Yes, you read that right, this is banana peel bacon. A vegan bacon recipe made from the banana peels that you would otherwise toss away. Am I crazy? Maybe a little. Does it taste good? Yes, it does. It really, really does!
There has been a recent trend of making a vegan pulled pork type sandwich using banana peels, but for the most part, people have had bad experiences with it, saying that it actually tasted awful. But I didn't let that get me down. I was more intrigued by the idea of making banana peel bacon than the pulled pork (but let me know if you want me to give the pulled pork a try too). It took several experiments, but then the magic happened. Let me tell you, the results are good. Like actually really good. Like addictively yummy good.
The banana peel bacon is crispy, chewy, and a bit greasy just like traditional bacon. A bit thinner than traditional bacon, the flavour is smoky, salty, slightly sweet, and has a subtle hint of banana taste which is actually quite delicious. I'm not the only crazy one who liked it, my partner Adam and my dog Chickpea were both crazy about it too!
Banana peel bacon would be delicious alongside a vegan fried egg, tofu scramble, on a sandwich, chopped and served on a salad, or to top a pasta dish!
To make banana peel bacon, the number one most important step is to use bananas that are very ripe. Stay far away from green bananas, the bacon will taste terrible. The riper the banana the better the flavour so pick bananas that are yellow with lots of brown spots.
To prepare the banana peels, remove the peels from the bananas and tear into about 4 strips per banana. Use a spoon to lightly scrape off the white inside part of the banana peel leaving just the peel.
Make the marinade by mixing the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and garlic powder together in a dish that will fit your banana peels.
Add the banana peels and toss to coat. Let marinade for a minimum of 10 minutes, but as long as a few hours.
You will likely have leftover marinade. Feel free to make more banana peel bacon or to save the marinade for a few days in a container in the fridge to use again later.
When ready to cook the bacon, heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When hot add the peels and fry a couple of minutes per side until they are golden and bubble up a little. It may get a little smoky as the sugars will burn so make sure to turn on your hood fan. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. They should get crispier as they cool.
Now if you want to use up those bananas you just peeled, try more of my vegan recipes such as my banana milk, banana nut muffins, banana bread oatmeal, healthy breakfast cookies, banana coconut French toast, or any of my dessert flavoured smoothies.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Banana Peel Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe banana peels, (from 2 bananas, see instructions)*
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon light oil (or more if needed)
Instructions
- The number one most important step is to use bananas that are very ripe. Stay far away from green bananas, the bacon will taste terrible. The riper the banana the better the flavour so pick bananas that are yellow with lots of brown spots. To prepare the banana peels: remove the peels from the bananas and tear into about 4 strips per banana. Use a spoon to lightly scrape off the white inside part of the banana peel leaving just the peel.
- Make the marinade by mixing the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and garlic powder together in a dish that will fit your banana peels. Add the banana peels and toss to coat. Let marinade for a minimum of 10 minutes, but as long as a few hours.
- When ready to cook the bacon, heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When hot add the peels and fry a couple of minutes per side, until they are golden and bubble up a little. It may get a little smoky as the sugars will burn so make sure to turn on your hood fan. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. They should get crispier as they cool.
Notes
Nutrition
I tried this recipe with plantain peels. Doesn't have the sweet banana flavor. Great recipe. Thanks
It took me months to finally be able to make this. Of course I thought what many people thought. This recipe idea is ridiculous! Banana peels? Just STOP with the DIY vegan alternatives already!
But I was eating so many bananas... what would be so wrong in trying it out?
OH ME, OH MY! This is actually scarely really delicious! Even though I made it, ate it, and loved it, it's still unfathomable. Genius. Tasty.
TIP: If you have no liquid smoke, or smokey paprika, just get the pan burning a little after cooking, throw all these bad boys in, cover the pot, and turn off the fire. Natural smokiness in a minute, y'all!
Hahaha! Thrilled you loved it Nay!
Sam,
I would love to try this! My husband loves bananas and we always have them in the house. Problem is, he likes them barely ripe. My question is, is there any way to ripen the peels after they have been removed from the banana?
Thanks!
Made this and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Doubled the recipe and added a teaspoon of liquid smoke. Was not able to get the crunchiness that I expected, but the taste was amazing. May try extra liquid smoke next time around + test it in the air fryer.
Dear Sam unfortunately bananas, pinapples and tropical fruit come from very far away and are spayed with chemicals that have to keep the fruit fresh for long time, fight fermentations and high temperature. The peels of bananas even inhibit compost processes because of that This recipe is very unhealthy. Big hug
Not only pesticides, but filth. Bananas are known to be shipped crawling with insects and vermin (and the waste they excrete). They're one of the dirtiest crops Americans eat.
I would, at very least, scrub the hell out of these peels before I ate them, and even then, I would think twice.
Hi Raffaella,
I agree with you about the pesticides and always buy organic. Using organic bananas removes the risk of digesting pesticides, so you could safely try the recipe.
Love the idea of using everything on the banana instead of throwing away food. 🙂
I have to admit that I've been making "fake-on" for awhile, using rice paper strips dipped in a similar marinade then baked. They're really pretty good if you like your bacon crispy. This looks more like a slab bacon slice ...I'm totally trying it!
Sam, I wish you could have seen my husband's before and after face when I told him I made these and then when he tasted it. I made banana bread and decided to try this with the peels, just for fun. Next time I'll probably be making bacon and then making banana bread just for fun! (I used liquid smoke because I didn't have smoked paprika.)
Haha! I love that story 🙂
I had the exact same thought when I read this recipe! 😀
Hello!
I find this recipe after I ate a bit of banana peel. By the way, what could be the alternative to maple syrup if it's unavailable?
Thanks!
Any liquid sweetener would work such as agave or corn syrup.
My fitness pal says a banana peel is 70 cal
Could I leave them in the marinade longer? Like days? My partner typically adds a banana to his protein shake every day, and I'm wondering if we could just stash them in a Tupperware in the fridge and cook like 3-5 days worth of bananas at once? I was also wondering if I could freeze them? Before or after cooking?
I've left them overnight before and they worked fine. I imagine longer would be fine as well. I imagine freezing them might not be as successful though. Enjoy!
I've looked at this recipe a number of times and thought...nope, nada, forget it...banana peel bacon. Then for some odd reason I stumbled across this recipe at the same time I was using a couple of bananas for a smoothie and thought, what the heck. I've been following Sam for so long now, I should know better than to question her skill in creating amazing tasting food. So...I gave it a try and WOW. This is fantastic. The taste is amazing, it's so easy to make (like 99% of Sam's recipes). The only thing I would watch out for is it can burn easily.
Thanks again Sam for yet another fantastic recipe. I'll never say no again!
Bahaha! I love this comment, I even shared it in my Instagram stories. Thank you Kim! 🙂
I cant wait to try this and turn it into a BLT sandwich! Thank you, Sam!
Here is what I found:
The skin of the banana is as nutritious as its flesh: it provides iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C and K. It also contains significant amounts of manganese, fiber, antioxidants and copper.
Banana peel is also a source of tryptophan, a protein that the body converts to serotonin, a natural relaxant.
What about the preservatives they spray on the banana peels? How do you clean them effectively?
I buy organic 🙂
Cool, but for those of us who either can't afford "organic" or don't have a store who sells "organic" what are we supposed to do to properly rid the banana of any preservatives? (Put it in quotes for the natural cross contamination that can happen from wind, rain, or natural causes that naturally migrate gmo bananas seeds/preservatives to "organic" farms)
Soak in vinegar and water for ten minutes or so will help.
Thank you, do you think rice vinegar will work?
I soak all my produce in baking soda and apple cider vinegar (20min at least)Then wash with plant based dish soap as needed. As needed includes cucumber, peppers, and apples.
Thanks so much for your response what ratios do you use?
I eyeball it. About a tablespoon or two of vinegar and one tablespoon of baking powder. I also separate leafy greens from hard skins which slightly alters my amounts. Soak them and leave them Or vigorously apply depending on your time.
I found your page looking for B12 naturally. It said banana peels are rich with them. FYI.
Please supplement vitamin B12, there's nothing wrong with that
Organic farmers use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. They are derived from natural ingredients as opposed to synthetic. Just because something is found in nature does not mean it is good for you. Read the science from unbiased sources, not articles in support of organic agriculture or conventional agriculture.
Currently marinating, love so many of your other recipes can't wait to try this tomorrow. I found nutritional information @
https://www.livescience.com/45005-banana-nutrition-facts.html
WOnderful! THanks, Lisa!
Just made these. They are really good! They even look like bacon! I saw the comment about the liquid smoke. I ended up using both liquid smoke and paprika. Next time I may add more liquid smoke. I used 1 tsp in a doubled recipe. I am using these in a BLT for lunch. Thanks Sam for all the great recipes. I can always count on yours to be the best!
BTW, I used smoked paprika...forgot to mention that!
So happy you enjoyed Karen!
Well I finally tried these..I didn't have maple syrup so I used pancake syrup and totally missed the paprika. A few pieces were spot on, but some were too bitter. Some were too burnt, but that's my fault. Still a great idea to try again. Made your banana squares again too. Thx Sam!
I tried banana peel bacon but didn’t have the liquid smoke or smoked paprika so substituted 2 parts chili powder to 1 part cumin as recommended online. It was ok but I want to try the recipe as written. Thank you for this wonderful way not to throw food away.
Love the idea of these but as others have commented, it’s too salty. Followed as instructed, used coconut oil to fry and couldn’t eat because of the saltiness of the final product. I’m wondering how else to marinate because I do want this recipe to work. It’s a great idea, with little waste on food! Thank you for all your hard work and experimentation.
Perhaps try using a low sodium soy sauce?
I used coconut aminos in subsititute of the soy sauce and brown sugar but did not change any other ingredients. The final product was lovely - smokey, sweet and a little salty. Perhaps give this a try if you are not a fan of the saltiness?
I made for the first time today and liked it more than I expected, but next time I'm going to use low-sodium soy sauce; it was too salty for me. I marinated for one hour, maybe that's too long? Anyway, I'm grateful for the recipe and looking forward to making again with low-sodium soy sauce.
I made this recipe and really like it. In place of soy sauce I used coconut aminos; not salty at all. Drain the bacon well and the strips become crisp. I like it.
So happy you enjoyed, Lynn 🙂
Followed the recipe exactly. Although the marinade flavor was delicious and spot on, there was just no getting around the fact that we were eating banana peels. The vegetal flavor of banana peel came through, and we didnt love that. Will not be eating banana peels in the future.
Hi, Can this be made somehow without the oil. Perhaps baking instead of using a skillet? Thank you for the recipe.
Haven't tried it yet, but according to my research (dehydrating the peels for fertilizer for my vegetables, as I type this). They also contain Phosphorus and Magnesium. Don't know the amounts of each. I found this recipe after my daughter told me about peel bacon. I had already chopped the peels (was dehydrated the actual banana fruit before she told me) but will try them when I get more.
Thanks!
Hi Sam, I haven't tried this yet but am going to today. Just wondering if you can freeze left over marinade to use again?
I just want to hear a little bit more about the vitamin B12 that is in the banana peel and the amounts of this as we are always told the only way to get it on a plant-based diet is through nutritional yeast?
You are so clever! I dont even like bananas and yet I loved these! Thank you so much for sharing
You're most welcome! Thrilled you love it 🙂
You’ve given us back our bacon! Thanks for all your hard work and for sharing Have you tried baking it? Any suggestions on that? Might be quicker/easier...
I haven't! If you give it a go, let us know how it turns out 🙂
I don'thave any leftover banana peels. I just use the whole banana sliced in my smoothie, together with other fruits (unpeeled), fruit juice, yoghurt, oatmeal, ginger, and turmeric.
Oh wow this was amazing! Even omnivore OH liked this 'bacon' even though he knew what he was eating before he tried it!
I had everything on hand except maple syrup so used a sprinkle of fine brown sugar instead. Great salty flavour and I can magine they'd be great in a BLT. We just ate them as crisps.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, and for the commented questions and answers about preservation options 🙂
Awesome!!! So happy you loved it, HirlGend!
I really like this recipe, it’s so creative! I’ve made it a few times and prefer to scrape the peels lightly, leaving a thin layer of banana on the peels. They retain some moisture that seem reminiscent of bacon fat and still crisp up nicely! I also like to cook in vegan butter on a cast iron pan. Thank you for the vegan recipes, love them 🙂
Aww yay! So thrilled you love it, Kelly!
Truly Genius!
I did not leave them in the marinade very long and I used low salt soy sauce. We Put them on top Romain lettuce leaves filled with lots of veggies and avocado slices…not to salty this way - perfect!!!
Thank You❣️
Amazing!!
I've been saving banana peels for ages! To dry, then grind into powder to use in my garden and in my soap making! I just might try "bacon" now, too, lol
HI... love the recipe, but I don't always want to eat bananas just to have bacon the next morning or in a day or two. You said freezing made them black...not nice... how can you store them for a few days. n the fridge? In a plastic bag at room temp? In a paper bag ? There must be a way. Not practical to have to eat bananas the day before you can have bacon.
help please, Barb
Hi Barbara! The banana peels won't keep long but the bananas fruit freezes very well. So I recommend that when you want to make banana peel bacon, peel the fresh bananas, use the peels, and put the fruit in the freezer in an air-tight container to use later in a smoothie or another recipe. 🙂
I peel and slice ripe bananas and freeze them - great for 'nice cream' and smoothies. It's best to slice them before freezing rather than afterwards. I them put them in a plastic bag, spread out on a tray, one layer deep and then later you can tap the bag and they separate nicely rather than sticking together in clumps.
I found nutritional info on banana peels here
https://www.livescience.com/45005-banana-nutrition-facts.html
Thank you, but I believe that's the nutrition facts for bananas (not just the peel). Appreciate you looking it up tho!
Delicious! My whole family loved it. I think it is my favorite vegan bacon. Better than bacon made with eggplant, tofu or tempeh. And banana peels are basically free! Amazing.Just wondering how to save all the banana peels. Will they keep in the fridge or do they need to go directly into the marinade? Could the peels be frozen for later use?
Awesome!! I'm so happy you love it so much, Melissa 🙂 Banana peels turn black when frozen so that might be kind of icky, but you can keep them in the marinade for up to a few days in the fridge if that helps. Enjoy!
Excellent thank you.
You're most welcome 🙂
I would like to bake these and not fry them. What temperature would I bake them and for how long? Thanks
Hi GB, I haven't tried baking these so I'm not sure the temperature, time, or if it would even yield good results. Sorry I can't be more help!
Maybe I did not fry long enough? They were more chewy, not crispy at all, even after sitting. I'm kinda afraid of overcooking . . . I will try again.
Yes, you likely need to cook it a little more. Enjoy!
Interestingly, you may be amused to learn that a mouse made off with a couple of slices when I'd left them out overnight! ;-D So: bait!
Hah! Cute 🙂
Can I make up a batch and store for later use?
The bacon will lose it's crispiness so it's not really the best to make ahead. Enjoy!
I was just thinking about doing everything up to the cooking stage and then having it ready to go just like regular bacon
Yep you can let it marinate in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!
According to this article, https://www.livescience.com/45005-banana-nutrition-facts.html
Banana peels are high in B6 and B12. Lack of B12 is of concern with vegan diets.
Good to know!
Nooooooooooo!!!!! I peeled 20 bananas two nights back for my smoothie bags. I actually looked at all the peels and wondered if there's anything I can do/make with it. I'm so sad right now 🙁
Awww, well next time at least!
Definitely have to be careful not to burn them, but the ones I didn't burn were great! I dipped them in the marinade again just before eating since I didn't marinade them very long.
So happy you enjoyed, Maria 🙂
I can't believe this worked! I'm not sure what I did that was different from other people but I didn't get even a hint of banana in my final product. Great job coming up with this!
So thrilled you loved it Naomi!! 🙂
I have sweet smoked paprika and spicy smoked paprika, which would you recommend for this recipe?
Sweet smoked paprika 🙂
NO. WAY. First chickpea water is eggs, now banana peels are bacon???? Gaaaaaahhh :DDDDDD I'm so glad I'm not alone being vegan anymore!!!! <3
Haha!! Right!? The possibilities are endless!!
I tried it. We loved it. We were rushing out the door for an outing so I just used a bit of soy & the tiniest amount of smoked paprika (the jar had run out). I left them to marinade for a few hours. We came back and made BLTs. We were in shock all day afterwards -- they were so good!!! Plus, I (as a long time vegan, who has never been totally sure it was 'natural' for humans ot be that way) the fact that there is B12 in banana peels, and they're delicious, made me feel like being vegan is completely natural for humans. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Awesome!!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Laura-Lee 🙂
Great by me! I love bananas (and salt!), so the hint of banana flavor was intriguing and not overwhelming. It would be fantastic in a BLT or crumbled on a salad. The best part is using something that would otherwise be "waste." BONUS!
Haha, awesome!! So happy you loved it, Denise 🙂
I haven't made this yet but have a bottle of liquid smoke in the cupboard. Do you think I could use that and if so, how much?
Thanks for helping me discover how easy being a vegan can be.
Smoked paprika adds not only flavour but also colour. If you want to sub liquid smoke instead I would recommend 1/4 teaspoon
This was a very easy recipe. You definitely have to watch closely it doesn’t get burnt. While the texture was really enjoyable, I have to admit.. the banana flavor just wasn’t for me. But in a sandwich (BLT with vegan mayo) it was doable. But me not liking the banana flavor is no fault of Sam’s. Her recipe was on point and the rest of the flavor was nice. While this one wasn’t my cup, it has me excited to try rice paper bacon! (*Definitely use organic!)
Haha, so happy you gave it a try, EL 🙂
Is there enough of a difference between "paprika" and "smoked paprika" to matter? I only have regular paprika... Thanks!
The smoked paprika adds a smoky taste the the banana peel bacon, you could sub by adding a few drops of liquid smoke. Enjoy!
Awesome, thanks so much for getting back to me!
HA! Just what I did--before seeing this! 🙂
Hi! I tried the banana peel pulled pork. I've done it already a couple of times and personally, I love it. I would recommend to give it a try.
Awesome!! I will give it a try soon 🙂
Disappointed. Excited to try my first banana peel recipe but it just wasn't very good. The initial taste was ok but then it was salty and burnt tasting. Will not make again. Easy recipe though!
Hi Rachel, traditional bacon is quite salty, but to reduce the saltiness use less soy sauce or a low sodium soy sauce. If it was burnt tasting, it's because it probably got a little burnt. Try cooking it at a lower temperature next time. Enjoy!
Hi, Rachel,
I used coconut Caminos and the bacon strips were delicious and not salty at all. Next time I'm going to put a bit of sea salt into the marinade. I agree with Sam that real bacon is salty.
Lynn
This looks really interesting! I wonder if they could be baked, like the rice paper bacon I adore.
I haven't tried, but if you do you may need to spray them with oil or add oil to the marinade so they have that fatty crispiness that traditional bacon has.
Please let me know how this turns out baked! I don't use oil!!
I added liquid smoke to make the flavor more authentic . I did not use oil but used the Skan pan .. I probably cooked them at too high a heat at first but they were not bad . Crispy , interesting flavor .. will try again and work with the marinade some more .
I always recommend trying the recipe as written before making any adaptions but I am glad you enjoyed!
Have you tried cooking these peels in an air fryer to avoid using oil (or at least much less oil than frying for us noSOS vegans)? I just got an air fryer and am just starting out. Thanks for all your hard work and innovation!!!
I haven't no, but you are welcome to try!
OH, Good idea to use the air fryer. Please let us know how it turns out!!
i made some using the microwave for about 3 minutes and were just as good as fried!
Wow! Great idea, I must try this 🙂
Did you try making these with liquid smoke?
Organic bananas are a must for this recipe, since you are eating the peels. luckily are now available at just about every supermarket in the U.S.
I first used liquid smoke, but I preferred the taste and colour to the version with smoked paprika. But you are welcome to adapt the recipe to your own preference!
What an intriguing recipe! Do you buy organic bananas for this? Conventionally grown bananas do get a pretty good wash with pesticides, if I'm not mistaken, and the only reason why they're low on the Dirty Dozen list is because we don't tend to use the peel. Just wondering...
I second this question...
Yes, I bought organic bananas and gave them a wash first- I will add that to the recipe notes!