14 Banana Recipes Great at Any Stage of Ripeness

Bananas for breakfast, dessert, and everything in between.

Craving bananas? Or did you get a little overzealous in the produce aisle? Fear not, we have just the solution to your perceived problem. Bananas work well in breakfasts, desserts, and even snacks, and we've got a great selection of banana recipes from our archive. Recipes aside, check out Stella's method for efficiently turning underripe bananas into bread and other baked goods. Also: for a fascinating, banana-centric deep dive, read Jason's piece on fruity esters, the late Gros Michel, and artificial banana flavorings.

Chè Chuối (Vietnamese Banana, Tapioca, and Coconut Milk Dessert)

This delightfully rich and creamy, coconut milk–based soup makes a great snack for a mid-day sugar craving or a heady dessert to cap off a meal. Pisang awak bananas are perfect in this dish, but you may substitute ripe plantains as well.

Get Recipe: Chè Chuối (Vietnamese Banana, Tapioca, and Coconut Milk Dessert)

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Made with just a handful of ingredients, this strawberry banana smoothie tastes like a sippable version of strawberries and cream. Using frozen strawberries chills the smoothie without diluting its flavor with ice.

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Bananas Foster Oatmeal With Walnuts and Peanut Butter

For this high-energy, full flavored breakfast treat, bananas and walnuts are cooked in butter with brown sugar. Half of the mixture is mashed up and added to creamy, nutty steel-cut oats, along with a big spoonful of peanut butter. Each bowl of the oatmeal is then topped with more of the caramelized banana-walnut mixture and dusted with cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest.

Get Recipe: Bananas Foster Oatmeal With Walnuts and Peanut Butter

Turon (Filipino Fried Banana Rolls)

This sweet variety of lumpia is filled with slices of Saba banana that have been tossed with brown sugar. The turon are fried twice: First until the wrappers are golden brown and the bananas are meltingly tender, and once again in brown-sugar-spiked oil for a crispy, caramelized finish.

Get Recipe: Turon (Filipino Fried Banana Rolls)

Banana Granola

This recipe combines everything we love in banana bread—its mellow flavor, gentle spice, and nutty crunch—into a tender yet crisp granola that's loaded with dried fruits, whole grains, crunchy seeds, and macadamia nuts.

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Creamy Banana Pudding

All the fruit and custard flavor we love in a scoop of banana ice cream reimagined in a warm and cozy format for a comforting dessert.

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Classic Banana Bread

The key to making the best-tasting banana bread is using a blend of spices to amplify the banana flavor, along with a few other tricks to keep the crumb moist and tender.

Get Recipe: Classic Banana Bread

Banana Cream Pie

This banana cream pie is silky, creamy, and full of fresh banana flavor. Kristina's recipe starts with baking a buttery pie crust until golden brown and then filling it with alternating layers of thinly sliced ripe bananas and a rich vanilla pastry cream. Finally, the pie is topped with brown sugar whipped cream.

Get Recipe: Banana Cream Pie

Jamaican Banana Fritters

Tired of turning overripe bananas into banana bread? Use them to make Jamaican banana fritters instead. They are tender yet slightly chewy—and even simpler than basic pancakes.

Get Recipe: Jamaican Banana Fritters

Light and Silky Banana Crémeux

This whipped banana custard is rich, creamy, and thick, with an intense flavor developed by thoroughly infusing the milk with sliced bananas. The banana pulp is carefully strained out and pressed to expel all its goodness, keeping the texture of the custard soft and light.

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Plum, Date, Banana, and Maple-Bacon Salad

For this fruit salad, Stella pairs creamy bananas with crispy pecans, chewy dates, juicy plums, and a fragrant scattering of tarragon leaves. The salad is dressed with maple syrup and a spoonful of bacon grease, which adds a hint of richness.

Get Recipe: Plum, Date, Banana, and Maple-Bacon Salad

Banana Oatmeal Cookies With Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips

Inspired by Elvis' favorite sandwich, mashed banana is mixed into oatmeal cookie dough. Peanut butter chips and chocolate chips are then folded in.

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Rum Glazed Banana Bundt Cake

Bananas, shredded coconut, and cashews make this moist cake truly special. The dark rum glaze is a perfect tropical pairing with the banana and coconut flavors of the cake.

Get Recipe: Rum Glazed Banana Bundt Cake

Grilled Banana Boats With Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Marshmallows

Filled with mini marshmallows, peanut butter chips, and milk chocolate chips, these stuffed bananas are a wonderful way to end a cookout.

Get Recipe: Grilled Banana Boats With Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Marshmallows

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