If you have a lot of unfinished bananas and are worried about them getting too ripe, freeze them instead of throwing them away. Frozen bananas make a delicious addition to milkshakes, smoothies, or baked goods. If you want to use bananas for milkshakes or smoothies, you can cut them into coins and freeze them on a baking sheet. If you want the bananas to be mixed with baked goods, you can freeze them whole.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Freezing Banana Slices for Smoothies and Milkshakes
Step 1. Let the bananas ripen before freezing
Bananas are ripe if the skin turns yellow. It's okay to let the banana peels become mottled or brown before freezing them, but don't freeze the bananas while the skins are still green.
Frozen bananas will not ripen. If you want to use the bananas as an ingredient in a milkshake or smoothie, you should freeze them when they are ripe
Step 2. Peel the banana peel
Don't freeze bananas with the skin on. Banana peels will turn black and slimy if you put them in the freezer. You can peel a frozen banana peel with a knife, but it's definitely more difficult than peeling it while it's not frozen.
Step 3. Cut the bananas into circles about 2.5 cm thick
If you cut them thicker, the bananas will take longer to freeze. However, it can also save time cutting them. So, it's all up to you. You don't have to follow this example exactly when cutting bananas.
You can break the bananas with your hands if you don't want to slice them with a knife
Step 4. Place the banana slices on a baking sheet (in a single layer)
Leave some space between the slices so the bananas don't stick together when they freeze later. If you want to freeze multiple bananas at once, you may need to use several pans.
- To make it easier for you to lift the banana slices, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. However, this can make it difficult for you to remove the bananas from the parchment paper when they freeze later.
- The use of a baking sheet to freeze bananas is to prevent the banana slices from sticking together when frozen.
Step 5. Freeze bananas for 1 hour or until frozen
Place the baking sheet containing the banana slices in the freezer. You may have to rearrange the items in the freezer to allow the pans to fit inside. Check the bananas about an hour later. If it hasn't frozen, check back in half an hour later.
You can check if the banana has frozen by pressing it. If they are still tender, leave the bananas in the freezer a little longer
Step 6. Transfer the frozen banana slices into the bag with the current date on it
Place the banana slices in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Remove the air in the bag, then close it tightly. Write down the plastic bag with the date when the bananas were frozen so you don't accidentally leave them in the freezer for years.
You may have to use a spatula to remove the bananas from sticking to the pan
Step 7. Use frozen bananas for milkshakes or smoothies in no more than 6 months
When you make a drink using a blender, take a few frozen bananas from the bag in the freezer. After that, put the banana slices in a blender for a cold and creamy treat.
If the banana slices are difficult to mash in a blender, you may need to divide them into smaller pieces
Method 2 of 2: Freezing Bananas to Add to Bakes
Step 1. Allow the bananas to ripen or overripe
Bananas don't ripen in the freezer. So, avoid freezing unripe bananas. Instead, choose bananas that are already yellow or mottled. Bananas that are too ripe are perfect for baking because they are very sweet. So, you can even freeze bananas that are all brown.
Bananas that are too ripe to ooze liquid should be discarded
Step 2. Peel all the bananas
Avoid freezing bananas with the skin on! The banana peel will turn black and slimy, which will make it look dirty, and will require a knife to peel it off. By peeling them first, you can save time when you want to process the bananas later.
Add banana peels to the compost mix if you have one
Step 3. Leave the peeled bananas whole or mash them first
You can leave the bananas whole and mash them later after you thaw them. However, you can also mash it now if you want! Place the bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork until they are soft like mush.
- Put a few drops of lemon juice on the mashed bananas if you want to preserve the color. As the bananas will be roasted, the color doesn't really matter.
- If there are a lot of bananas that need to be mashed, you should use a blender or food processor to puree them. However, bananas are actually soft enough to be mashed by hand.
Step 4. Put the bananas in a plastic freezer bag that has the date written on it
Place mashed or whole bananas in a freezer bag. Remove any air in the bag before you close it. Write the current date on the bag using a permanent marker so you can see how long the bananas have been in the freezer. After that, put the bag of bananas in the freezer.
Bananas take several hours to fully freeze
Step 5. Use bananas in baked goods for no more than 6 months
Remove the bananas from the freezer 1 hour before use and allow them to thaw on a plate placed on the kitchen counter. If frozen bananas have not been used for more than 6 months, you should throw them away.
- Try making banana bread or banana muffins using thawed bananas.
- Bananas that are frozen whole can be easily mashed with a fork after you thaw them.
Tips
- Try making frozen banana ice cream for a healthy dessert.
- Dip frozen banana slices in melted chocolate before you freeze them for a delicious dish.
