{"id":517,"date":"2020-11-26T22:30:21","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T22:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fueledwithfood.com\/?p=517"},"modified":"2021-06-28T21:24:16","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T21:24:16","slug":"how-to-ripen-bananas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fueledwithfood.com\/how-to-ripen-bananas\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ripen Bananas Faster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019re at the grocery store browsing the produce. Stopping at the bananas, you realize they\u2019re all either bright green or slightly bruised. You can\u2019t use either right away \u2014 sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to ripen bananas is a useful trick whether you want to eat them as a snack, throw them in a smoothie<\/a>, or bake your favorite treat. There are many ways to ripen bananas, though not all are equal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"a<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Long Does it Take for Bananas to Ripen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you buy a green bunch of bananas, it will typically take them 3-5 days to ripen naturally at home. As bananas ripen, they produce more ethylene. They also respond to ethylene in the environment, so if they\u2019re placed next to fruits that produce ethylene, they\u2019ll ripen faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t the case for all fruits. Take pineapple for example. Pineapple\u2019s sugar content doesn\u2019t increase much after being cut, so while you can try to \u201cripen\u201d pineapple<\/a> in a few different ways, its texture will change, but it won\u2019t become sweeter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to placing bananas near ethylene-producing fruits, you can also put them in a warm place, like a sunny spot next to the window, to expedite their ripening. This will encourage them to ripen in 1-3 days, depending on how green they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Ripen Bananas Faster<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are multiple ways to ripen bananas. The paper bag method makes the bananas the sweetest, but it takes the longest. To quickly ripen bananas for banana bread, we suggest using the oven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a Paper Bag<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"bananas<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Best for: <\/strong>eating raw, baking in a few days<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time<\/strong>: 12-48 hours<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have time to spare, the paper bag method is the best. It\u2019ll encourage the bananas to ripen the natural way, increasing their sweetness over the course of a day or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Place the bananas in a paper bag.<\/li>
  2. Add an ethylene-producing fruit. See the list below.<\/li>
  3. Fold the top of the paper bag and leave in the bag until ripe. This should take anywhere from 12 hours to 2 days.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Ethylene-Producing Fruits<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    These ripe<\/strong> fruits produce ethylene, and will help bananas ripen faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n