Mofongo with Garlic Mojo

4.75 from 39 votes

Made with crispy green plantains, garlic, and pork cracklings, this mofongo recipe is packed with flavor and served with a delicious homemade garlic mojo. A true Caribbean comfort food!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: caribbean

Servings: servings

Calories: 672kcal

Author: Vanessa

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Mofongo:

1 cup 240 ml vegetable oil (for frying)
4 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
2 tablespoons mashed garlic, fresh or from a paste
1 pound 450g pork cracklings (chicharrón), cut into bite-size pieces (or substitute with bacon or pernil)
1½ teaspoons salt or to taste

For the Garlic Mojo:

6 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed bitter orange juice, or substitute with equal parts lime and orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Additional salt to taste

Instructions

Fry the Plantains

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry the plantain slices until golden brown and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally.
Once done, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Mash the Mofongo

In a pilón (mortar and pestle), mash the fried plantains together with the mashed garlic and pork cracklings. Work in batches if needed. The texture should be chunky but well combined—don’t over-mash.
Season with salt to taste.

Shape and Serve

To serve, pack the mofongo mixture into a small bowl or ramekin, then flip it onto a plate to form a dome shape.
Garnish with extra pork cracklings if you like, and serve with the garlic mojo on the side.

Make the Garlic Mojo

In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic cloves and salt into a smooth paste.
Transfer the paste to a small bowl. Stir in the bitter orange juice, olive oil, cumin, oregano, and chopped cilantro.
Taste and add more salt if needed.

Notes

No mortar and pestle? You can use a potato masher or the bottom of a sturdy cup and a deep bowl to mash everything together.
Pork swaps: Bacon or pernil work great if you don’t have pork cracklings on hand.
Bitter orange alternative: Use 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice + 1 tablespoon orange juice if you can't find bitter orange.
Best when fresh: Mofongo is best served right after making, while the plantains are still warm and tender.
Reheating: To reheat, warm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or oil to revive the texture. Avoid freezing.

Nutrition