Fruit Spotlight: Red Bananas

Have you ever tried red bananas? They are a new thing for me, but after I read an article in the May Saveur about the great host of untried (in America, anyway) varieties of banana, I really wanted to taste one. When I saw a bunch at the grocery, I picked them up. And oh boy, are they delicious!

Now, I like bananas. I like them at a very precise stage of ripeness, though. Too green, and they set my teeth on edge. Too ripe and mushy — eh. They'll go into banana bread.

But that perfect place of ripeness? Smooth, creamy, tangy, and sweet? Yes please. Well, these red bananas are like that all the time, as far as I can tell. They are smooth and rich, with a depth of flavor that is quite remarkable. They also have a subtle tang that some people say reminds them of raspberries. They flesh of the banana actually does have just a hint of pink, as if stained by its deep red peel.

These are really delicious bananas, and I've only just begun to try them. I'm excited to buy another bunch and discover a banana that goes beyond simple yellow commodity (pennies on the pound!), one that has more taste and more depth to it.

• Read the Saveur article: 5 Banana Varieties at Saveur

Do you eat red bananas, or other bananas other than the standard yellow Cavendish? Which is your favorite?

(Images: Faith Durand)

Comments (10)

I recently had my first few red bananas. I must say that I agree with you.. they are delicious. I really had a hard time describing the flavor. I used the word mango... but I don't know. I just know I like em.

Well this is exciting to hear, because I too feel like there's about a 5-minute window when regular bananas are good for eating, not too green but not yet mushy. I will have to look out for these!

Hmm, I've tried them, and they were hard and un-ripe tasting. They are still ripening in my fruit bowl... maybe over-ripe at this point.

MMMMM honeygirl,

thanks for the tip~ these look positively delish!

~~~~Saltine~~~~

Visiting the Amazon rainforest in Brazil a few years ago, I had the opportunity to try varieties of bananas I'd never seen before. One particular variety was yellow and small, and the locals referred to them as "table bananas." They were richer and sweeter than any bananas I'd had in the U.S., and I wish we had them here!

http://operagirlcooks.com

Red bananas have an amazing flavor--and I like the size. Sometimes I have found that they do not ripen as easily as regular bananas. I feel a banana must have brown on it (though not necessarily be covered with spots) before it is good to eat. With red bananas, you have to rely on how they feel.

oh i can't wait to try these! I read that same article in Saveur and have been on the hunt for new and better-tasting varieties ever since. I really like the baby bananas my store carries (especially in kefir smoothies), so I hope I can find these too. thanks!

I like how snack-sized red bananas are, and their lovely flavor. They're also dramatic if you cut them into coins leaving the peel on. About the only con is it's a little harder to tell when they're ripe.

I have tried the baby/mini bananas and I found them to have an offputting floral aroma. Maybe I didn't let them ripen enough?

I really like bananas, but I have to catch them when start getting sugar spots and before they get too soft and rotten-banana tasting.

One quick word about tostones (which are mentioned in the Saveur article)---they are DELICIOUS served with sour cream or crema and black bean refritos. One of my favorite comfort foods. I love how they are starchy and crispy with a little bit of tangy fruit flavor.

I didn't know about red banana's and neither did Mitch Hedberg... r.i.p. Mitchell

"On a traffic light yellow means yield, and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana?"
Mitch Hedberg