Looking for the best AIP fries? These nightshade-free, Green Banana Fries are crispy, nutritious and delicious, paleo and deceptively healthy without any banana flavor!
Can I make AIP fries without potatoes or nightshades?
The answer is a resounding yes! These green banana fries are completely AIP and nightshade free. They crisp up perfectly and are a great rival to potatoes without any sweet taste. While I am a huge lover of sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries, sometimes I want something more savory that compares to a traditional french fry. Enter green bananas. Many folks are familiar with fried plantains, or fried bananas as sweet treats. Not these! These Green Banana Fries are made using unripened bananas so they have absolutely no sweet taste as long as they’re totally green. They’re crispy and savory and can be made in either the oven or air fryer with only three ingredients!
Growing up in Trinidad I ate green figs (unripened green bananas) often as a side dish. Across the Caribbean, they’re often boiled and served alongside salted fish, made into a salad (think potato salad), or pickled with cucumber and onions in Souse.
While I love sweet potato fries, parsnip fries and many other root veggie fries, they’re almost never as crispy as potato fries. These green banana fries are the closest to potato fries in terms of texture and starchiness. These are best eaten fresh as they don’t retain their crispiness once stored in the fridge.
Here’s what you need for these Green Banana Fries:
- 4 unripened green bananas – you want these to be completely green
- olive oil
- sea salt
To makes these AIP Fries:
Begin by peeling and slicing your green bananas into thin fries of even size. Add fries to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Massage oil and salt into the fries using your hands or a spoon.
You can make these fries either in an air fryer or in the oven.
If using an air fryer, work in batches, placing fries in an even layer into the basket. Fry at 400F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway throughout. Repeat with remaining batches.
If baking in the oven, preheat oven to 400F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and spread fries out in an even layer, being careful not to crowd the baking sheets so that the fries get crispy. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once 10 minutes in.
FAQs for Green Banana Fries
Where do I buy green bananas?
Green bananas are just unripened bananas that you can buy at the grocery store. You want to ensure that they’re completely green though, and not yellowing at all. Sometimes I ask the staff at the grocery if there are any unripened bananas in the stock room if I don’t see any on display.
What can you serve with these AIP fries?
Serve with nomato sauce, or your favorite AIP ketchup. These are delicious with some AIP chicken nuggets.
Can I make these on the stovetop?
I haven’t tried myself but this should work.
If you tried these AIP Green Banana Fries I would appreciate it if you would give them a rating and short review. Also, be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious.
Looking for more Caribbean-inspired AIP recipes? Try:
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Green Banana Fries (AIP, paleo, vegan)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Description
Looking for the best AIP fries? These paleo Green Banana Fries are crispy, nutritious and delicious, paleo and deceptively healthy without any banana flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 unripened green bananas
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
Instructions
- Peel green bananas by trimming both ends and scoring the skin vertically in 2-3 areas to help remove the skin. Because the fruit is unripened, the skin will be tough.
- Slice the bananas into thin fries of even sizes.
- Place fries in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Massage oil and salt into the fries using your hands.
- If using an air fryer, work in batches, placing fries in an even layer into the basket. Fry at 400F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway throughout. Repeat with remaining batches. Once cooked, sprinkle with additional sea salt to taste.
If baking in the oven, preheat oven to 400F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and spread fries out in an even layer, being careful not to crowd the baking sheets so that the fries get crispy. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once 10 minutes in. Once cooked, sprinkle with additional sea salt to taste.
- Serve with aip ketchup, cilantro-lime dipping sauce or nomato sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sides
The first time I made these fries I didn’t tell my husband that he was eating green bananas. After the first bite he announced “Oh, these are really good”. High praise from a man who is very suspicious of unusual foods.
These were absolutely delicious.
You were right they were hard to peel. But, I’ve since learned how to do it.
I’m excited to keep trying your creations.
I found this recipe back in the summer and have made these countless times. They’re fantastic! I cut mine into little coins and fry them that way.
Thank-you very much! 🙂
How about a mashed green banana recipe?
Loved these! What a great surprise. It’s going to become a family favourite.
Hi Nicole
I’ve been on AIP now for 1 month and I’m not going to lie there has been times when I just want to give up because of the lack of variety. I came across your page on Instagram and decided to try these fries, because what I miss the most is potato and pasta. I have to say I think these are even better than potato fries and I would of never thought to make this if I didn’t come across your page, I can’t thank you enough. I’m trying the pork noodle soup recipe next and I can’t wait to make my own pasta from your recipe and the other delicious recipes. Thank you so so much you have saved my AIP journey because I was so close to giving up! This banana recipe will be my go to.
Denise, wow i’m so happy to hear that! Hang in there, AIP can be delicious and nutritious.
I made these dipped them in a combo of mayo and hot sauce…immediately went back out in the freezu gcold to buy another bunch of grreen figs!!!!
SO DAMN GOOD!!
ThankU for this!
These fries are absolutely AMAZING. I made them yesterday, and I immediately decided that I need to have green bananas on hand at all times, sliced up and living in my freezer so that I can pop some into the oven at a moment’s notice. Potatoes are possibly the thing I miss most on the AIP diet, and I haven’t yet been able to reintegrate them, but these green bananas are like a weird Yukon Gold doppelgänger, so actual potatoes no longer make me sad! Seriously—nothing else I’ve tried as fries has come close to being this good, and these aren’t just “close to being good,” they’re genuinely outstanding. Nicole, thank you so much for this and all the other delicious gifts you’ve given us on this blog!
These fries are SO good. I could not believe how much the taste and texture actually resembled a regular french fry and they were soooo crispy! I’m excited to make these again!
Almost the same as potato fries! Thank you!
almost the same as potato fries!
Awesome! I was totally shocked at how crispy they were. I will definitely make these again.
Yay! I’m so glad. The crisp factor is 100 – nothing like other root veggie fries.
This are so good!!!! My husband thought they were regular potatoes… game changer.. so crispy! Thank you so much for your delicious recipes.
These look yummy . Have you tried a convection oven versus air fryer and if so which do you prefer ?
Hi Diana, I have a conventional oven and I’ve given instructions for how to make these fries there but don’t have a convection oven so can’t say.