Bananas, commonly referred to as plantains in many regions, are botanically a berry. They are rich in potassium and are known for their antioxidant properties.
If you are in search of a healthy way for preparing banana chips, you should consider dehydrating your bananas. But, there are numerous methods for doing so, which is the best?
We have put hours of research and experience into developing nine easy ways for dehydrating bananas.
Dehydrate Bananas Using a Food Dehydrator
Time needed: 12 hours.
In a food dehydrator, bananas can take up to 8 hours to dry. The taste of dehydrated bananas with tiny brown freckles is sweet and rich.
Using a food dehydrator is amongst the quickest methods for dehydrating your bananas.
Optimum temperature to dry bananas with a dehydrator: 135 degrees
- What you’ll need?
1. Ripe bananas
2. Dehydrator trays
3. Pineapple or lemon juice
4. Stainless steel knife - Cut your Bananas
Slice them into small coins or strips after peeling them with a stainless steel knife.
That’s about a quarter-inch or 3/8-inch thin.
It takes longer for thicker bananas to dry.
- Soak in Lemon or Pineapple Juice
To keep banana slices from browning, soak them in a lemon, pineapple juice, or ascorbic acid solution.
Do this for about two minutes and not for long as they will start to get mushy.
Until putting them on dehydrator trays, shake off any excess solution/juice. Before drying, you can add chopped nuts, almonds, or coconut flakes. - Place them Inside the Food Dehydrator
The bananas must be put on the drying racks inside the dehydrator.
The scale of your dehydrator will significantly influence the drying timer.
You can refer to how this is done here.
Dehydrate Bananas using an Oven
Time taken: 1 to 3 hours
Optimum temperature to dry bananas with an oven: 350°F (180°C)
What you’ll need?
- Ripe bananas
- A wire rack
- Lemon or pineapple juice
- Baking sheet
- Nonstick cooking oil
Dehydrating bananas with the help of an oven is one of the fastest ways to dry bananas. This method works for both banana chips and wedges.
However, the time consumed for each will differ.
Preheat your Oven
Preheat your oven to the lowest setting. Preheating your oven at a higher temperature will result in a scorched outer layer and partially dehydrated banana chips on the inside.
Prepare your Banana Chips
Remove the banana skin and slice it into circles or strips to the desired thickness.
Soak them in lemon or pineapple juice if you are dehydrating a lot of bananas. Doing so will keep them from discoloring.
Looking for a way to make your chips a bit more flavorful? Sprinkle them with salt, cinnamon, or another spice before arranging them on the rack.
Place your Bananas
Arrange them on a baking sheet that’s either parchment paper-lined or sprayed with nonstick cooking oil. You may also put them on their own on a cooking rack.
If you go with this option, make sure to put a baking sheet underneath them in the oven to catch any drips.
Avoid placing your banana pieces above one another as they won’t dehydrate evenly. You can watch Marilee do this in action here:
Keep a Check
Keep a constant eye on your bananas and when they are halfway through, flip them over to the other side. Use a wire rack to cool dried bananas to make them much crispier.
Dehydrate Bananas using a Microwave
Time taken: 24 hours
What you’ll need?
- Ripe bananas
- A wire rack
- Olive oil
- A Microwave-safe plate
Dehydrating bananas using a microwave is a simple and straightforward procedure.
It may be the best way to dry bananas, but you’ll have to consume them within a day.
Peel your Bananas
Peel ripe bananas and cut them into 14-inch round chips.
Place your Bananas
Arrange your bananas on a microwave-safe plate and place them in single rows. In case you are drying several bananas together, you will need to repeat this step numerous times.
Make sure to spray some olive oil before you place them on the tray.
Defrost the Bananas
Defrosting would take about 10-15 minutes. This duration generally varies based on the type of microwave you use.
Check your Bananas
Flip your bananas when they are halfway through. If your bananas feel sticky when you touch them, they’re ready.
Set aside to Cool
Place your dehydrated bananas on a wire rack to cool. Enable them to sit for 24 hours on this rack.
At this stage, they should be thoroughly dehydrated. Generally, keep an eye on them, and you’ll be able to tell when they’re dehydrated and ready to eat.
Dehydrate Bananas Using an Air Fryer
Time taken: 20-25 minutes
Optimum temperature to air fry bananas: 380°F
What you’ll need?
- Melted coconut oil
- Coarse salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ripe bananas
Using an air fryer to dehydrate your bananas is the quickest method. It will hardly consume 20-25 minutes and give you crispy dried bananas instantly.
Preheat your Air Fryer
To be safe, preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 380°F and then set the timer for 25 minutes.
Cut and Trim your Bananas
Make a vertical slit in the skin of the banana on two sides, just down to the flesh.
Remove the skin and throw it away. Bananas should be cut into 1″ thick slices.
Drizzle Coconut Oil
Place the pieces in a bowl and drizzle with melted coconut oil. Toss to coat evenly.
Place them in the Air Fryer
Cook for an additional 8 minutes. Flip the bananas over in the air fryer.
Cover the bites with the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil. Cook for another 7 minutes or until golden brown and smooth.
Dehydrate Bananas by Freezing Drying Bananas
Time taken: About 16 to 20 hours
What you’ll need?
- Ripe bananas
- Trays
Freeze drying bananas is one of the top preferred methods for dehydrating bananas.
They leave a crunchy, hard texture once your bananas are dehydrated. Dehydrated bananas will taste like candy after you’ve used the freeze-drying method.
Dice the Bananas
They should be diced in thin, even slices or thick ones depending on your preference.
Customize the adjust Cycle
Go to customize, click adjust cycle times, and set the time to 9 hours for freezing and seven hours for drying.
Press done, and then click the start button.
Dehydrate Bananas using Sun Drying Method
Time taken: A few days
What you’ll need?
- Drying screen
- Pineapple or lemon juice
- Ripe bananas
If you have a lot of banana trees in your yard, you can make sun-dried bananas. To dry bananas, you don’t need a food dehydrator or an oven.
All you need is ample enough space with plenty of natural light. Sun-dried bananas that last several months profit from resealable plastic bags or airtight containers.
Slice your Bananas
Peel the skins off of ripe and solid yellow bananas. The bananas must then be sliced into thin slices.
This depends on how slim you want them to be, but try making them as thin as possible, so they dry faster.
Dip the Bananas
Dip them in vitamin C-rich fruit juices to keep them from turning orange. Lemon, pineapple, or cranberry juices are excellent options.
This will ensure that the bananas do not turn brown when dehydrating.
Make a Drying Screen
You can’t simply place the sliced bananas in the light. Make a frame in the size you want.
Nail the wooden slats that will hold the screen together. Choose a panel made of fiberglass, stainless steel, or plastic mesh that won’t stick.
Something to keep the four corners of the frame and lift it four to six inches is needed. Air circulates from the bottom side of the sliced bananas because of this.
Hang Them
Place them to dry on a screen rack under direct sunlight outside. If you have a sunny screened-in porch, it would be a nice option.
Keep a Check
Flip your bananas on the other side after every second day. Keep doing so until they have gotten rid of their moisture completely.
Dehydrate Bananas using Solar Ovens
Time taken: About 6 hours
What you’ll need?
- Ripe bananas
- Lemon or pineapple juice
- A small rack
- Plastic wrap or netting
Using solar ovens is another method for dehydrating bananas.
These appliances are also commonly known as solar cookers and make use of solar energy to operate.
Peel and Slice Bananas
Slice them into 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick discs with a serrated knife. If the bananas are too soft to cut, chill them for a few minutes first.
Soak the Slices
Dip the pieces in a bowl of lemon juice or an ascorbic acid solution, such as Fruit Fresh, if you don’t want them to tan.
Lay the Slices Out
Take a small rack that will fit your solar oven or solar appliance. Arrange your slices and make sure they don’t touch one another.
Prop open your Oven
Keep your oven door a bit open for about an inch. To keep insects away, use plastic wrap or some netting to cover the open.
Check your Bananas
Keep an eye on your bananas and check whether they are dehydrated completely or not every 2-3 hours. This will depend on the availability of sunlight.
Dehydrate Bananas using Solar Dryers
Optimum temperature for solar drying bananas: 55 to 60 degrees Celsius.
What you’ll need?
- Ripe bananas
- Bavistin solution
To dry banana pulp, a simple solar drying system suitable for various agricultural fresh commodities can be used.
A solar dryer incorporates three parts: a solar collector, a drying chamber, and a solar chimney or blower.
Clean the Bananas
The bananas are cleaned under running water. Use your hands to rub any dirt or insects off the bananas while washing them.
Soak Them
Soak in a 0.1 percent Bavistin solution.
Preserve the Banana
The banana should be preserved in a ripening chamber at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
Dehydrate the Bananas
Dry for 3 to 4 days in a greenhouse solar dryer at 55 to 60 degrees Celsius. You can watch this in action here:
The right way to store Dried Bananas
Dried bananas can last for months, except for microwave-dried bananas, which should be consumed within a day.
Using an airtight container or resealable plastic bags that do not allow air to escape as much as possible. Keep them in a chilly, dry place, such as the pantry or kitchen.
To avoid losing crispness, quickly close the container or plastic bag after opening it.
Our take on which Method is Best
For those who live in tropical climates, drying your bananas in the sun is the best option. In case you want to dry a handful of bananas right away, you can use a food dehydrator.
In regions where people have limited access to sunlight, drying racks, ovens, and microwaves are used to dry bananas.
If you don’t want to risk your bananas burning, you can also use drying racks to dry them in bulk.
FAQs
Dried bananas will keep their best quality for 12 to 18 months if stored properly but will be healthy for longer.
The freezer time indicated is for best quality only; dried bananas kept frozen at 0°F for an extended period will stay indefinitely.
It would be best if you used bananas that are ripe but still strong.
The flavor of the dehydrated banana chips will not be sweet if the bananas are not ripe and hard. Taste a piece of banana to see if it has a sweet flavor; if it does, it will be ideal for dehydrating.
Bottom Line
We’ve covered a few different ways to dehydrate bananas, and we hope that this guide has helped you understand how to dry them at home with ease.
If you find this article helpful, share it with your friends and family, and drop a few comments below regarding any questions you have. All your doubts and feedback will be acknowledged.