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Picnic-Ready Plantain Chips with Black Bean Dip

Sam Muller

BY Erika Houle

PUBLISHED June 8, 2026

We all know there’s no picnic without chips and dip, and when you make plantain and black bean varieties, you can expect expectations to be exceeded. Plantain chips will hold their crunch (be sure they’re well-cooked, drained, and entirely cooled before packing them up), and creamy black bean dip (add chipotle peppers if you’re picnicking with friends who appreciate a kick) will be an exciting alternative to store-bought hummus or salsa. There’s also room to play around with your plantain seasonings—if making your own spice mix sounds tedious and you’ve got suya spice or your personal favorite salt blend on hand, you’ll be all set.

 

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Picnic-Ready Plantain Chips with Black Bean Dip

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Makes 6 to 8 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes, plus cooling time

Scale

Ingredients

For the dip:

  • 2 cans black beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • Juice of 3 limes
  • 1 cup sour cream, plus a dollop more for garnish
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2–3 big pinches of salt, plus more to taste

For the chips:

  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3–4 cups neutral oil, for frying (or enough to fully submerge the plantains)
  • 6 firm-ripe plantains, peeled and very thinly sliced (mandolined)

Instructions

  1. Add black beans, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, sour cream, chipotle peppers (if using), cumin, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until thoroughly combined and smooth. Taste, and, if needed, add more salt. Cover and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper and set aside. Add neutral oil to a pot or pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add plantains and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding or the plantains sticking together. Once crispy and deeply golden brown on both sides, use a slotted spoon to transfer plantains to a rack. Season immediately with the spice mixture. Once completely cooled, transfer to a towel-lined bowl or sealed container.

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