Never Waste Overripe Bananas Again

By May 26, 2020

Bananas Foster
Created in 1951 at the legendary Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans to honor Richard Foster, a friend of the restaurant and local businessman, this boozy, buttery concoction of caramelized bananas flambeed in rum sauce has since become a dining-out classic. Get the recipe for Bananas Foster » Maxime Iattoni

Mom’s Banana Bread

Bananas and pecans come together in an exceptionally moist quick-bread from food editor Ben Mim’s mom—it’s irresistible at any time of day. Get the recipe for Mom’s Banana Bread »

Indian Fried Banana Cakes (Mangalore Buns)

Indian Fried Banana Cakes (Mangalore Buns)

Fermented Banana Chocolate Pudding

Though this recipe takes some advanced planning (you need to allow around 2 weeks for the bananas to ferment), it’s well worth the wait. The fermented, sweet tang of bananas blends with bitter chocolate for a tropical spin on the classic pudding. It’s easier, too, as the pudding is set with gelatin rather than egg yolks, which also lets the banana flavor shine through. Get the recipe for Fermented Banana Chocolate Pudding »

Banana Pudding

Custard, vanilla wafers, and bananas are layered and topped with whipped cream in our version of the classic Southern dessert. Get the recipe for Banana Pudding »

Classic French Banana Cream Pie

This nearly forgotten recipe comes to us from the beloved Ships Diner in Los Angeles that closed in 1995. The whipped cream filling doesn’t require any cooking—no custard here—while some slices of banana and toasted almond add texture and flavor. A fast, easy-to-make pie from a bygone era that deserves a comeback. Get the recipe for Classic French Banana Cream Pie »

Grilled Banana-Pear Pancake

Grilled Banana-Pear Pancake

Hummingbird Cake »

This hummingbird cake honors the legacy of the Southern cook Edna Lewis. The luscious, fruit-and-nut-studded layer cake is served in Atlanta’s Watershed restaurant; the recipe first appeared in Christiane Lauterbach’s feature about the restaurant, which ran in our April 2009 issue. Get the recipe for Hummingbird Cake »

White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bananas and Rum Sauce

This decadent take on an iconic dessert, from Mat & Naddie’s Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, gilds the lily, pan-frying white chocolate-enriched bread pudding, and plating it with satiny caramel and sweet bananas.

Chocolate-Hazelnuts and Banana Crêpes

Master pastry chef Jacques Torres likes to fill basic crêpes with this combination of bananas and homemade Nutella. Get the recipe for Chocolate-Hazelnuts and Banana Crêpes »

Fromage Blanc, Banana, and Membrillo Sandwich

This sweet sandwich from Tartine Bakery & Café in San Francisco, is pressed and griddled to melt the creamy banana, cheese, and quince filling and toast the bread. Get the recipe for Fromage Blanc, Banana, and Membrillo Sandwich »

Banana-Oatmeal Muffins

Classic banana-nut muffins get a tangy boost from buttermilk and a hearty dose of oatmeal for a nutritionally-packed lunchbox (or breakfast) treat.

Beach Towel

A fruity frozen daiquiri becomes dessert-like with the addition of heavy cream. Get the recipe for Beach Towel »

How to use up old bananas—that’s not banana bread

Banana and Dark Rum Bread Pudding

Whole Grain Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Whole Grain Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Yogurt with Banana and Grated Coconut (Kela ka Raita)

At the Indian table, a variety of yogurt-based raitas mollify the tongue-searing effect of chiles. This version, made fruity and sweet with the addition of coconut and banana, is adapted from Foods of the World: The Cooking of India (Time Life, 1969). Get the recipe for Yogurt with Banana and Grated Coconut »
Bananas and grapes are sweetened with jaggery—lump cane sugar—and seasoned with black pepper and sulphurous volcanic black salt in this spiced fruit chutney from the north of India. The Gupta family, Marwari Hindus from Mathura who are strict vegetarians, like to make it to go alongside dal, semolina breads, and vegetable masalas. See the recipe for Sonth (Marwari Masala-Spiced Fruit Chutney) »

Buttermilk Cookie Salad

The addition of buttermilk in this ultra-retro dessert keeps it from being too cloying and renders cookie salad totally appropriate for the adult palate. Get the recipe for Buttermilk Cookie Salad »

Banana-Coconut Packets

Coconut cream, sticky rice, and bananas are tucked inside banana leaves and steamed together for a pudding-like dessert. Get the recipe for Banana-Coconut Packets »

Banana Tarte Tatin

Try using tart, apple-like Manzano bananas for this delicious take on the classic French dessert, which is traditionally made with apples. Get the recipe for Banana Tarte Tatin »
This sophisticated cocktail is made with Giffard Crème de Banane du Brezil, a banana liqueur made from macerated bananas, it combines two types of rum and a homemade banana syrup to make a deeply flavored drink that’s not too sweet. Get the recipe for No Bananas Today

Banoffee Pie

An irresistible British dessert, banoffee pie has its share of fanatics on this side of the pond, too. Banana slices, sticky toffee, and whipped cream are arranged in layers over a cookie-like crust, resulting in a dense, cool treat. Get the recipe for Banoffee Pie »

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