How to Ripen Bananas Faster

Green bananas might never ripen because growers strictly control the ripening process. These bananas are stored in specific conditions to prolong their shelf life for sale. Once you bring them home, you can speed up the ripening process with a few tips from banana growers themselves. If you want to bake banana bread, you can use an oven to turn unripe bananas into fully ripe ones.

Put bananas in a paper bag. Bananas release ethylene gas, a hormone that speeds up ripening. Wrapping bananas in a paper bag helps trap this gas around the fruit.

• Avoid using clay-coated or waxed paper bags, as these materials can absorb the ethylene gas.
• Plastic bags can restrict oxygen from reaching the fruit, which slows down ethylene production.

Add other fruits to the bag. A paper bag, warm temperatures, and the ethylene gas released by bananas are all essential to ripen them faster. You can also add other fruits if available. Some fruits also release ethylene and help ripen nearby fruits. Consider adding apples, pears, apricots, and other stone fruits, as well as avocados, kiwis, and quinces. Using other bananas can also help, but it may be less effective if those bananas are not fully ripe.

• It's best to use the ripest fruits possible, or cut them to release more ethylene gas.
• Other fruits and vegetables might release ethylene if they are overripe. If you don't have other options, simply cut the fruit or vegetable into pieces and place it in the banana bag.

Place the bag on top of the refrigerator. Heat significantly accelerates the ripening process of bananas. The ideal temperature for ripening bananas is around 18-20ºC (64-68ºF), which is typically the temperature of a warm indoor room. It's best to store bananas in warm areas such as the top of the refrigerator or near the stove to speed up the ripening. Bananas may ripen unevenly, but they can still be used in the home.

Increase humidity during dry weather. Low humidity can slow down ripening or affect the flavor of bananas. If the weather is dry, you should use a humidifier in the kitchen or place a bowl of water nearby.

• However, avoid placing bananas in overly humid areas to prevent mold. While having water nearby usually doesn't cause issues, avoid overly enclosed or damp spaces.

Check the banana bag regularly. Bananas usually ripen within 48 hours, but it can take several days. It's a good idea to check the bag 1-2 times a day, as any fruit stored with the bananas may ripen too much and become overripe.

Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 150ºC.

• If you don't want the bananas to turn too dark, you can set the oven to the lowest setting, which is usually around 75ºC.

Place unpeeled bananas on a parchment-lined baking tray. Line the tray with parchment paper to catch any liquid that may leak from the bananas as they ripen. Arrange the unpeeled bananas on the tray, ensuring they aren't crowded together to allow air circulation around each banana.

Bake the bananas for 20-30 minutes. Turn on the oven's light to monitor the progress. Watch as the bananas gradually darken, and check after the first 15 minutes to see if they have softened. If the bananas aren't soft after 30 minutes, bake them for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the tray and let the bananas cool. After removing the bananas, you can gently poke them with a spoon to check their softness. Let the bananas cool completely before using them for baking.

• If you're not using the bananas immediately, you can store them in the fridge to preserve their flavor.

• Do not store bananas in damp areas to prevent mold growth.
• Do not refrigerate unripe bananas; doing so will prevent them from ripening even if you return them to room temperature.

• Bananas
• Apples
• Paper bag