Want to make banana bread or banana muffins but don't have any ripe bananas? I've got a simple trick to transform unripe bananas to perfectly ripe and sweet in a flash! All you need is 20 minutes in the oven or 8 minutes in the air fryer!
No matter what time of year it is, I love cooking with bananas. In the fall and winter, I make my favorite banana bread recipe and banana chocolate chip muffins. In the summertime, when it's hot outside, I love making my refreshing one-ingredient banana ice cream or tropical pineapple banana smoothie.
But sometimes, getting bananas to the perfect stage of ripeness for a recipe can be tricky! Most baking recipes call for overripe bananas. However, most of the bananas you find at the grocery store are underripe.
This can be a problem when my kids get a serious craving for banana pancakes or muffins and want them right away!
Well, I've got a great kitchen tip for you! I'm going to show you the best way to ripen bananas super fast in the oven or air fryer so that you can make your favorite banana recipes whenever you want! All you need is about 20 minutes in the oven or 8 minutes in the air fryer.
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The Best Bananas for Baking
The best bananas to use in recipes like banana bread are overripe bananas. When it comes to baking recipes like quick breads, cakes, and muffins, the browner the bananas, the better!
You want to use overripe bananas that are soft, with brown or black spots. You don't want to use underripe bananas, which are pale yellow or green.
Brown bananas will be softer and will have a sweeter, more concentrated flavor. They'll also be less starchy. All of these things make them ideal for a delicious and moist final product.
How to Ripen Bananas
If you're not in a rush, the simplest way to ripen a bunch of underripe bananas is to let them sit out in a warm spot. You can leave them on your kitchen countertop or on a windowsill that gets direct sunlight.
It will take anywhere from 3-5 days for the bananas to soften and ripen.
An easy way to speed up the ripening process is to use the brown paper bag method. To do this, place your unpeeled bananas in a paper bag with other fruit like apples, avocados, peaches, pears, tomatoes, or more bananas.
Fold the top of the bag over a couple of times and leave it out at room temperature. These fruits release ethylene, a natural plant hormone that aids in the ripening process.
Using this method, your bananas should be nice and ripe in 1-2 days.
The same principles apply to other fruits as well. Read my post on how to ripen a pineapple.
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas in the Oven
So what if you need soft, ripe bananas right away for a recipe but you don't have a couple of days to wait for them to ripen? The good news is that there are different ways to ripen your bananas faster.
A quick way to ripen bananas is to bake them in the oven! With the oven method, there's no more waiting days to make your favorite banana cake or banana cream pie!
Simply put the underripe bananas on a lined sheet pan. Then, bake them for 20-30 minutes until they soften and their skin turns completely black. With this simple method, you'll have soft, sweet bananas to make the perfect loaf of banana bread.
- Step 1- Place unripe, unpeeled bananas on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. The parchment paper or foil will catch any juices that drip from the bananas, making for easier cleanup.
- Step 2- Bake in the oven at 300°F for 20-30 minutes until the skin turns completely black.
- Step 3- Let the bananas cool for 10 minutes. Then, peel the bananas.
- Step 4- Mash the bananas in a bowl and use in your favorite banana bread or banana muffin recipe.
How to Ripen Bananas in the Air Fryer
My new favorite way to ripen bananas is to put them in the air fryer! It's the quickest and easiest way to ripen bananas.
An air fryer is basically a mini convection oven that sits on your countertop. You can convert any recipe cooked in the oven to cook in an air fryer.
Air fryers heat up and cook food much faster than traditional ovens. You can ripen your bananas in the air fryer in less time than it takes to heat up some ovens!
- Step 1- Preheat the air fryer to 300°F. Line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil or a silicone liner for easier clean up.
- Step 2- Place the unpeeled bananas in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook 8-9 minutes until the skin turns completely black. Let cool for 10 minutes. Then, peel and use as directed in your recipe.
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How to Store Ripe Bananas
Once the bananas are ripened to your liking, you can store them in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to use them. The cooler temperatures slow down the chemical ripening process.
It's ok if the banana skin darkens even more and turns black- this is normal. The color change comes from the pigment in the banana peel and doesn't impact the fruit on the inside.
Ripe bananas can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. For longer storage, you can freeze the ripe bananas.
To freeze ripe bananas, first peel them. Then place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. They can be frozen for at least a month.
I always keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer. They can be thrown directly into smoothies or shakes. Or you can defrost them and use them in baking recipes like my banana flaxseed bread.
FAQs For Ripening Bananas
If you're in a pinch, you can ripen bananas in the microwave. However, the natural sugars in the bananas won't develop in quite the same way as the other ripening methods discussed in this post. So although the bananas will soften, they won't get too sweet. For the microwave method, peel a banana and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Then heat in 30 seconds increments until soft. You can sprinkle a little sugar on top first for extra sweetness. Cool the banana to room temperature and then use in your recipe.
Yes, you can use frozen bananas for banana bread but you have to let them thaw first. Once defrosted, bananas can be used in baking without a problem. In fact, a lot of times they are softer than counter-ripened bananas and will add additional moisture to your recipes.
Yes! When it comes to banana bread, the darker the banana, the better. You want to use overripe bananas that are brown or black, not pale yellow or green. Overripe bananas are sweeter, softer, less starchy, and have a more concentrated flavor. They will add more flavor and moisture to your banana bread.
Recipes to Make With Bananas
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Recipe
How To Quickly Ripen Bananas in the Oven or Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3-5 unripe bananas
Instructions
How to ripen bananas in the oven:
- Place unpeeled bananas on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Bake at 300°F for 20-30 minutes until the skin turns completely black. Let bananas cool for 10 minutes.
- Mash the banana in a bowl and use in your favorite banana bread or banana muffin recipe.
How to ripen bananas in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 300°F. Line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil or a silicone liner for easy clean up.
- Place the unpeeled bananas in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook 8-9 minutes until skin turns completely black. Let cool 10 minutes then use as directed in your recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
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