Heather is happiest when taking a beautiful photo, creating something in her kitchen, or elbows-deep in a DIY project.

Recipe for Fried Bananas

Fried Banana Dessert

Bananas are one of my favorite fruits. I eat a banana about every day. Imagine my surprise last year when I found out I had a potassium deficiency—especially when my love for bananas has been a lifelong love affair. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and are used to make tons of yummy treats like bread, pie, smoothies, pudding, sundaes, etc. Many cultures have some version of a fried banana recipe. Some desserts entail dipping the bananas into a batter and deep frying them. This recipe is much simpler than that as it doesn't require preparing a batter and can be made on the stove top in a frying pan or skillet. The finished dish can be served by itself or as a delicious topping for ice cream or pancakes.

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Cook Time

Ingredients

• 4 bananas, ripe
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, (approx half of 1 small lemon)
• 1/4 cup orange juice, (1 orange)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

What Dessert Can I Make With Bananas?

My Cute Manual Fruit Juicer

Instructions

1. Freshly squeeze lemon and orange juices. Slice bananas lengthwise or into bite size pieces.
2. Melt butter in frying pan on medium heat.
3. Add juices, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Add bananas. Cook each side approximately 5 minutes until bananas are tender and sauce has become a syrup.
5. Enjoy!

Butter

Sauce

Sliced Bananas

Tips for Fried Bananas

How fresh or ripe should bananas be?

Your bananas shouldn't be green. Wait until they're ripe before frying them for this dessert dish. Your bananas should have a few faint brown spots just starting to appear. If your bananas are too ripe, get some new bananas. Bananas that are perfect for banana bread are too ripe for frying.

Can I just use lazy lemon or orange juice?

I highly suggest going that extra step to squeeze some fresh lemon and orange juice. The acidity from these citrus fruits really adds a level of freshness and don't use imitations unless it really can't be avoided.

When is it cooked? When is it over-cooked?

Keep an eye on your bananas. Check the bottoms and flip. It doesn't take long to burn the bananas or the syrup. How do I know if I burned my dessert? The bananas and or syrup will taste bitter. Toss it and try again. Practice makes perfect.

What can I serve my fried bananas with?

These bananas taste delicious by themselves for dessert or at brunch. Since the sauce turns into a delicious caramelized syrup, the bananas and syrup make a delicious topping for other treats like vanilla or chocolate ice cream, cake, or even banana bread. You can top the bananas with a little whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Pretty Please With Bananas on Top?

Bananas Two Ways

This is my classic chocolate chip banana bread topped with fried bananas and a dusting of powdered sugar. Make the banana bread the night before, wrap in foil and refrigerate. Slice bread the next morning and top with these easy fried bananas for a breakfast or brunch that will be out of this world.

Heather Says

This dessert is easy and elegant without a lot of effort. It can be the main event or a lovely topping. If you've never had fried bananas, don't simply write them off because it's a dish or style of preparation that's outside of your comfort zone. Making this dessert makes your kitchen smell absolutely divine-- but wait until you taste it! Bon Appétit!

Comments

Heather (author) from Arizona on March 18, 2014:

@TheKatsMeow-- Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed this Hub. Your kind words definitely made my day :)

@Marsei-- it definitely makes the kitchen smell yummy! Thanks so much for the constructive feedback. I'm so pleased you enjoyed this Hub :)

Katee Shew from Canada on May 02, 2013:

I am so happy I discovered your hubs! your recipes look delicious, voted up and useful!

Sue Pratt from New Orleans on September 29, 2012:

Now I'm hungry. I'm sure this does smell wonderful while cooking. I like the visual with the ingredients all laid out, very eye-catching. Actually all the pictures are great and the content is well-written gramatically and organized well. A+! And voted up and awesome.

marsei