How to Make Banana Peel Bacon (Vegan, Crispy & Zero-Waste)
Banana Peel Bacon – if you’re looking for a creative way to cut waste and boost flavor, this zero-waste recipe turns overlooked scraps into crispy, smoky strips of plant-based goodness. Inspired by viral vegan trends and zero-waste cooking, it’s a quick, satisfying alternative to traditional bacon—with just a handful of pantry staples. Whether you’re new to banana peel recipes or a seasoned eco-conscious foodie, this one’s worth a try.
What is Banana Peel Bacon?
Banana peel bacon is a creative, plant-based twist on traditional bacon that transforms food scraps—yes, banana peels that we usually throw away — into something surprisingly smoky, crispy, and delicious. It gained viral popularity thanks to influencers like Tabitha Brown, who showcased how a once-discarded item could become a tasty, sustainable treat.
This recipe is part of the growing zero-waste movement, which encourages home cooks to reduce food waste by repurposing what’s usually tossed. Banana peels are rich in fiber and antioxidants, making this more than just a novelty—it’s genuinely nutritious.
So why try it? It’s fast, fun, eco-friendly—and a great way to surprise your taste buds with something totally unexpected. And if you want more recipes that utilize ripe bananas, try these healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars or these Vegan Banana Pancakes.
🍌 Ingredients For Banana Peel Bacon (With Substitutions)
- Ripe bananas – the most important step in making this recipe is to pick bananas that are overripe, preferably organic. Green bananas have no business in this recipe. Your bananas need to have lots of brown spots like the ones you normally throw away.
- Tamari – gluten-free tamari adds a savory, salty flavor to this recipe that is undeniably delicious. You can substitute coconut aminos for tamari or soy sauce if you’re not gluten-intolerant.
- Balsamic vinegar – adds an intense slightly sweet, rich flavor to the recipe. Alternatively, you can use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar mixed with a small amount of sugar to taste.
- Olive oil – I prefer extra-virgin olive oil when making this recipe as it’s the healthiest cooking oil in all the world, especially at medium temperatures. Alternatively, you can use any neutral oil you have on hand.
- Maple syrup – lower on the glycemic index than table sugar and less processed, I love using maple syrup to naturally sweeten my foods. It also contains plenty of antioxidants and oligosaccharides that help keep your gut healthy. Another natural sweetener you can use is agave nectar.
- Spices – including smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Additional spices that you may want to consider adding are red pepper flakes for a spike of heat or cumin, for it’s distinctive flavor and aroma.
- Truffle salt and white pepper – truffle salt adds a unique flavor to this faux bacon recipe. If unavailable, regular sea salt is fine. No white pepper? No problem, just use black pepper.
- Coconut sugar – optional; sprinkle on the bacon in the last minutes of cooking to enhance the sweetness. You can also use vegan brown sugar or vegan granulated sugar, or you can omit completely if you prefer your bacon sugar free.
Find ingredient measurements and the full recipe in the recipe card below.
🔪 How to Make Banana Peel Bacon
1. Scrub your bananas with a fruit and veggie wash or hot soapy water, even if they are organic (think of all those hands)! Rinse well. Pat dry. Remove the peels in approximately one inch strips, give or take. You should get about 4 strips per banana, depending on the size.
Once you’ve removed the peels, place on a flat surface (I prefer a lined baking sheet) and use a large spoon to gently scrape out the pulp (banana flesh) of each banana peel strip.
2. Add the marinade ingredients, including tamari, maple syrup, spices, salt, and white pepper to a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly until well-blended. Place banana peels in a rectangular dish or large bowl.
Pour marinade over the bananas, making sure to cover them completely. Marinate for at least 10 minutes, turning the peels over at least once during the process, more if you decide to marinate longer.
3. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a non-stick pan. Add banana peels and turn the heat to medium. Sprinkle a bit of coconut sugar on each side while frying (optional). Watch your peels carefully as the maple syrup and coconut sugar tend to burn easily.
Fry to your desired crispiness on one side, then turn over. Your vegan banana peel bacon should be nice and brown and may have some charred marks. That’s ok. I fry my peels about 2-4 minutes per side, but this will depend on your stove.
4. Remove banana skin bacon from pan and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or wire rack. FOR BEST RESULTS, DON’T PLACE ON PAPER TOWELS, as the paper towels will stick to the bacon during the cooling process and are difficult to fully remove.
Dab each side gently with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve piping hot with one of my favorite vegan recipes, like my Gingerbread Pancakes, my Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes or my Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when properly cleaned and cooked, banana peels are edible and full of fiber and antioxidants. For best results, choose organic bananas and be sure to wash bananas with a fruit and veggie wash prior to preparation. Eating banana peels is a great way to put overripe bananas to good use.
Not only is this bacon recipe safe to eat, but banana peels are loaded with nutritional benefits, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamins and essential amino acids.
It has a smoky, savory flavor with crispy edges. The texture isn’t exactly like pork bacon, but it’s a satisfying plant-based alternative. And, while it doesn’t taste exactly like pork bacon, it adds serious umami to everything from vegan BLTs to breakfast plates (like this JUST Egg Frittata).
Scrape off the inner stringy flesh, marinate well, and pan-fry or bake at a high temp until edges curl and crisp.
Yes, store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a toaster oven or air fryer for best texture.
👩🏻🍳 Helpful Tips
- Whenever possible, choose organic bananas to ensure the least amount of pesticides are used during the growing process.
- If you love mock meats, try my smoky Vegan Ham with maple mustard glaze.
- For best results, cook on medium heat to prevent the maple syrup from burning. Remember, the banana peels only take a couple of minutes to cook. Watch carefully so you DO NOT BURN OR OVERCOOK.
- After frying the vegan bacon, DO place strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. DO NOT place on paper towels as the bacon will stick to them.
- Once vegan bacon strips are on parchment paper, blot each side lightly with a clean paper towel to eliminate excess oil.
- Make it a complete breakfast by serving with this Just Egg Frittata, these Banana Bread Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, my easy skillet Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash and a Skinny Vanilla Latte.
- Loaded with fiber and vitamin B, this is one of those surprising recipes that’s easy, quick and delicious! Only 10 ingredients, low calorie, low fat, and ready in 15 minutes.
TIP: This recipe pairs well with so many vegan breakfast recipes, like my Vegan French Toast, Sweet Potato Oatmeal and my Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes. And don’t forget about this Vegan Orange Julius, Skinny Vanilla Latte or my Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte to swish it all down with.
🍄 Variations
- Oyster mushrooms – if you want to try for another savory vegan bacon recipe, replace bananas with oyster mushrooms. Simply use the same ingredients and follow the same instructions as you would for this recipe.
- Make in the air fryer – place banana peels in a single layer in your air fryer at 375F/191C for approximately 8 minutes. Turn or shake banana skins at the halfway point to ensure they’re not getting overcooked.
- Bake in the oven – line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake banana bacon recipe at 375F/191C for approximately 10 minutes, depending upon your oven, turning once in between. Banana skin bacon is done when it’s crispy on both sides, but not burned.
- Make into “facon bacon” bits – tear or chop into bits and sprinkle on top of my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.
🌡️ Storage
This banana peel bacon is best eaten right away. However, you may store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
DO NOT FREEZE (and please remember to leave a recipe rating below)!
🥞 What to Serve With This Recipe?
See why plant-based eating is so delicious by checking out these other vegan recipes for a full-fledged brunch experience:
🥘 More Zero-Waste Banana Breakfast Recipes
Have you tried this? Why not leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and sign up for my newsletter!
How to Make Banana Peel Bacon
Equipment
- non-stick skillet
- oblong marinade dish
Ingredients
- 3 bananas overripe with brown spots
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp truffle salt or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- Scrub your bananas with a fruit and veggie wash or hot soapy water, even if they are organic (think of all those hands)! Rinse well. Pat dry. Remove the peels in approximately one inch increments, give or take. You should get about 4 strips per banana, depending on the size. Once you've removed the peels, place one at a time on a flat surface and use a large spoon to gently scrape out the pulp of each banana peel strip.
- Add tamari, maple syrup, spices, salt, and white pepper to a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly until well-blended. Place banana peels in a rectangular dish. Pour marinade over the bananas, making sure to cover them completely. Marinade for at least 10 minutes, turning the peels over at least once during the process, more if you decide to marinate longer.
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a non-stick pan. Add banana peels and turn the heat to medium. Sprinkle a bit of coconut sugar on each side while frying (optional). Watch your peels carefully as the maple syrup and coconut sugar tend to burn easily. Fry to your desired crispiness on each side. I don't like my banana bacon super crisp, so I fry the peels about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Remove banana skin bacon from pan and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. FOR BEST RESULTS, DON'T PLACE ON PAPER TOWELS, as the paper towels will stick to the bacon during the cooling process and they are difficult to fully remove. Dab each side gently with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve immediately with your favorite breakfast main.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate.
- Whenever possible, choose organic bananas to ensure the least amount of pesticides are used during the growing process.
- For best results, cook on medium heat to prevent the maple syrup from burning. Watch carefully so you DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- After frying the bacon, DO place banana peel bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. DO NOT place on paper towels as the banana peel bacon recipe will stick to them.
- Once vegan bacon strips are on parchment paper, blot each side lightly with a clean paper towel to eliminate excess oil.
Banana peel bacon looks delicious easy to make it, I have made it twice.
Good to hear. Thanks Swathi.
Love this recipe!! Such a great way to make use of banana peels.
I totally agree. Thank you Jaleah!
Such a great way to use banana peels and it’s so easy to make!
Thanks Lora. Hope you enjoyed it!
The banana peel bacon is shockingly great! IT tasted so good, and was so easy to make following your recipe.
Happy to hear that my recipe was easy to follow. And that you liked it!! Thanks Paula.
Tried this banana peel bacon out of curiosity—crispy, smoky, and surprisingly good! Love that it cuts down on waste too.
Many people are shocked at how good it is. Thanks Criss.
Wow this is really creative. I’ve never thought of using banana pill other than adding to water and water my plants.
I’m assuming it has to be organic ones?
Ramona. Thanks for your question. They don’t need to be organic bananas as long as you wash them prior to use. That goes for any bananas you use for the recipe. Hope that helps.
Wow I’ve tried many different vegan bacons before but never one made with banan peels! This is so cool, I’ll definitely try these next time I have some bananas!
Good to hear, thank you Veronika.
That is so easy and delicious.
I will definitely try this at home. Thank you!
Wow, I’ve never seen this before. I’ve seen banana peals cut in julienne and cooked as a stew… I’ve never tried it though…
Thanks much, Enri. Now I hope you try it.
I never thought you could eat banana peels so I was surprised by this…and how great it tastes! I love some old fashioned bacon but for a healthier option this was great!
Good to hear, thank you Kristina.
Why do vegans try so hard to replicate meat?
I don’t know about other people, but I made banana peel bacon not to replicate meat, but to have a meatless side to go with my toast or whatever I’m having for breakfast. It’s delicious and a cruelty-free way to eat meatless bacon.
This recipe is surprising, but it’s worth a try. I knew banana peels were nutritious, but I had no clue how to cook them. Thanks for the recipe.
For sure, thank you Helene.
Wow! I normally throw my banana peels in the compost but I saw this recipe and decided to give it a try. I was shocked on how good they are! I will definitely make these again and am so happy to find a healthy way to eat them.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you Katie!
I was very intrigued with this recipe, so I had to make it and I was pleasantly surprised, wow! Something new and tastes amazing, thanks!
Banana peel bacon sounds really delicious I would love to check it out.
Thank you Swathi, let us know how it turns out when you try it.
This recipe caught everyone’s attention! They are crispy and tasty, everyone loved this. Highly recommended!
Great to hear thanks so much Journa!
I absolutely loved the flavor of the marinade! And such a creative way to prevent the peels from going to waste!
Thank you Justine. Glad u enjoyed!
This is such an interesting concept. I was skeptical before trying but it is tasty!
So glad you overlooked your skepticism! Thank you Brianna.
Never ever thought of a recipe to making use of Banana Peels. Very interesting. I definitely will try this out for my Vegan Platter.
Thanks so much Veena.
What a brilliant idea! My family will love this! Thank you!
Mine did too, thanks Nora.
This is such a great idea for banana peels that are normally tossed out. Thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Colleen!
What a fun little recipe. Love the title, in fact, I had to do a double take to make sure I read it right LOL. I am sure there are a few creative ways to enjoy this.
Thank you Gloria. Yes, most people can’t believe it can be done, and taste delicious, but it does!
Yes, for the finicky eater surprisingly quite good! I will definitely have this again and again!
Ha ha ha. Thanks Bobbi.