Yaroa de Plátano
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Yaroa de Plátano

Classic Dominican street food made with fried sweet plantains.

Jun 18, 2025

By: Franchesca Livraghi | @breakthrukitchen

Yaroa is one of those Dominican street food dishes that’s all about layers. From the savory meat to the melty cheese and the drizzle of creamy mayonnaise, ketchup, and chimi sauce over a base of fries or mashed plantains, it’s cheesy, messy in the best way, and always hits the spot.

Traditionally, Yaroa is made with either potato french fries or mashed sweet plantains as the base. But in this version we are going to be using fried plantain fries instead. They give you the perfect balance of crispy edges and soft centers, with just the right amount of caramelization and sweetness to play off the seasoned beef, cheese, and sauces. It’s a fun twist that keeps all the classic vibes but adds even more texture and flavor.

Yaroa de Plátano finished dish

Use yellow plantains to make the fries

When making the plantain fries for this yaroa be sure to go for yellow plantains. These are the ones that are ripe but not too soft. They’re perfect for frying because they give you that slightly sweet flavor with a golden, crispy outside. If they’re still green, they’ll be too starchy, and if they’re too ripe, they’ll fall apart when you try to fry them and won’t hold their fry shape. Yellow plantains are that sweet spot in the middle.

Frying yellow plantains for fries

Best kind of cheese to use for yaroa

My go-to cheese for Yaroa is muenster because it melts beautifully and has a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower the dish. Mozzarella, American, or cheddar also work great if that’s what you have on hand. Cheeses that don’t melt well, like feta, cotija, or parmesan, probably won’t work here since they’ll just sit on top instead of giving you that gooey, cheesy layer that makes Yaroa so good.

How to make chimi sauce

Chimi sauce is a must when it comes to yaroa. It brings everything together with that creamy, tangy flavor that balances out the savoriness of the beef and fried plantains. The base is equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup, with a bit of sour orange and soy sauce to give it that signature taste that sets it apart from a basic mayoketchup sauce. If you really want to level it up, stir in a teaspoon of Loisa Recaito. It adds a garlicky herb taste that’s just so good.

Ground beef for Yaroa cooking in pan

More toppings idea

There are so many different kinds of yaroa, so you can switch things up depending on what you’re in the mood for. Swap the ground beef for some shredded chicken or juicy pernil for a different take that’s still full of flavor. For a vegetarian version, go with habichuelas guisadas, mushrooms, or plant-based meat. You can also top it with a sunny-side-up egg for a little something extra. The yolk adds a rich, creamy layer that melts right into the cheese and sauce that makes this plantain yaroa even better.

Topping sauce and plantain fries with ground breef

 

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