How to Ripen Bananas Quicker

You can encourage green bananas to ripen faster.

It seems like we never have bananas in the state we want them. Either they are underripe or overripe. If your bananas are overripe, that's easy. Freeze them and use them later in banana bread or a smoothie. But if they are still green and you need to prepare a meal with them a little more ripened, or if you are just in the mood for a ripe banana, there is a good method of getting them to the exact level of ripeness you need.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Green bananas
• Apple
• Paper bag

1. Place the green bananas in a paper bag alongside a whole apple.

2. Fold the top securely down on the bag. The apple will emit an ethylene gas which will cause the bananas to ripen within 24 hours.

3. Remove from the bag immediately to avoid over ripening.

Tips & Warnings

• If your recipe calls for an overripe banana and you need to ripen your banana in less than 24 hours, you can put them in the oven, with the peel left on, and turn your oven to preheat to 300 degrees. The skin will turn black and once the desired temperature is met, remove them from the oven for soft overripe bananas. The warming of the bananas makes the flavor and sugars concentrate.

• The apple is still edible after its use in the paper bag.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• BananaSaver.com: Banana Facts