How to Freeze Bananas

Sometimes, bananas in a fruit basket can become overripe and their shelf life is measured not in days, but in hours. Such bananas should be eaten urgently or frozen. Freezing is a convenient way to preserve fruit without losing its taste qualities. It is better to use ripe or slightly overripe bananas for freezing. Unripe bananas are not suitable for freezing. Before freezing, be sure to wash the bananas. It sounds strange, but it is practically impossible to peel a banana without touching its flesh. And if you consider the duration of transportation and the number of hands that touched the banana before it reached the store shelves, then it becomes obvious and quite reasonable to wash the bananas thoroughly. Let the washed fruits dry well. Bananas can be frozen in any way: whole with or without peel, diced or sliced, as well as in the form of puree. Each of the methods has its advantages, and I will try to tell you about it in detail.

Step 1: Freezing the banana without peel. Bananas can be stored in the freezer both with and without the peel, but the shelf life will vary. Without the peel, bananas can last up to 1 month longer. If you want to use whole bananas in recipes like banana cakes or banana chocolate mousse cake, this method of freezing peeled whole bananas will be quite convenient. Start by peeling the washed banana.

Step 2: To prevent the bananas from sticking together during freezing, you need to pre-freeze them. Take a flat tray, plate, or cutting board and cover it with foil, parchment paper, plastic wrap, or a plastic bag. Arrange the bananas so that they don't touch each other. Place the tray in the freezer and let them freeze. This will take about an hour at -18 or -22 degrees Celsius. The temperature should not be higher than the specified values.

Step 3: Once the bananas are frozen, place them in airtight plastic bags. Remove the air, if possible, and seal the bags tightly. Don't forget to label them with the date to keep track of their storage period. Note that these bananas can be stored for up to 3 months at -18 degrees Celsius or lower.

Step 4: Freezing the banana with peel. This is the quickest method of freezing bananas as there is no need to pre-freeze them. If you have excess bananas at home and you're worried about them spoiling, freeze them with the peel intact. Later, you can use these bananas to make banana pastries, banana roll cake with ricotta, or banana bread. Simply place the washed and dried bananas in individual bags, tie them, and label them with the freezing date. Keep them for up to 2 months at temperatures between -18 to -22 degrees Celsius.

Step 5: After being frozen, the peel of the banana will turn dark, but the inside will remain an ordinary banana, albeit with a much softer texture. If you want to use it for baking, fully thaw the banana. For cocktails or smoothies, you can partially thaw or use it as-is without thawing.

Step 1: Freezing banana slices. To make cocktails, baked goods, and other pastries, it is common to use banana slices. For smoothie and milkshake lovers, this freezing method is perfect. Cut the peeled banana into slices of arbitrary thickness, preferably 1.5-3 cm (or more).

Step 2: Arrange the banana slices on a baking sheet or another flat surface, lined with food wrap or parchment paper. Make sure the banana slices do not touch each other, as they will stick together. Leave them in the freezer for 30 minutes - 1 hour until completely frozen.

Step 3: Transfer the frozen banana slices into a container or dish for storage. Close the lid and label it with the date of freezing and the weight of the contents. You can package one or two bananas per container for easier portion control when thawing.

Step 4: Alternatively, you can also store the banana slices in sealed plastic bags. Make sure to tightly tie the bags and remove as much air as possible. These frozen bananas can be kept for up to 3 months at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius or below. This method is ideal for making banana and walnut cake, as well as milkshakes and smoothies with blackcurrant, banana, and poppy seeds. For smoothies and cocktails, you can blend the partially thawed banana slices or even use them without thawing. However, if you are making a cottage cheese casserole, pie, or cake with banana pieces, there is no need to thaw them beforehand.

Step 5: Freezing banana puree. Using any method convenient for you, puree the bananas until smooth. I peeled the bananas, placed the pieces in a blender, and turned it into a homogeneous mass. Alternatively, you can pass the bananas through a sieve with large holes, mash them with a potato masher or fork. To preserve the color and prolong the shelf life of the puree, you can add lemon juice, approximately 1 tablespoon per cup (250 ml) of banana puree.

Spread the banana puree into ice cube trays for freezing.

Place the trays with banana puree in the freezer and allow them to freeze completely, then transfer them to storage bags. The puree cubes will freeze in about an hour at -18 degrees Celsius.

Remove the frozen banana cubes from the compartments and store them in containers or bags. Seal them tightly and label them. Freezing banana puree in the form of small cubes is the ideal option as it easily melts in hot porridge. Therefore, in the morning, I always prepare porridge with banana for my little one, and in the evening, I can offer a glass of milk with 1-2 cubes of banana puree. As a result, both the porridge and the drink turn out sweet and not too hot.

You can also freeze banana puree in portion-sized plastic or paper cups. I recommend indicating the weight of the puree or the number of bananas used for future reference. Spread the banana puree into the cups, leaving a little space at the top, and tightly cover them with plastic wrap.

Store the banana puree for up to 3 months at a temperature of -18 to -22 degrees Celsius. You can use the banana puree to make a milkshake with strawberries and bananas, as well as eggless pancakes with bananas and blueberries. Before using the banana puree, thaw it by leaving it on the kitchen counter until completely thawed. These are the essential steps for correctly freezing bananas.