Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (2024)

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By

Sheena Chihak, RD

Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (1)

Sheena Chihak, RD

Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 17 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital.

Learn about BHG's Editorial Process

Updated on March 28, 2022

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (2)

Wondering what to do with ripe bananas beyond banana bread? Lucky for you, there are so many other ripe banana recipes to use up that fruit. With soup, salsa, ice cream, and more, get ready to celebrate the classic fruit in a new light. You'll never waste a brown banana again.

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Make Ice Cream Creamier

Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (3)

Ripe bananas freeze beautifully, and adding a few of them to this rich butter pecan ice cream gives it the velvety texture you want. For an easy dessert, try this lightened-up dairy-free banana ice cream.

Fill Your French Toast

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (4)

Start your day right with a scoop of mashed ripe banana in your French toast. Mix it with cream cheese and top the toast with sugared nuts for possibly your best breakfast ever.

13 Banana Breakfast Recipes

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Blend with Berries for Soup

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (5)

You've heard about chilled soups as a starter before, but did you know bananas can also make their way into the summer-favorite side dish? Make this sweet and spicy ripe banana recipe by blending with raspberries and minced jalapeños.

Buy It: NutriBullet Blender Combo, $149.99, NutriBullet

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Add to Cupcake Batter

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (6)

It's not every day that a banana, sweet potato, and pineapple enter a kitchen and come out as a delicious cupcake. Thanks to this ripe banana recipe with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, these mini hummingbird cakes are the perfect sweet treat. You can also try using ripe bananas in our coffee-lovers mocha-filled cupcakes, too.

Buy It: Williams Sonoma Cleartouch Nonstick Muffin Pan, $33, Williams Sonoma

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Make Grilled Kabobs

Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (7)

When trying to figure out what to make with ripe bananas, grilling them is a unique way to go. Smoky and sweet grilled fruit kabobs make an excellent side for savory fish. If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water for 30 minutes.

Roasted Fruit Recipes You Need to Taste to Believe

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Sweeten Bread Pudding

Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (8)

There's something about warm bread pudding that feels super comforting. Your ripe bananas will turn into a masterpiece after pairing it with golden raisins and cinnamon bagels for the ultimate brunch treat.

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Moisten Cake Batter

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (9)

If you have a lot of ripe bananas to use up, it might be time to make a layered cake or some frosted banana bars. Despite its sprinkled good looks, the real star of this cake is the fruit-filled batter: Bananas and pineapple make a super moist and naturally-sweet cake.

Test Kitchen Tip: For easy slicing and serving, chill your frosted cake for 1 hour before serving.

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Power Your Smoothie

Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (10)

If you dream in smoothies, try this creamy creation: Banana, avocado, and Greek yogurt make a healthy, power-packed sippable option that's great for breakfast or lunch. No avocado? Try this smoothie bowl with chocolate or a luscious fruit smoothie.

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Transform the Banana Split

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (11)

Enjoying a banana split doesn't have to be topped with a scoop of ice cream. Rather than tossing those ripe bananas, whip up this show-stopping cake. In this impressive rolled cake, we've filled a banana sponge cake with cream cheese and strawberry filling.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Jelly Roll Baking Sheet, $20, Target

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Upgrade Your Oatmeal

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (12)

Elvis Presley is known for loving a sandwich that combined peanut butter, banana, and bacon. It's surprisingly delicious (we like it with some apples for crunch), but you can use your ripe bananas to make it in creamy oatmeal form, too. If you like meal-prepping your breakfasts, try using them in overnight oats.

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Chop Into Fruit Salsa

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (13)

Tomato salsa is so last summer. For dressing up fish fillets, we're bananas about refreshing salsa that's chock-full of bananas. A squeeze of zesty lime makes the fish topper truly divine.

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Not Sure What to Do with Ripe Bananas? These 11 Recipes Are the Answer (2024)

FAQs

What can you do with bananas that are too ripe? ›

What to Do with Overripe Bananas
  1. Mash Into Oatmeal. Breakfast is a great time to take advantage of the energy boost that comes from eating the natural sugars in bananas. ...
  2. Blend Into Waffle or Pancake Batter. ...
  3. 3. Make Banana Muffins. ...
  4. Bake Banana Cookies. ...
  5. Add to a Smoothie. ...
  6. Turn Into Ice Cream. ...
  7. Whip Up Beignets.
Mar 12, 2024

How long do bananas last in the fridge? ›

To start you want to place them in a dry area. If stored correctly, you'll have ripe bananas in 2 to 5 days. If you're curious about how to keep bananas fresh for longer, you should know about how to store bananas in your refrigerator. If you place them in the refrigerator, fully ripe bananas will last 5 to 7 days.

Can you eat black bananas from the fridge? ›

Also, note that placing bananas in the fridge or freezer will turn them black. This is natural—bananas don't handle the cold well—and does not mean the bananas are bad. You can still eat them safely as long as they aren't moldy.

When should you not use ripe bananas? ›

While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids. When in doubt, just toss the bananas out.

Can bananas be too ripe for banana bread? ›

Here's the secret: overripe bananas don't necessarily mean too-ripe bananas for banana bread. It really comes down to personal preference. Those brown-speckled, mostly yellow bananas are still ripe and will bake into a great loaf.

Is it better to keep bananas in the fridge or on the counter? ›

The ideal place to store bananas is on a countertop, away from direct sunlight. They do well in cool, dry places and will continue to ripen when left at room temperature. What is the best way to keep bananas fresh longer? Once bananas are at their peak ripeness, you can store them in the fridge or freezer for later.

Does aluminum foil make bananas last longer? ›

Since the p-value of 0.00834 is less than the significance level of 0.05, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the mean rating of rottenness for foil was significantly lower than the mean rating for cling wrap. Thus, foil wrap is a better way to preserve bananas than cling wrap.

Do bananas last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›

But if you have a banana that you want to keep perfectly ripe for a few more days, move it to the refrigerator. The cool temperatures help slow down the ripening process so the banana won't turn to mush for a bit longer. Don't worry if the peel turns brown or even black in the fridge; the fruit should still be good.

What is the black part in the middle of a banana? ›

Bananas are technically berries and the black bit is the nub of the flower from which the giant banana berry grew. Bananas grow on trees in bunches, and the end is actually the top of the fruit while the hard stalk is the bottom.

Can diabetics eat bananas? ›

Bananas are a delicious, nutritious and affordable food for everyone, including those with diabetes. Eating this healthy fruit can help stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and improve heart health.

Can dogs eat bananas? ›

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

Can I freeze eggs? ›

According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), you can freeze eggs for up to one year. When you're ready to use frozen eggs, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use egg yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed.

Is it better to freeze bananas whole or sliced? ›

"Whole, peeled frozen bananas keep for three months," says Weinstein. If they're frozen together, you can simply snap them apart. "Sliced bananas won't last as long, [about] two months tops," says Weinstein.

Can you freeze bananas in a Ziploc bag? ›

directions. Place bananas so they are not touching on a plate and freeze for one hour. (This will prevent the bananas from sticking together.). Transfer to a resealable freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing the bag, and return bananas to freezer.

Can you use unripe bananas for anything? ›

Yes, unripe bananas can be used in baking as long as they are not too soft or too firm. You can either use them in your pancakes or waffles, or you can bake them into muffins and cookies. but they will not taste as sweet as ripe bananas. The riper the banana, the more sugar it contains.

Are over ripe bananas OK to eat? ›

Overripe bananas are rich in antioxidants. When you consume them, overripe banana helps boost immunity which prevents several diseases. Not just that, they also help in preventing the cells from getting damaged.

Can I freeze ripe bananas? ›

Instead of tossing overripe bananas, try freezing them instead. You'll always have ripe bananas on hand when the urge strikes to bake banana bread or bars—or make a smoothie! But instead of freezing them whole, peel them first then freeze in resealable freezer bags.

Can over ripe bananas be used for fertilizer? ›

Making homemade organic liquid fertilizer is surprisingly easy to do, and it only uses three ingredients: water, over-ripe bananas, and brown sugar. Bananas and their peel contain many micronutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

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