Bananas are one of the most popular and healthy fruits around. They’re inexpensive and keep you full and energized, packed with vitamins and nutrients. While fresh bananas are great on their own, or covered in peanut butter for a healthy snack, ripe bananas are one of the best foods to bake with! Ripe bananas can be used in a wide range of recipes, from crepes to muffins to ice cream, and so much more. Their natural sweetness makes them a favourite for cooking and baking! Whether you have some brown bananas you need to use ASAP, or want to quickly ripen bananas to bake with, check out these ripe banana recipes you’ll absolutely love!
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas: 3 Tips
1. Place in a Paper Bag
Bananas produce an invisible gas called ethylene as they ripen. Place bananas in a paper bag and close loosely. The ethylene will build up within the bag and ripen the bananas more quickly. You can also place another fruit inside the bag that gives off ethylene, such as an apple or avocado to speed up the ripening process even more.
2. Heat Up the Bananas in the Oven
You can place your bananas in the oven to help ripen them. Bake them in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the banana skins turn completely black. This is a great method because it brings out the bananas’ natural sugars!
3. Use the Microwave
Need ripe bananas this instant? You can also use a microwave to ripen bananas quickly. Peel the bananas and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Heat them on high until you hear them sizzle – about 30 seconds.
How to Keep Bananas Fresh for Longer
1. Buy Green Bananas
Rather than buying ripe, yellow bananas at the grocery store, opt for green bananas that are only slightly ripe. When you buy ripe bananas you need to consume them within two to three days, but buying green bananas allows them time to ripen and you can keep them for longer.
2. Take Them Out of Bags As Soon As You Get Home
If you want your bananas to stay fresh, make sure to take them out of the plastic or paper bag as soon as you get home. Bananas in bags will ripen faster, whereas bananas in the open at room temperature will ripen more slowly. Make sure they’re stored away from direct heat or sunlight, and instead in a well-ventilated, cool, dark place.
3. Keep Them Away from Other Fruits (Especially Ones That Emit Ethylene)
Make sure that wherever you place your bananas, they’re kept away from other fruits, especially fruits that emit ethylene gas. These fruits include apples, apricots, avocados, cantaloupe and honeydew. Placing them near these fruits will make them ripen and turn brown faster.
4. Plastic Wrap to Cover the Stems
Covering the stems of bananas with plastic wrap prevents ethylene from escaping from the stems. It also prevents the evaporation of moisture and absorption of ethylene from other fruits nearby. Every time you take a banana from the bunch, make sure to wrap the stems again.
5. Use a Banana Bunker
Banana bunkers are another awesome way to keep your bananas fresh! They keep bananas from getting bruised and shield them from other ethylene-emitting fruits. Store bananas in a banana bunker at home, or pack them in lunch boxes for school, work or picnics! Your bananas will be kept fresh and in perfect condition!
50 Ripe Banana Recipes to Try
1. Banana Cake with Pecan Crumble | BBC Good Food
2. Vanilla Bean Banana Ice Cream | Forks Over Knives
3. Banana Breakfast Cookies | Five Heart Home
4. Chocolate Chip Banana Bars| Butter with a Side of Bread
5. Banana Bread Brekkie Bowl | Taste
6. Upside-Down Banana Monkey Bread | Taste of Home
7. Banana Pancakes with Crispy Bacon | BBC Good Food
8. Banana, Coconut and Nutella Bread | Taste
9. Banana Pudding Cheesecake | Life, Love and Sugar
10. Frozen Chocolate Banana Treats | Forks Over Knives
11. Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies | Averie Cooks
12. Banana Cream Pie Blizzard | Minimalist Baker
13. Overnight Banana Slow Cooker Oats | Well Plated
14. Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins | Averie Cooks
15. Easy Strawberry Banana Bread | Taste
16. Banana Vanilla Soft Serve with Dark Chocolate Drizzle | This Rawsome Vegan Life
17. Moist and Chewy Banana Oatmeal Cookies | Life, Love and Sugar
18. Grilled Banana Bread Peanut Butter S’more with Vanilla Marshmallows | Half Baked Harvest
19. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Waffles | Minimalist Baker
20. Roasted Banana Cake | The Faux Martha
21. Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Pancakes | Forks Over Knives
22. Nutty Banana Bars | Taste
23. Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread | Averie Cooks
24. Strawberry Banana Crepes | Taste of Home
25. Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies | Mom on Time Out
26. Cottage Cheese Banana Oatmeal Protein Pancakes | Ambitious Kitchen
27. Avocado Banana Bread | Crazy for Crust
28. Banana White Chocolate Toffee Cookies | Kitchn
29. Fudge Protein Brownies | Gimme Delicious
30. Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie | The Schmidty Wife
31. Healthy Honey, Flax, Tahini Banana Bread | Ambitious Kitchen
32. Banana Cream Pie | Taste of Home
33. Tropical Banana Bread with Macadamia Nuts, Coconut and Pineapple | Kitchn
34. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie | Ambitious Kitchen
35. Banana Breakfast Cookies | Crazy for Crust
36. Whole Wheat Banana Muffins | Sweet as Honey
37. Healthy Edible Banana Bread Batter | The Big Man’s World
38. 3-Ingredient Banana FroYo | Self
39. Superfood Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding | Veggie and the Beast
40. Bananas Foster Baked French Toast | Taste of Home
41. Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake | Averie Cooks
42. Banana Golden Oreo Cupcakes | Crazy for Crust
43. “Whipped” Banana Oatmeal | Kath Eats
44. Simple Green Smoothie with Banana | Self
45. Dark Chocolate, Almond and Sea Salt Banana Baked Oatmeal | Ambitious Kitchen
46. Banana Beignet Bites | Taste of Home
47. Jacked Up Banana Bread | Smitten Kitchen
48. Frozen Banana, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Milkshake | Kitchn
49. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Pudding | Texanerin
50. Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins | The Novice Chef
Ripe bananas are one of the most versatile foods you can bake with! Whip up these recipes for some seriously delicious treats that your whole family will love!
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