A reference that highlights the importance of plantains on the island is found in Antonio Vasquez de Espinosa’s work Compendio y Descripcion de las Indias Occidentales (1629), cited by Emilio Rodriguez Demorizi in Relaciones Geograficas de Santo Domingo (1970, Vol. I), when he describes: "The fruits found on the island are abundant; among them the plantain stands out, of different kinds, very helpful at all times and in every need, because it is available throughout the year."

Mofongo shares roots with other plantain dishes in Latin America and Africa, such as green plantain fufu, bolon de verde, cabeza de gato, cayeye, bola de platano, banan-pile, or tacaco, all based on mashed cooked or fried plantain, mixed with fats, meats, and vegetables.

As for the origin of the term mofongo, some researchers suggest it comes from the Angolan word "mufuengue," meaning "a large amount of something," or from the word "mufuongo," which in the same language refers to the action of crushing. In Herencia Africana en la Gastronomia Dominicana (2002), Juan Nina notes that the root of the word could come from Cape Verde, where the word "cofongo" means "corn ball." What is certain is that mofongo is a legacy of African cuisine in the Caribbean, confirmed by the existence of fufu in Ghana, a very similar dish.

Mofongo is a traditional Dominican dish based on green plantains, which are fried and mashed with garlic, salt, and broth, then combined with pork chicharron, chicken, longaniza, shrimp, or crab, and today even includes vegetarian versions. In the country, it is eaten for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. It is generally served in a spherical shape, although it is also common to enjoy it in a small wooden pilon, just as Africans on the island used to prepare and eat it. Mofongo can also be made with cassava and served with different meats.

Its origins date back to the colonial era, when the diet of enslaved people consisted mainly of green plantain accompanied by meat, especially pork, which was often fried in its own lard to make chicharron. This dish is found in several Caribbean and Amazonian countries, where the name and preparation vary, which explains the strong sense of belonging that Puerto Ricans show toward mofongo.

In the Dominican Republic, the city of Moca has become established as the capital of mofongo, attracting domestic culinary tourism. Iconic restaurants there include Mofongo Mi Terraza (founded in 2008), Juan Pablo Mofongo (1999), Juan Mofongo, Mofongo Moca, Las 4F Restaurant, and Mi Patio, among others, where mofongo is served in many versions. The pork chicharron version is one of the most requested, especially by children and young people.
The dish is so popular that it appears on the menus of most restaurants and roadside eateries in the country. In October 2022, mocano mofongo was declared "Gastronomic Heritage of Moca" by the City Council, in a historic act that recognized the promoters of this Creole dish made with the distinctive Moca plantain.

In the work El Cocinero de Puerto Rico (1859), by an unknown author, the first recorded recipe with the name "Mofongo Criollo" appears. It states: "Clean the green plantains with lemon, boil them with veal and chicken, and then mash them with garlic, oregano, sweet pepper, bacon, and ham. Form a ball and eat it with the veal and chicken broth." This book, considered the oldest and most complete in Puerto Rican cuisine, includes about 850 recipes classified into 25 chapters, with local and international preparations adapted to a Creole style. The same work also includes the recipe for roasted plantains with garlic, a very common dish in traditional kitchens.

The second written recipe for mofongo appears in Libro de Cocina Puertorriqueno (1948), by Elizabeth B. K. Dooley. In it, mofongo is made with yellow plantains fried in lard, mashed with garlic, olive oil, and chicharron, forming a ball. Later, the recipe evolved into versions using green or semi-ripe plantains, combined with garlic, bacon, broth, and chicharron.