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Home > Side Dishes > Easy Deep Fried Bananas (Banana Empanada)

Easy Deep Fried Bananas (Banana Empanada)

August 20, 2019 by Denise Browning 12 Comments / THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE SALES LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY _FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY_ FOR DETAILS

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5-Ingredient Breaded Deep Fried Bananas (Banana Empanada)– a quick and easy dish that can be served as a side for feijoada or grilled meats, or as a dessert topped with ice cream. These can be gluten-free, Paleo and Whole30. 

a bowl of deep-fried bananas with caramel sauce

I love all sorts of food. But I tend to be drawn more toward lean options, rather than deep-fried foods. My husband bought me a deep-fry machine more than 6 years ago 😉 , which I honestly have used only a very few times.

Well, today was one of them. That’s right, I made an exception for Breaded Deep Fried Bananas (known in Brazil as Banana Empanada). A very simple, quick, and delicious side dish or dessert.

WHAT IS DEEP FRIED BANANAS?

It’s a Brazilian dish made with 5 ingredients: bananas, all-purpose flour, eggs, bread crumbs, and oil. The bananas are cut in half, then breaded in flour, eggs, and bread crumbs, and finally deep fried in oil.

In Brazil, banana fritters are a side dish — although some serve it as a dessert topped with ice cream.

DISHES THAT GO WELL WITH DEEP FRIED BANANAS

You might be trying to imagine what kind of main dish banana empanada might enhance. Well, in Brazil, it can accompany various meats (pan-grilled pork chops, steak and eggs), as well as black beans. It might sound like an odd combo– except in Brazil. However, beans and bananas (salty and sweet) go very well together. Banana makes a great sub for meats though! It won’t kill you to give this combo a try. 🙂

And it is not just fried bananas– we also bread and deep-fry spears of pineapple to eat with beans. Further, we enjoy feijoada, Brazil’s national bean-based dish, with either pineapple or fresh sliced oranges.

deep fried bananas served in a bowl

Brazilians are not oddballs– just creative cooks. 🙂

Just as the Japanese created vegetable tempura , and Caribbeans and Hispanic Latins eat sweet plantains and tostones with this  black beans and rice, and also banana fritters, Brazil likewise enjoys the delicious union of both.

DEEP FRIED BANANAS INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTES

The ideal bananas to make this fried banana recipe are small and ripe, yet firm. The reason why is because small fruits tend to be sweeter. Firmness is also important to avoid a mushy texture once fried.

Slightly green bananas are a good option, too. Although less sweet than ripe bananas, they hold a firmer texture once cooked.

If substituting plantains for regular bananas, make sure the plantains are fully ripe. They come in a black peel. Don’t worry! They won’t be mushy once fried because they are naturally firmer than regular bananas.

If you are on a gluten-free diet, use GF flour and GF bread crumbs instead. For an eggless version, use milk instead of eggs. If on a Paleo or Whole30 diet, use coconut flour/almond flour intead of all-purpose flour and bread crumbs.

HOW TO MAKE DEEP FRIED BANANAS (BANANA EMPANADA)

breading bananas with flour, egg mixture and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls

First heat heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC) in a deep-fry machine or heavy-bottom saucepan.

Then while oil is heating, peel the bananas, remove the stringy parts that cling to the peeled fruit, and cut crosswise in half.

Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs each in a separate bowl. Dredge the banana halves in flour to get an even coating. Shake to remove excess flour. Next, soak the banana halves in the beaten eggs mixed with 1 tsp water. Finally, cover the banana halves in bread crumbs.

Fry each half until lightly golden (do NOT overcrowd the pan), about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels.

Serve warm as a side for beans or meats, or as a dessert topped with ice cream and/or caramel or chocolate sauce.

HOW TO STORE DEEP FRIED BANANAS

Store banana fritters leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. Be aware that texture will be softer after storing. Above all, do NOT freeze deep-fried bananas because the fruit will become mushy once thawed and reheated.

PIN & ENJOY!

2 close up images of deep fried bananas or banana empanada, one served as a side dish and the other as a dessert with ice cream

 

a bowl of deep-fried bananas with caramel sauce
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Breaded Deep-Fried Bananas (Banana Empanada)

5-Ingredient Breaded Deep Fried Bananas (Banana Empanada)-- a quick and easy dish that can be served as a side for feijoada or as a dessert topped with ice cream. These can be gluten-free, Paleo,a nd Whole30.

Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:Brazilian
Keywords:banana emapanda, banana fritters, deep fried bananas, fried bananas recipe, gluten-free recipes, paleo recipes, side dish recipes, whole30 recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 10 people
Calories160 kcal
Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil enough to completely cover the bananas
  • 5 ripe but firm small bananas
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or GF flour, almond flour or coconut flour)
  • 3 large eggs


    beaten and mixed with 1 tsp water

  • 1 cup bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC) in a deep-fry machine or heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. While oil is heating, peel the bananas, remove the stringy parts that cling to the peeled fruit, and cut crosswise in half.


  • Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs each in a separate bowl. Dredge the banana halves in flour to get an even coating. Shake to remove excess flour. Next, soak the banana halves in the beaten eggs mixed with 1 tsp water. Finally, cover the banana halves in bread crumbs.
  • Fry each half until lightly golden (do NOT overcrowd the pan), about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels.

Recipe Notes

  • Serve warm as a side for beans or meats, or as a dessert topped with ice cream and/or caramel or chocolate sauce.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day. Be aware that texture will be softer after storing. Above all, do NOT freeze deep-fried bananas because the fruit will become mushy once thawed and reheated.
  • If you are on a gluten-free diet, use GF flour and GF bread crumbs instead. For an eggless version, use milk instead of eggs. If on a Paleo or Whole30 diet, use coconut flour/almond flour intead of all-purpose flour and bread crumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Comment and rate the recipe. Also follow us on Pinterest at @easyanddelish for more delish recipes.

 

 

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Filed Under: 5 Ingredients or Less, Brazilian Recipes, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Easy And Delish, Gluten-Free, Kid-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged With: bananas

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sharonlynn68@aol.com

    June 14, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    5 stars
    I love your recipe’s I love how you show very good directions and also the names.i am American and my fiancee is from Brazil and I’m always trying to cook Brazil food for him and your website is awesome and also teaching me some Portuguese .keep up the good work

    Reply
    • Denise Browning

      June 14, 2014 at 7:35 pm

      Thank you so much!!! It is so good to hear that you both cook and enjoy Brazilian food… and my blog can lend you a hand. Your Brazilian fiancée has to be a happy man!!!
      Wishing you a great weekend and thanks a lot for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Katherine

    August 14, 2016 at 12:48 pm

    Can mandioca flour be used instead of whole wheat flour?

    Reply
    • Denise Browning

      August 14, 2016 at 1:50 pm

      Hi, Katherine! I have never used manioc flour to batter these deep-fried bananas so I don’t know whether it would be a good substitute for the wheat flour. If you are looking for a GF alternative, I would recommend fine cornmeal flour instead or a GF wheat flour. I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great Sunday!

      Reply
  3. Rute Silva

    January 30, 2018 at 12:41 pm

    Just a side note, Japanese did not created tempura, Portuguese did 🙂

    Reply
  4. John / Kitchen Riffs

    August 21, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Great way to enjoy bananas! Love deep-fried things — super looking recipe. Thanks.

    Reply
  5. John

    October 20, 2019 at 7:04 am

    5 stars
    My wife is from Brazil and she loves those fried bananas. I surprised her recently with these fritters and she was super happy. thank you Denise it was quite delicious. We ate with ice cream instead of the usual feijoada.

    Reply
  6. J B

    February 12, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    I had these with ice cream, and the contrasts of temperature and flavor were awesome! I bet they would be really good with beans or a meat dish like pork chops, too.

    Reply
    • Denise Browning

      February 15, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      Hi! These fried bananas, known in Brazil as banana empanada, is a very versatile dish. It can be served both as a dessert, like you did with ice cream, or as a side for feijoada. SO good indeed!Ty!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Denise Browning!

I'm a professional Chef with an expertise in Brazilian food. I am also a busy mom of two girls, living in Texas. Here you will find budget-friendly, healthy Brazilian and Global Recipes made Easy and Delish! I'd love to help you feed your family healthy dinners (many low carb) with a few splurges because life is all about balance! Join our community and happy cooking!

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