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Home » How to » Roasted Bananas -Perfect for Baking!

Roasted Bananas -Perfect for Baking!

May 31, 2018 , Updated June 14, 2019 Maria 19 Comments

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The interior of roasted bananas are transferred to a bowl, ready to be used to bake banana muffins or banana bread.

The sweet smell of Oven Roasted Bananas is simply intoxicating. If you have recipes for overripe bananas, you have to try this!

An overhead shot of Roasted Bananas in the process of being sliced open with a knife and transferred to a bowl.
Roasted Bananas

It is a well-known fact that roasting or grilling fruits and vegetables creates a totally different texture while intensifying the flavors in a spectacular way.

In fact, roasting is one of the easiest ways to bring out the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables.

If you have visited here before, you know that I am a big fan of roasting/grilling fruits and vegetables.

In this recipe for Grilled Peaches, I have paired this wonderful stone fruit with Ricotta and topped it off with toasted, slivered almonds and Amaretti Cookies;

Have you ever had Grilled Watermelon? If not, you must try it paired with ricotta salata and topped with balsamic vinegar and fresh basil;

And don’t even get me started with the wonderful sweet transformation of Grilled Fennel, Roasted Red Pepper, or even Roasted Brussel Sprouts -who knew brussel sprouts could taste this good!

As you can see, I really do love to roast my fruits and vegetables 🙂

So, when I first read about roasting bananas before using them to make Banana Muffins or banana bread… I did not need to be convinced. The truth is that I was already in the kitchen, looking to see if I had bananas with brown spots so that I could try this.

In fact, any recipe that calls for overripe bananas can be replaced with roasted bananas.

The four different levels of banana ripeness is demonstrated using real bananas.

Ideally, overripe bananas should look like the third banana in the diagram above -the one that has an arrow pointing toward it.

It’s very important to use spotted bananas in order to maximize the roasted banana flavor. So don’t bother using green or even yellow bananas because there will be no big taste transformation. The same goes for a banana that has seen better days, like our last banana in the picture above. Have you ever wondered why this is?

Why do bananas turn brown?

Have you ever tasted an under ripe banana? If you have, you know that it will leave you with an astringent taste in your mouth. That’s because the starches found within the banana have not yet converted to sugar. As the banana ripens, that same starch will slowly begin to convert to sugar. The hormone responsible for this is called ethylene.

That same hormone is also responsible for the color transformation of bananas -from yellow to spotted brown.

But that’s not all. The texture also becomes creamier and softer. As far as the taste is concerned, the banana definitely becomes sweeter.

Left on their own, say on the counter top, the sugars in the banana (in the form of starch) slowly convert. This usually takes a couple of days. There are ways that you can speed up this process.

I’m sure you have all heard about placing apples and bananas together in a paper bag to speed up the ripening process. This works because the ethylene gas becomes trapped and immediately begins to convert the starch to sugar.

If we were to heat up the bananas, not only would we be speeding up the whole ripening process, but caramelizing the sugars at the same time.

I assure you that once you taste the difference, you will never go back to making baked goods that require overripe bananas without roasting them first. Here’s how…

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED BANANAS:

The process of baking bananas in their skin begins by quickly rinsing them under running tap water. You are probably wondering why it would be necessary to rinse the exterior of bananas since we are going to be peeling the skin. Great question!

The simple truth is that when you cut through any fruit or vegetable that has an inedible peel, like bananas, there’s always the risk that bacteria can be transferred to the fruit, found on the interior, as you’re cutting through the peel. So it is a good habit to get into… just simply rinse.

A fork piercing the outer skin of a ripe banana.

Once the bananas have been quickly dried with a tea towel, set them on a baking sheet that has been lined with either aluminum foil or parchment paper. Poke a few holes with the tines of your fork and bake the bananas, in their peel. It should take about 15 to 30 minutes in an oven set at 300°F.

It’s a little bit difficult to predict the exact amount of time required for the bananas to be perfectly roasted due to variation in sizes and oven temperatures. So, you need to watch them.

Six black skinned bananas on a parchment lined baking tray.

As soon as the bananas become totally black and shiny -they are done. Set them aside to cool off until you can handle them.

The soft interior of a baked banana is exposed.

There are different ways of getting the banana out from the banana peel:

  • Cut off one end and squeeze out the banana;
  • Cut the bananas in half and squeeze out the banana from each half; or
  • Cut open the skin lengthwise and scoop out the banana.

Which ever way you chose, you now have the tastiest ingredient to make:

  • this Simple Banana Bread;
  • these moist Banana Strawberry Muffins;
  • trail mix Banana Cookies;
  • the best Breakfast Bowl;
  • an amazing banana compote to pour over your Pancakes or French toast.

Mashed baked bananas in a dish.

You can also freeze the roasted bananas in smaller portions and then just throw them in the blender when you are having that morning smoothie.

No matter what you are making with these roasted bananas, you will immediately taste the difference.

A few black bananas have been slit open with a knife. The interior of the roasted bananas are placed in a bowl.

Origins of the inspiration for Roasted Bananas:

I picked up this little trick of using baked bananas (in their skin) to obtain the best banana recipes from a magazine called Cook’s Secrets (published in 2013). In fact, this is one of the best secrets to making the best banana bread. I‘m not really sure if this is actually still a secret, but just in case you did not know, I just wanted to share it with all of you.

My new mantra is that roasted bananas should be used in any recipe for overripe bananas.

If you have never tried, I would encourage you to take 15 minutes and try roasting bananas the next time you are making quick breads with bananas as this is definitely a game changer. It was for me.

Hope you get a chance to try this!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this DIY on Roasted Bananas, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

The interior of roasted bananas placed in a bowl.

A few black bananas have been slit open with a knife. The interior of the roasted bananas are placed in a bowl.

Roasted Bananas

The sweet smell of Oven Roasted Bananas is simply intoxicating. If you have recipes for overripe bananas, you have to try this!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: diy
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 52kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 6 bananas unpeeled,

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 300°F
  • Rinse and dry your bananas.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Place the unpeeled bananas on the lined baking sheet.
  • With the tines of a fork, poke a few holes in the banana skin. 
  • Bake the bananas for 15-30 minutes*. When the peel becomes shiny and black, remove them from the oven.
  • When cool enough to handle, split open the skin in order to scoop out the roasted banana.
  • The roasted bananas can be used immediately or frozen. 
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

*cooking time will vary based on the size of your bananas so make sure to check often.
 
You can roast as many bananas as you want.
 
1/2 banana = 1 serving
 
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 5.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

 

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About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. Adam P says

    September 19, 2020 at 20:02

    I’m trying this roasting recipe to remove liquid from the bananas before using them in homemade ice cream. Roasting definitely got out a lot of moisture, so hoping the ice cream will be nice and creamy (less ice formation)

    Reply
    • Maria says

      September 19, 2020 at 20:36

      This is such a genius idea Adam! Thanks for sharing. Good luck!

      Reply
  2. Ruth says

    July 16, 2020 at 08:37

    This is a wonderful way to deal with leftover bananas. I’m buying more bananas now so I always have leftovers. I’ve used this in muffins and cakes and they are much better when roasted.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      July 16, 2020 at 08:44

      Thanks Ruth! The flavors really are amazing!

      Reply
  3. Michelle Barin says

    May 7, 2020 at 14:56

    Question: can you roast bananas with bananas that are frozen?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 7, 2020 at 16:56

      I have tried it but I would not recommend it as there was too much liquid. Great question Michelle.

      Reply
  4. Charlotte says

    March 11, 2020 at 10:06

    Hi Marie,
    My housekeeper, who is from El Salvador, put me onto another way of roasting bananas.
    Use a plastic grocery bag: put in your banana, cook in microwave on high for approximately one minute. Voila! A perfectly cooked banana-lusciously sweet and many times the skin is slightly popped open so is easily peeled as a bonus.
    Her suggestion is to sprinkle peeled banana with cinnamon and sugar.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      August 9, 2020 at 21:06

      Sounds great! Thanks for sharing Charlotte!

      Reply
  5. Jeannie says

    February 5, 2020 at 16:19

    Hi, bought green bananas a week ago in anticipation of baking a banana bread. They are ready to roast today. My question is if I roast the bananas today, will it be alright to hold them over, peeled, in fridge for baking tomorrow?

    Reply
    • Maria says

      February 5, 2020 at 21:44

      Hi Jeannie, I don’t think the end product will be as good. I would roast the bananas and use them the same day. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
    • Lora says

      April 28, 2020 at 16:24

      5 stars
      This made a big difference in my banana bread – delicious!
      I have used the bananas a couple hours after roasting (to let them cool) and saved them for a day in the fridge, both ways worked well. Squeeze them out of their skins, and put them and their liquid in a bowl and cover.

      Reply
  6. Jeri says

    January 9, 2020 at 17:55

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for the detailed information. I have trouble digesting the starch in bananas and haven’t eaten them (except in muffins or banana bread) since I was a child. Since the process converts the starch, I hope to finally be able to use bananas in my smoothies!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      January 13, 2020 at 08:43

      My pleasure Jeri. Hope it works! Thanks so much for stopping by, appreciate it!

      Reply
  7. Lynette says

    November 13, 2019 at 17:22

    Can not wait to make gramma,’s recipe, with baked bananas. Will let ya’ll know how it turns out.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      November 13, 2019 at 17:23

      Thanks Lynette, I’m also excited to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  8. Franca says

    October 19, 2018 at 17:04

    I have a great banana bread recipe but I can’t wait to try it with roasted bananas !

    Reply
    • Maria says

      October 19, 2018 at 18:06

      You will notice the banana taste will be more pronounced. Enjoy Franca ♥

      Reply
  9. Ur pal val says

    July 25, 2018 at 15:11

    5 stars
    What a fantastic idea! Can’t wait to try when I make your banana muffins. Thanks Maria!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      July 26, 2018 at 15:48

      My pleasure! You are going to love the flavor difference in baked goods like banana muffins and banana bread. Thanks for stopping by ♥

      Reply

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Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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