Side dishes
Plantain farofa with toasted cassava flour
Brazilian farofa with ripe cooking plantain, butter and toasted cassava meal. A loose, golden side dish for six, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Brazilian
Ingredients
Method
Cut the plantain
Peel the ripe cooking plantain and weigh 300 g flesh. Cut into 1.5 cm cubes; choose ripe but firm fruit that will hold its shape.
Prepare the aromatics
Finely chop the onion and chives. Weigh 180 g toasted cassava meal and divide the butter into 20 g and 15 g portions.
Brown the plantain
Melt 20 g butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the plantain for 5–7 minutes, turning carefully, until golden on several sides.
Set aside
Transfer the plantain to a plate without crushing it. Leave the browned butter in the pan, provided it has not burned.
Soften the onion
Add the remaining 15 g butter and the onion. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden.
Toast the meal
Add the toasted cassava meal and stir over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes. It should smell toasted and stay loose, without becoming a paste.
Combine gently
Return the plantain, add chives, salt and pepper, and fold gently for 1 minute. Avoid crushing the fruit and do not add water.
Serve
Transfer to a serving dish and divide into six side portions. Serve warm alongside beans or a main dish; accompaniments are not included in the nutrition.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Use coarse toasted cassava meal (farinha de mandioca torrada), not tapioca starch, and cooking plantain rather than a soft dessert banana. Contains milk from butter. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 2 days; reheat in a dry pan. Cassava-flour nutrition uses the Brazilian TBCA reference; total sugars are omitted because that reference does not provide a complete value.
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Nutrition facts
1 of 6 servings
- Protein
- 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44.4 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Saturated fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 3.2 g
- Sodium
- 136 mg
Approximate estimate, not a measurement of the cooked dish. Brands and draining change values; nutrients with incomplete data are omitted. Generic references for prepared mustard, cream, sweet potato, oil and chocolate; specific varieties and brands can differ.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy + TBCA BRC0088B
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Brazilian farofa with ripe cooking plantain, butter and toasted cassava meal. A loose, golden side dish for six, ready in about 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is cassava meal the same as tapioca starch?
No. Farofa needs toasted, granular cassava meal. Fine tapioca starch makes a different texture and is not a direct substitute.
Can I use a dessert banana?
It is softer and sweeter and breaks more easily. This recipe and its nutrition use ripe cooking plantain.
Why is my farofa wet?
Very soft fruit or added liquid can make it clump. Keep the plantain firm, brown it separately and add no water.
