Name: How to Ripen Bananas
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: bananas

Bananas are one of the tastiest and healthiest fruits, but only if they are ripened to perfection. So, if you clicked on this article wondering how to quickly ripen bananas, you’ve come to the right place.

Below we’ve listed the best ways to ripen bananas, and exactly how to do it!

How Long Does It Take for Bananas to Ripen?

Naturally, bananas take 1 to 5 days to ripen, depending on how ripe they are at the start. The methods below will speed up that process, and allow you to use your unripe bananas in 15 minutes to 2 days!

Check out our collection of best Banana Recipes!

Paper Bag Method

This is perhaps the most popular, and arguably the most effective, method for ripening bananas. It works for any stage of ripeness, but it is the best method out of the three for green bananas.

How to ripen green bananas:

Place your unripe bananas in a brown paper bag and loosely fold the top.
Put the bag in a warm spot, such as in a sunny window, and let it sit.
Check the bag every day until the bananas have ripened to your preference. This should take 1-2 days.

However, if you are looking for a quicker method, keep reading below.

Oven Method

This method is the quickest way to ripen bananas without sacrificing taste.

How to ripen bananas in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place bananas on the baking sheet with the peels on, and leave space between them.
Bake for 15-30 minutes, until the banana peels are black and the bananas are soft. Check on them every 5-10 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
Once they are cooled off, scoop out the fruit from the peel and enjoy!

Microwave Method

If you do not have the means to use a brown paper bag or oven, a microwave will suffice. However, it should be noted that the microwave will only soften the fruit, and will not add any sweetness or flavor. It also works best with semi-ripe bananas, as opposed to green ones.

There are two ways to do this:

Peel the bananas completely.
Alternately, leave the peel on the bananas, but use a fork or knife to puncture them, making sure you cover all sides.

Each method works well, but if you are using the second one you will want to let them cool for 10-15 minutes before handling. After following one of the above steps, continue to the steps below:

Place the bananas on a microwave safe plate.
Cook in 30-second increments until the bananas are slightly sizzling (only for method 1) or soft to the touch.
If you kept the peels on, let them cool for 10-15 minutes and then scoop out the fruit. If you did not, be sure the bananas are not too hot or steaming, and then handle them as you wish.

How to Store Ripe Bananas

To store ripe bananas, you will want to use the freezer. Frozen bananas last indefinitely (though they are best within 6-8 months), and are a perfect addition to smoothies or snacks.

To store, peel bananas and place them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer.