Banana Ripe – Did you ever wonder how to make banana ripe? There are hundreds of sites who will either claim to know or hand out a recipe that teaches how to make banana ripe. When I was younger, none of the recipes were right. Now I know the secret and the easiest way to do it.
So, how to make ripe banana to be eaten? If you have some bananas which are not getting any riper but rather even more yellow, you can try out these methods on how to make banana ripe.
How to Ripen Bananas
When you cannot wait for banana bars, but all of your bananas are underripe, what’s a baker to do? Here’s how to ripen bananas for pancakes, muffins, and more.
How do bananas ripen?
Ideally, a banana, apple, or other fruit left alone will ripen naturally. As it ripens, it releases ethylene, a natural plant hormone in the form of a gas. Some types of fruit and vegetables release more ethylene than others. Similarly, some fruits and vegetables are more sensitive to ethylene than others
Here are just a few examples of ethylene producing foods (when ripe):
- Bananas
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Avocados
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Potatoes
- Pears
You can use that ethylene to your advantage when you have a bunch of green bananas that you’re hoping to eat sooner rather than later.
Best way to ripen bananas naturally:
- If you want to let the bananas ripen slowly, place them in a warm spot; maybe a sunny window, or near a heating vent.
- Keep the bunch of bananas together—their friends will help speed the process along.
- Depending on how green they are—and where on the banana ripeness spectrum you prefer them—they should take 24 hours to 5 days to ripen.
If that’s not fast enough, don’t fret. You have speedier options!
Ripening bananas with a paper bag:
- Place the unripe bananas in a paper bag (a brown paper lunch bag, grocery bag, etc) along with a high-ethylene producing fruit, such as a ripe banana or apple.
- Then loosely fold the paper bag closed and let the ethylene gas from the fruit encourage the banana to ripen. This process is gradual, but definitely faster than leaving the banana out in the open. They should be ready to eat in a day or two. (By the way, this is a great way to ripen stubborn avocados, too!)
Need them riper, mushier, and even faster? Use the oven.
How to ripen bananas in the oven:
When you need super ripe bananas NOW, an oven is your BBF (banana’s best friend). No prep, nothing. You don’t even need to peel them.
- First, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Place the unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When ready, they’ll turn completely black.
- Let the baked bananas cool, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon and mash.
Can you use the microwave to ripen bananas?
Technically, yes, but according to experiments, microwaving bananas doesn’t improve the flavor of the unripe bananas. Furthermore, it doesn’t make them any sweeter. And that sweetness is exactly what you want them for!
So, it’s more like softening than ripening.
If you’d like to try it, it tends to work better with a semi-ripe banana than a fully green one.
- Peel the bananas and place them in a microwave-safe container.
- Cook for one 30-second increment, (and maybe just one more if you’re cooking multiple bananas) until you hear the bananas sizzling inside.
Storing ripe bananas:
If you’ve hit your limit with bananas for breakfast, or the bananas you bought are past their prime, just peel them and stow them in a zip-top freezer bag in the freezer for later.
Frozen bananas keep in the freezer almost indefinitely, but are best within 6 to 8 months. Just label your bag and you’ll always have the main ingredient in banana bread handy.
When you’re ready to make something, let the frozen bananas thaw before adding to the recipe.
If you plan on making a smoothie or blender ice cream, add frozen banana chunks right into the blender—no need to thaw.
How to Ripen Bananas
When you cannot wait for banana bars, but all your bananas are underripe, what’s a baker to do? Here’s how to ripen bananas for pancakes, muffins, and more.
Ingredients US CustomaryMetric
- Unpeeled bananas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Arrange unpeeled bananas on prepared baking sheet. Bake until banana skins are completely black all over, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cool. Scoop banana pulp from peel and mash.
Recipe Video
Nutrition
Calories: 105kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 422mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 10mgIron: 1mg
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas, 6 Different Ways
Because you want banana bread and you want it now.
Is the bunch of bananas you just bought from the local market too green for your snacking preference? Or have you been craving banana bread and are in need of overripe bananas to make your favorite recipe? Your overnight solution could be a paper bag, an oven, an air fryer, or even a microwave.
You may not have thought about science since your freshman gen-chem seminars, but hear me out. Bananas give off a molecule called ethylene. You can’t see it, but this compound works on processing the sugars within the fruit, allowing the banana to soften and change colors. Most of these hacks involve heat — a common misconception about banana ripening is that sticking them in the freezer will help. In fact, freezing bananas halts the ripening process and makes for a good way to preserve ripe bananas.
With a little time, some warmth, and consolidation, your bananas will soon be suitable for your snacking or baking preference. Check out these six ways to speed up the process to ripen bananas.
1. In a bunch: takes about 24-48 hours to ripen
Bananas that grow together, ripen together. If you want more ripened bananas, do not separate all the bananas at once. Only separate the one you want to eat and leave the others intact. You can even bunch up your roommate’s bananas with yours by using some foil. More consolidation means more ethylene emitted in one area. This ripening process happens slowly, but will ensure the sweetest and best bananas. If you want to speed up the process, keep looking, but the sweetest bananas will ripen on their own!
2. Place in warm places: takes about 24-48 hours to ripen
Place bananas in warm areas such as near a heater, above your refrigerator, or in an oven that’s cooling down. In the latter, make sure to check on them frequently. You’ll want to pull them out when brown spots begin to form.
3. In a paper bag: takes about 12-24 hours to ripen
Place bananas in a brown paper bag and close loosely. Ethylene will build up and circulate within the bag, speeding up the ripening process. Check at certain intervals in order to take them out at your desired ripeness. This hack makes the magic happen pretty much overnight.
#SpoonTip: Place a ripe fruit such as an apple or tomato in the bag as well. These other fruits also emit ethylene and will enhance ripening.
4. In the oven: about 15-30 minutes to ripen
This method is great to ripen bananas for recipes because heat brings out the fruit’s sugar. Bananas cannot be overly green when using this method. Put unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and place in an oven set at 300ºF. Check on them frequently because time will vary, and don’t fret if the bananas leak a bit. You know they’re done when the peels become shiny and black.
5. In the microwave: 30 seconds-2 minutes to ripen
Need a dorm-friendly, banana ripening trick? You’re in luck! Take a fork or sharp knife and completely poke through the skin of the peel a couple of times on all sides. Place the banana in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool slightly and check if desired softness is met. If not, microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Continue this process until desired ripeness is obtained. This hack makes the ripening happen really quickly and works best when you’re in a pinch (also, it doesn’t require a paper bag).
6. In the air fryer: 8-10 minutes to ripen
Much like the oven method, the bananas will ripen when exposed to extreme heat. Luckily, a college student (especially in dorms) is much more likely to have access to a small air fryer than an entire oven. First, line your air fryer with parchment paper or foil, just in case the bananas burst, place them in there at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and take them out after eight minutes or until the bananas are soft and the peels have darkened. Definitely let them cool, then mash away to make banana bread!
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas 3 Ways
Here’s how to ripen bananas faster, whether you have a few days, a few hours, or a few minutes.
Quick Tricks to Ripen BananasBananas are rarely perfectly ripe at the store. Here are 3 quick tricks to ripen your bananas faster. 1. The Paper Bag Technique Put your banana into a closed paper bag; the paper will let in enough oxygen to move the process along. Do not to keep the bananas in plastic bag. It doesn’t let in enough oxygen and can actually inhibit ripening. 2. Bake in the Oven Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place bananas on the baking sheet with some space between them, and bake for about half an hour. 3. Pop Them in the Microwave Poke unpeeled bananas with a fork, then put them on a plate or paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time.
Bananas are a vibrant and versatile fruit that can be the simplest of snacks or a star in a variety of recipes.
But no matter how you slice it, bananas taste the best when ripe. The rind should be bright yellow, firm to touch, and peel away smooth to reveal a sweet-smelling flesh on the inside.
While eating a banana is easy, knowing when it’s ripe enough to enjoy can be more complex.
You might have noticed that most bananas you find at the supermarket are still a bit green. This is because bananas, like many fruits and vegetables, continue to ripen after being picked. So to give them a longer shelf, bananas are harvested young and delivered to stores while still slightly underripe.
So what do you do when you’re craving banana muffins, but all your bananas are still too hard or edged with green? Here are three ways to ripen your bananas faster than nature intended.
How to Ripen Bananas 3 Ways
Have a Day or More? Try The Paper Bag Technique
As bananas naturally ripen, the peels give off ethylene gas. The higher the ethylene concentration in the air surrounding the banana, the faster it will mature. Even commercial banana producers will use ethylene gas to control ripening to send bananas to retailers at specific stages.
You can take advantage of ethylene’s ripening properties at home by putting your banana into a closed paper bag; the paper will trap ethylene while letting in enough oxygen to help move the process along. For even faster ripening, add an apple, pear, apricot, or avocado — they also release ethylene.
When trying this technique, it’s important not to use a plastic bag because it won’t allow enough oxygen in and can actually inhibit ripening. That’s why bananas at the grocery store are often bagged in plastic—to keep them from ripening too soon.
Depending on how under-ripe your bananas were to start with, paper-bag ripening will take 1-3 days; putting the bag on top of your fridge or another warm location can speed it up even more. Check them daily, and when the bananas are firm and bright yellow with no trace of green, they’re good for eating raw. Once brown spots start to appear, you can use them for baking.
Have a Few Hours? Bake Them in the Oven
What if you want to make banana bread today, not in two or three days? Try speed-ripening bananas in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with silicone or parchment. (The bananas may leak a little during baking.)
- Place unpeeled bananas on the baking sheet leaving some space between them, and bake for about half an hour. Check every 15 minutes to see if they’re soft enough. The less ripe your bananas to start, the longer they will take.
- The peels will turn black when ready, and the fruit will be soft — too mushy for eating raw, but great for baking.
Have Just a Few Minutes? Pop Them in the Microwave
You can zap firm yellow bananas to soft ripeness in just a few minutes. Here’s how:
- Poke unpeeled bananas all over with a fork or knife.
- Then put them on a paper towel or plate and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, repeating until they’re as soft as you want.