Dominican Mangú with Pickled Red Onions

Mangú is what a Dominican breakfast table is built around, and the technique is simpler than it might look: green plantains boiled until very tender, then mashed with a splash of their own cooking water until the texture turns smooth and almost creamy, no cream or butter required. Traditionally it's topped with "los tres golpes" — fried cheese, salami, and eggs — but the mash itself, piled with tangy pickled red onions, is a satisfying dish on its own.

Made here with olive oil instead of butter, this version is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, and it's entirely plant-based, so it fits a vegan way of eating without needing any substitutions. The pickled onions aren't just a garnish — that acidity is what keeps a plate of starchy mashed plantain from tasting flat.