Popular tropical fruits, bananas are considered a staple in some countries. You can enjoy them straight from the market, mix them up with other ingredients, or transform them into a delicious dessert. If you have a bunch of ripe, yellow bananas lying around, don’t waste them, the versatile fruit can be used in a range of different recipes.
Here’s a list of 30 ripe banana recipes that everyone in the family can enjoy, kids and adults alike! What’s best is that bananas are perennial plants, so you can try out a new recipe any time of the year!
#1. Fruit Salad
You can’t go wrong with a fresh bowl of salad, especially when tropical fruits are in the mix. Chop up some apples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, pineapples, and strawberries for this salad. Like most vegetable salads, this fruit salad will shine with a fresh dressing of orange juice, honey, and orange blossom water to enhance flavor.
#2. Banana Smoothie With Seeds
Bananas are a great fruit to add to smoothies for a creamy and smooth blend. This banana smoothie is a healthy breakfast consisting of almonds, almond milk, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkling of nutmeg and turmeric. The trick is to freeze your bananas and soak your seeds overnight to give your smoothie a sweet, velvety finish.
#3. Orange, Pineapple, and Banana Smoothie
Put together this tropical smoothie in less than 5 minutes. All you need to do is peel, chop, and blend your orange, pineapple, and bananas with some ice. Add a dash of water if you find the smoothie too thick. Top it off with some flax seeds or add wheat germ for a nutrition boost.
#4. Frozen Chocolate Banana Treats
These delicious treats are basically frozen chocolate banana ice cream with a twist. The ice cream mix is made with bananas, maple syrup, almond milk, and cocoa powder, and small scoops of this mixture are rolled in cereal, so the ice cream doesn’t melt too quickly. Although they last long in the freezer, these treats will be gone before you know it!
#5. Banana, Oats, Chocolate Chip Pancakes
These banana pancakes are so delicious that you can enjoy them for breakfast or dessert. Besides bananas, rolled oats, and chocolate chips, you’ll also need oat flour, milk, and baking powder. Ready in less than 30 minutes, it’s best served hot with fresh fruit or a generous helping of jam.
#6. Vegan Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
For this quick and easy dessert recipe, you’ll need medium-sized frozen bananas and some cocoa powder. Thawed bananas will give you a pleasantly creamy texture after going into the food processor. Once the ice cream is smooth and fluffy, serve with your toppings of choice like cacao nibs, berries, plum, kiwi, or coconut flakes.
#7. Pumpkin Banana Smoothie
This smoothie is the perfect blend for people who love pumpkin and banana-based desserts. It is ideal as a quick-fix breakfast or part of your meal plan. Choose between canned pumpkin puree and roasted pumpkin, both work wonderfully. Top with a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and enjoy a healthy dose of protein and fiber!
#8. Peanut Butter Banana Dogs With Homemade Jam
Think of it as a twist to the classic hotdog or a fun spin on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, this recipe will blow your mind! Top your “hotdog” with some chopped kiwi and roasted peanuts. The kids will also love this snack — they’ll enjoy devouring their banana dogs while still getting the nutrients they require.
#9. Kiwi Banana Smoothie
Looking for other sources of vitamin C besides orange juice? Try this delicious kiwi banana smoothie and surprise your taste buds. It’s an easy-to-make breakfast option for busy mornings. Besides bananas and kiwi, you’ll also need oats, grated ginger, your preferred milk option, and some honey to sweeten the deal.
#10. Berry Banana Green Smoothie
While the smoothie won’t necessarily look green, this berry banana smoothie will give your body a much-desired antioxidant boost. It consists of blueberries, raspberries, bananas, spinach (or kale), oats, milk, and an optional sweetener. This smoothie is also a clever way of tricking your kids into “drinking” their vegetables without any fuss.
#11. Banana Cookies
This simple recipe will occupy your kids for the holidays and create some delightful cookies. Besides bananas, you’ll need flour, butter, sugar, eggs, oats, and chocolate. While cooking takes about 30 minutes, you will also need to account for 45 minutes of refrigeration. Once the cookies are ready, add a drizzle of melted chocolate, and serve!
#12. Mango Banana Yogurt Smoothie
Bananas pair well with most tropical fruits, so it’s not a surprise that this mango banana smoothie turns out so delicious! Instead of ice cubes, use frozen bananas and fresh juicy mangoes so that your smoothie doesn’t get too diluted. Adding plain yogurt gives this smoothie a creamy and almost velvety texture.
#13. Strawberry Banana Bread
This strawberry banana bread recipe is a delicious spin on regular banana bread. The combination of fresh strawberries and mashed bananas will give a sweet and slightly acidic flavor profile. To prevent your strawberries from sinking to the bottom of the tin, toss them in some flour before mixing. Everyone will fall in love with this moist, soft bread!
#14. Turmeric Ginger Banana Smoothie
We’ve all heard about the many health benefits of turmeric and ginger, but including them in our diet is not always easy. In this recipe, these spices pair well with bananas, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and honey to give you a refreshing smoothie. And you’ll only end up using five to ten minutes of your busy morning!
#15. Banana Apple Sauce
How about preparing a sweet, thick banana sauce to go with your stack of pancakes? This sauce is easy to make and only requires bananas, apples, lemon juice, water, and honey. Blend them all together until you achieve a smooth texture. Apart from pancakes, this sauce pairs beautifully with waffles and even Greek yogurt!
#16. Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
A healthier breakfast option, this delicious peanut butter banana smoothie is just what you need to start your da! Besides bananas and peanut butter, you’ll also need low-fat yogurt, almond milk, and cinnamon. Blend all the ingredients to create a smooth, healthy, and delicious smoothie full of protein, fiber, potassium, vitamins, and healthy fats.
#17. Banana Bread With Walnuts
Classic comfort food for many, this aromatic banana bread is great for a quick breakfast with your morning coffee. While bananas pair well with many nut varieties, toasted walnuts add a healthy crunch to this recipe. Other must-have ingredients needed to make this delicious bread include flour, brown sugar, baking powder, yogurt, vegetable oil, salt, eggs, and vanilla extract.
#18. Caramelized Banana French Toast
This unique French toast bake is a clever recipe to serve your family or friends for brunch. You’ll need sliced bread, eggs, sugar, milk, cream, butter, pecans, and, of course, bananas. Once your banana slices have perfectly caramelized, pour the thick, creamy brown sugar sauce over the French toast, bake, and devour!
#19. Green Banana Smoothie
This green 4-ingredient smoothie combines bananas, pineapples, orange, and, yes, spinach! While you can use canned fruit to prepare this healthy smoothie, it’s best to use fresh, frozen ingredients for a smoother result. You can also substitute the spinach with kale, if you prefer, and prepare a batch big enough for two days.
#20. Banana Fritters in Caramel Sauce
Bananas and caramel go hand in hand. What better way to celebrate their union than with this 15-minute recipe? Coat your sliced bananas in spiced buttermilk, breadcrumbs, and coconut flakes in preparation for the hot pan. Once the caramel sauce is done, serve it alongside the golden fritters with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
#21. Chocolate Banoffee Pie
If you’re looking for a decadent, creamy banana dessert, this chocolate banoffee pie won’t disappoint. The recipe incorporates some of the most popular ingredients you can imagine, from chocolate digestive biscuits and dark chocolate to bananas, whipping cream, and store-bought caramel filling. You don’t even need an oven; your refrigerator will work perfectly here!
#22. Avocado, Pineapple, and Banana Smoothie
If you’ve never added avocado to your smoothies, you’re really missing out! This smoothie is a sweet and creamy way to start your mornings with a healthy dose of nutrition. Simply throw your three key ingredients into the blender with some milk and mix until smooth. Sprinkle some hemp seeds and pomegranate arils on top, and serve!
#23. Banana Bars
Swap your greasy, unhealthy snacks with some healthier alternatives. These nutty banana bars might just do the trick, and your kids will love them! The recipe takes less than an hour to prepare and yields enough bars to stock up for the week. They’re a great mid-afternoon snack or quick breakfast!
#24. Banana Zucchini Bread
Vegetables are slowly but surely transforming into desserts. This is yet another banana bread recipe that’ll blow your mind! Combining oats, nuts, and zucchini, this bread is low in calories and a great way to get your daily dose of nutrition. Serve with some ricotta or a drizzle of honey.
#25. Mango Banana Ice Cream
A sweet tropical pairing of mango and banana comes together to create delicious ice cream. This recipe doesn’t even require an ice cream maker, but you will need a food processor to blitz your frozen mango and banana chunks until smooth and creamy. Sprinkle some cardamom on each scoop to enhance flavor.
#26. Vegan Banana Pancakes
A vegan take on your favorite breakfast, these fluffy banana pancakes are easy to make and taste delightful! The ingredients are similar to those used for regular pancakes. You’ll only be using an egg replacer and unflavored plant milk instead of eggs and whole milk. Serve hot with maple syrup and blueberries.
#27. Watermelon, Strawberry, and Banana Smoothie
Watermelon is a thirst-quenching fruit that makes an excellent addition to an already perfect pairing of strawberries and bananas. Use your milk of choice to blend these fruits until creamy and refrigerate so you can enjoy your smoothie cold. Remember to remove the watermelon seeds before blending.
#28. Vegan Banana Almond Granola
Homemade granola is a great way to start our day on a super healthy, delicious note. In this recipe, bananas, oats, and dates combine to create a wholesome breakfast. Once the smooth, creamy, and sticky date-banana mixture is ready, mix it with the oats and bake. The result is crispy, flavorful granola garnished with slivered almonds.
#29. Banana Bread Scones
Homemade scones are perfect with a hot cup of tea. You will need bananas, self-raising flour, brown sugar, butter, milk, cinnamon, and ricotta. The dough is shaped into rounds, brushed with milk, and topped with bananas before being transferred into the oven. In less than 30 minutes, your banana bread scones will be ready to serve.
#30. Banana, Yogurt, and Apple Muffin Slice
This banana, yogurt, and apple muffin slice will keep you satisfied from your mid-morning break until lunchtime. Besides the three main ingredients, you will need flour, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and oats. What’s best is you can refrigerate and enjoy them all week long!
