Buzz
I have an unusual knack for flavor combinations, but until this moment, I never would have taken banana and bacon seriously as a duo. That changed during a wedding in Brazil when I tried a small cup of sweet plantain purée topped with shredded, dried meat. It could have been beef or pork, though I might have had a few caipirinhas in me. I ended up grabbing three portions (they were hors d’oeuvre-sized), since others didn’t realize how amazing it was. On paper, I was puzzled by the pairing, but once I tasted it, everything became clear. The bite was a perfect whirlwind of sweet, creamy fruit with chewy, salty, smoky ribbons of meat.
All those bold flavors and contrasting textures are present in these bacon-wrapped banana bites. They may not have the elegance of a purée, but they make up for it with speed and simplicity. All you need to do is wrap banana in bacon. The air fryer makes the process quick, but if you don’t have one, a conventional oven will work just as well.
These bacon-wrapped banana bites are the perfect combination of convenience and flavor, bringing together the best of both worlds. While they might not have the finesse of the plantain purée I encountered in Brazil, they are just as satisfying in their own way. The salty crunch of bacon complements the sweetness of the banana, creating a perfect snack that requires little more than an air fryer and a few minutes of your time.
Preheat your air fryer or oven, and peel the bananas. I like to slice each banana into segments that match the width of my bacon strips, yielding about five pieces per fruit. Each segment gets wrapped with half a slice of bacon, but this may vary slightly depending on the size of the banana or bacon. You want a small overlap when the bacon wraps around the banana. To keep it in place during cooking, you can use a toothpick to skewer the overlapping bacon, but I’ve made them without the toothpick and set the seam-side down, and it stayed intact. (You can skip the toothpick at your own risk.)
Place the bacon-wrapped banana chunks into the air fryer, or if you’re using a conventional oven, put them on a foil-lined baking sheet (a wire rack inside the sheet helps to avoid flipping). Cook them according to the times listed below.
Let them cool for at least five minutes, as the banana will be like molten lava right out of the oven. You can adjust the baking time depending on how crispy you want your bacon. I prefer lots of crunch, so I go for the full cooking time. The banana becomes soft, creamy, and caramelized around the edges, with a slight acidic snap from the cooking process. The bacon turns out just as you’d hope: salty, deeply smoky, chewy, and crispy. These make for a perfect casual snack, a New Year’s Eve treat, or even a wedding snack, if that’s your vibe. Did I channel Elvis at any point? Yes, absolutely. They’re also great with a smear of peanut butter.
Bacon-Wrapped Banana Bites
Ingredients:
2 large bananas, cut into 1 to 1.5-inch segments
5 strips of bacon, halved widthwise
Set your air fryer to 350°F on the ‘air fry’ setting. For a conventional oven, line a baking sheet with foil and optionally a wire rack, then preheat to 400°F.
Wrap each banana segment with a half-strip of bacon. Secure the bacon by inserting a toothpick through the overlapping seam. If toothpicks aren’t available, place the banana bites seam-side down on the rack or baking sheet. Air fry at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or bake at 400°F in a conventional oven for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through for both methods.
Let the snacks rest on a rack or paper towel for about five minutes before serving. They’re best when eaten fresh, but if needed, you can store them in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
