Learn how to ripen bananas faster! The tricks below will come in handy, whenever you go to the store and could only get the last bunch of bananas that happen to be almost green. You can use the ripened bananas in your favorite banana bread or muffin recipes!
Bananas usually have to travel far and wide to reach our tables, so they are often picked green and supposed to ripen on the way to their destination. Sometimes, however, they don’t make that transformation on time.
While they are still edible, unripe bananas are not that sweet and might even cause digestive issues. I also often use bananas to add sweetness to healthy smoothies, pancakes or baking recipes and if they’re green they’re not adding any sweetness…Now before you shed a tear for me, let’s remember that we’ve got a solution, mkay, even for people who are impatient like myself.
Below you’ll find some easy ways to ripen bananas faster, so that you can enjoy the natural sweetness and pleasant flavor of these amazing fruits.
Reasons to Ripen Bananas
- Ripe bananas are usually a better choice due to their more intense flavor and sweeter taste. Unripe fruits can have a hint of bitterness. While they ripen, the starch converts to sugar, which gives bananas the pleasant sweetness we a so familiar with.
- It can actually be dangerous to eat unripe bananas. Although there are people who would rather eat an under-ripe banana because of the low sugar content, doing so may cause digestive problems, such as bloating, gas, nausea, and even vomiting.
- If you eat under-ripe bananas, then their healthy nutrients aren’t fully available to your body. So, in order to take full advantage of the health benefits, you need to make sure that the bananas you consume have the proper degree of ripeness.
How to Ripen Bananas
In case you bought a bunch of green bananas, but crave banana bread or a thick, sweet smoothie, all is not lost. Don’t put off your cooking plans, here are a few helpful tips on how to ripen bananas quickly.
1. Place the Bananas In A Paper Bag With Ripe Apples
When bananas ripen naturally, they release ethylene, which is a natural plant gas hormone that converts starch into sugar. This is typical not only for bananas but for other fruits as well. Some other fruits that also release ethylene while ripening include apples, pears, avocados, plums and peaches.
So, to ripen bananas faster, place the unripe fruits with any of those other fruits (like apple or pear) in a paper bag and then loosely close it. Doing so will increase the concentration of ethylene, thus the bananas will ripen even faster, completely naturally. The whole process should take no longer than 24-36 hours.
Once they are ready, make sure you eat the ripe bananas quickly, otherwise, they can become overripe (but still great for banana bread!)
2. Place the Bananas in a Warm Place
In case you don’t have apples or pears close at hand, then place the green bananas in a warm spot, such as a sunny window sill, on your refrigerator, or next to a heater. They will release more ethylene when the temperature is higher, which will make the bananas ripen faster naturally.
Another tip is to keep the bananas in the bunch together. Otherwise, by separating them, you will hinder the ripening process. Depending on how green your bananas are they should ripen in 24 hours to 5 days.
3. Place the Bananas in A Bowl With Apples
Placing a green or unripe banana in a bowl together with apples, pears, avocados or plums will speed up the ripening process as well. They don’t need to be in a bag. Bananas will ripen within 1-3 days depending on how green they are.
4. Ripen the Bananas in the Oven
Although the first three methods are slightly different, they’re all natural ways to ripen bananas faster and to be honest – my preferred methods. However, in case you want to make banana bread or some other banana recipes asap, then you may ripen the bananas in the oven. It is much quicker and super easy.
To do so, layer a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the unripe, peel-on bananas on it. Bake at 300F/150C for about 15-20 minutes. When ready, take the ripe bananas out of the oven and let them cool off. Then peel them and use in your baking recipes.
How to Store Bananas Properly
Now that you have ripe bananas, it’s time to store them properly. This will depend on how ripe they are. Once your bananas have started looking ripe, it’s time to take action. Otherwise, they may quickly turn brown and become unpleasant to eat. Here are a few tips to help you keep your ripe bananas fresh for longer.
- If you want your bananas to last for days, then place them in a cool spot away from direct sunlight before you see brown freckles on the skin. The ideal temperature should be around 12C/54F. This way they will continue ripening slowly and will be good enough for a long time.
- If your bananas are just a little under-ripe, with some green shades on the stems, then keep them at room temperature. The warmer the room, the faster they will ripen.
- In case your bananas are already ripe enough and you want to slow down the ripening process, then store them in the fridge. You can also cover the stems with plastic wrap to prevent ethylene from spreading to the other parts of the fruits.
- If your bananas are so overripe that even the fridge can’t help, peel them and freeze in zip-lock bags for as long as several months.
How to Use Ripe Bananas
Once your ripe bananas are sweet and flavorful, it’s time to use them in recipes. They are great for banana bread, muffins, pancakes and cookies.
If you are keen on healthy eating and like smoothies for breakfast, then you will certainly need a nice, sweet ripe banana.
Do you refrain from eating ice cream because it is not the healthiest food? Just try this good-for-you delicious healthy no machine ice cream.
Having a perfectly ripe banana close at hand means that tasty puddings and granola may be on your menu today. You can also slice it onto overnight oats or add it to your fruit salad.
More Healthy Cooking Tips
Well, now you know how to ripen bananas faster, if you ever need to do so! In case you need even more kitchen tips, check these out:
How To Ripen Bananas Faster
Learn how to ripen bananas faster! You can use the ripe bananas in banana bread, muffins, pancakes, puddings and many other healthy recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 unripe banana
- 1 apple
- paper bag
Instructions
- Place the unripe banana and the apple in a paper bag and then close it losely. Doing so will increase the concentration of the plant hormone ethylene, which will speed up the ripening process. Thus, the bananas will ripen faster as well as naturally.
- The whole process should take no longer than 24-36 hours.
- Once they are ready, make sure you eat the ripe bananas quickly, otherwise, they can become overripe (but still great for banana bread!)
Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 200Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 3mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 7gSugar 33gProtein 2g