How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later

I love bananas that are about to turn brown for banana bread, smoothies etc. Unfortunately they usually start to turn before I get a chance to use them. Let me show you how to freezer ripe bananas that you can then pull out of the freezer and use in your favorite recipes later.

How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later

How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later

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How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later

How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later

Start by deciding what you would like to use the bananas for later. I prefer to either peel and slice or peel and mash them depending on how I will use them when I'm ready for them. If you are in a hurry, you can also simply toss the unpeeled bananas in the freezer. The peel will turn brown and you have to defrost them at least some before you can use them but it'll work when you're in a rush. Otherwise, use one of the two preferred methods below.

Sliced Bananas

For smoothies, there's nothing better than frozen sliced bananas. Simply peel and of course slice your bananas. You can then either toss them into a freezer bag and freeze, or lay them out on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer for 30 minutes. When they are frozen solid, remove them from the cookie sheet and transfer them to a freezer bag. I prefer this second method. It's a little extra work, but well worth it since the banana slices won't be sticking to each other, making it easy to remove the perfect amount when you're ready to make your next smoothie.

Mashed Bananas

For banana bread and muffins, I prefer to freeze my bananas mashed. I simply peel the overripe fruit and work it into a smooth mush with the back of a fork. At this point you can add a little dash of lemon juice to keep the bananas from turning brown, but most of the time I don't bother. By the time the bread or muffins are baked up, you won't be able to tell either way.

I then transfer 1 cup of mashed bananas into a freezer bag. Of course you can measure them out in whatever quantity is convenient for your recipes. Don't forget to label the bag with the content, measureMent and date. When you're ready to bake, just defrost and use your mashed bananas as usual.

How to Freeze Ripe Bananas and Use Them in Recipes Later