Plantain Nachos are the perfect festive recipe. I love Mexican-inspired food, and I’m slightly obsessed with plantains—so this recipe felt inevitable. It combines several simple components into one vibrant, tasty dish.
Start with a triple batch of Savory Fried Plantains as the base. Thick-cut, garlicky plantains provide a hearty foundation for the toppings. Pile them with savory grass-fed beef and onions, a bright pineapple-kiwi salsa, creamy avocado-lime crema, and plenty of crispy bacon for smoky crunch.
I use the word “nachos” loosely here: these aren’t crispy tortilla chips, there’s no oven baking, and the recipe is dairy-free and nightshade-free. This AIP-friendly, paleo take swaps traditional nacho ingredients for tropical flavors and fresh textures. The result is colorful, satisfying, and perfect for sharing—grab friends, mix up some margaritas, and enjoy this no-bake party plate.
Multi-component recipes can seem intimidating, but these nachos are straightforward and well worth the effort. Most components—salsa, crema—can be prepared ahead of time. The only elements best made fresh are the plantains and the ground beef, so a bit of multitasking yields a mouth-watering payoff.
I recommend starting with the bacon. Cook it in the skillet you’ll use for the plantains so you can reuse the bacon fat for frying. While the bacon cooks, heat a second skillet for the beef and onions. As the meat cooks, chop the tropical salsa ingredients—pineapple, kiwi, cucumber, green onion, cilantro—and toss them with lime and a little garlic for a bright, crunchy salsa.
Fresh pineapple is easier to prep than many expect if you have the right tool, but simple knife skills work fine too. The salsa is wonderfully versatile—tangy, sweet, and herby—and makes a great topping for fish, chicken, or salads if you have leftovers.
The avocado lime crema is essentially a creamy avocado coconut-milk sauce that complements the starchy plantains beautifully. Blend avocado with full-fat coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt until smooth. It comes together quickly with a blender or food processor and keeps well in the refrigerator for a day or two.
For the plantains, peel and slice them about 1/2 inch thick and fry in bacon fat mixed with a little coconut oil until golden brown and tender inside. Season with garlic powder and sea salt right after frying. The savory, garlicky slices act as the “chip” layer for this tropical twist on nachos.
Assemble the plate by arranging the salted fried plantains on a platter. Top with the warm beef-and-onion mixture, spoon on plenty of the pineapple-kiwi salsa, and drizzle generously with avocado-lime crema. Scatter crumbled bacon over everything, finish with extra cilantro and a squeeze of lime, and serve. These are easier to eat with forks and perfect for sharing.
If fresh plantains aren’t available or you’re short on time, feel free to substitute tortilla chips, sweet potato chips, or plantain chips and still enjoy a delicious plate of nachos. Wishing you a happy, tasty Cinco de Mayo weekend—olé!
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- For the Tropical Salsa:
- 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
- 3 kiwis, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- For the Avocado Lime Crema:
- 1 large avocado, peeled
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- juice of 3 limes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- For the Plantains:
- 3 green or lightly yellow plantains
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil, bacon fat, or duck fat
- sprinkle of sea salt and garlic powder
- Optional Toppings:
- extra fresh chopped cilantro
- extra lime juice
- In a large cast-iron skillet, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. Reserve bacon fat in the skillet for frying plantains.
- In a second skillet, sauté the chopped onion over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, seasoning with garlic powder, turmeric, and sea salt. Remove from heat.
- While the meat cooks, chop the salsa ingredients and combine them in a bowl with lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Combine avocado, coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Peel and slice the plantains into 1/2-inch rounds. Fry in the reserved bacon fat combined with a little coconut oil over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and tender. Transfer to a platter and season with garlic powder and sea salt.
- Assemble the nachos: layer the fried plantains on a platter, top with the warm beef mixture, add the tropical salsa, drizzle with avocado-lime crema, and finish with crumbled bacon, extra cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
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