Before you say, “Banana Curd. That’s boring. Give me more Nutella.” Let’s talk. I know you have at least one overly ripe banana sitting on your counter. You could make banana bread, but you don’t have time for that. You could freeze it for your next smoothie, but there’s already five others in the freezer. Or, you could make banana curd in less than five minutes that will keep for weeks. And then you could shmear it on your crepes. With Nutella.
I like bananas for about a day—just after they turn completely yellow and just before they begin to spot. In the summer, I’m lucky if they last 2 hours.
Most mornings, I try to top my oatmeal with them. And more often, I do so, regrettably. I knew there had to be a solution—to better banana oatmeal (more like the Bananas ‘N Cream oatmeal packets from my youth) and to using up excessive amounts of overly ripe bananas. I tried a couple different things over the past weeks, one being blended up bananas and coconut milk. Basically, I poured a banana smoothie over my oats. But the flavor wasn’t all that great nor was the texture, and it didn’t keep longer than a day. Fail.
Late one night this week, dreaming about breakfast, like I do, I wondered if there was such a thing as banana curd. Google said yes, but only by a whisper. Banana curd is a thing, but it’s not really a “thing” if you know what I mean. I made it. In five minutes. And oh ma gersh! For the love of overly ripe bananas and really good curd, let’s make this a thing.
Finally a quick solution to save all those overly ripe bananas. It comes together in 5 minutes and lasts much longer. Shmear it on your breakfast. Shmear it on your dessert. Or eat it by the spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
1 very ripe banana
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. salted butter
scant 1/4 c. pure cane sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
In a small bowl, mash banana and set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk egg yolk and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add sugar and lemon juice. Whisk to combine.
Add mashed banana, and cook until bubbly (bananas will be lumpy).
Add a bit of the banana mixture (about a tablespoon) into the egg mixture to temper, by whisking immediately and constantly. We don’t want scrambled eggs here.
Pour egg mixture in the saucepan, and continue whisking constantly. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes or until large lava bubbles form on the surface. Mixture will thicken to a loose curd.
Remove from heat and transfer to a blender or food processor. Process for 15 seconds or until smooth.
Transfer to a container. Allow to cool before covering and storing in fridge. Curd will thicken as it cools. Store in fridge for up to 3 weeks, if you can keep your hands off of it that long.
Notes
• This recipe easily doubles, triples, etc.
• You have to have banana curd right now, but your bananas are yellow. Roast them by following these directions. Although please note, this recipe has not been tested with roasted bananas or frozen, thawed bananas. I’d love to hear your results if you try with either method.
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Once cooled and set, I think it would be wonderful as a filling. It’s a super concentrated flavor of banana. I’ve only tried with regular sugar. Would love to hear if you try something else with success!
Thank you so much for posting this! I was searching for a banana curd recipe because Toasted Coconut & Sea Salt Triscuits. They’re great with Nutella, but would be even better I think with Nutella *and* banana curd. I’ll try the recipe as written, but may have to experiment with subbing lime juice (+ a little lime zest) for the lemon juice. I’m also thinking about the possibility of incorporating a little rum…
I made this today and it came out wonderful! but I had an issue with it getting really thick when I allowed it to cool. i tweaked some of the ingredients. I think next time I will add more lemon juice as well.
Just wondering if it stays quite liquidy or if it will set in the fridge. I’m looking for ideas to substitute for lemon in a pie and would love to make banana in the filling.
It will set up to the consistency of lemon curd. I think it’d work great in a pie, though will sag a bit when cut. Also, a little goes a long way. The banana flavor somehow amplifies through this process.
Saw banana curd at the store yesterday while buying lemon curd to make ice cream. So I made a triple batch this morning intending to turn it into ice cream eventually, but I may just eat it all first with a spoon … So good!
I had bookmarked this recipe and finally tried it today. I doubled the recipe and it is FABULOUS over greek yogurt! And I probably will eat the rest of it with my spoon before it even gets cool enough to stick in the fridge. I highly recommend this recipe! Thanks Melissa!
I remember initially reading about this banana curd when you posted it in March and made a mental note to make it one day. Today was the day. I was staring at a severely ripe banana on my counter and wanted to make something quick and easy with it. I thought of this recipe and immediately started. 10 minutes-ish later I am drooling over the result and eating it by the spoonful (whoops). I’ll definitely be making it again and again! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made this twice already (yes, it’s that good!): the first time by roasting my yellow banana and the second time with an overripe banana. I’m not sure if I did anything wrong the first time (I definitely may have!) but the texture was more of a butter schmear, for waffles let’s say, than a curd. Both very tasty! But the second time around with the non-roasted banana yielded a greater amount of curd and a more expected texture.
I’m so glad you wrote! I haven’t tried it with a roasted banana or a frozen, thawed banana yet. I was wondering if it yielded a different consistency and it sounds like it does. I don’t think you did anything wrong. I was just thinking as well, this recipe can be finicky in that no two bananas are exactly the same size. In good practice, I should probably have a set measurement for the banana. Oy! Thanks again for the feedback. I’d love to hear any other findings. In the meantime, I’m going to try making this with other bananas.
Oh, good question. It think adding cream to this would give it more of a pudding consistency. The flavor of the curd is pretty concentrated. A little goes a long way. Hope you are well Ruby!
Nice! I can’t wait to try this! We make a passionfruit curd at the restaurant where I work, and it’s incredible. I can only imagine that this is equally delicious.
This reminds me of a sauce I make for a fruit salad – with grapes, apples, pineapple tidbits. Of course I add a tad bit of whipped cream to the sauce after it’s cooled. 🙂 Then mix in the fruit.
I must admit that I saw the title, “Banana Curd,” and I was like, whaaa? But I love love love curds, and this looks like no exception. I’m totally with you on the five bananas in the freezer, especially with a toddler that only eats half a banana in a sitting. I’ll have to give this a try!
I love banana curd. I used to buy banana curd at my local supermarket until they decided it was time to discontinue it. I was sad. Now I am sad no longer! WooHoo! Thank you so much!
I will help you make this a thing! I love this idea. And of course now I’m thinking “what else can we make into a curd…” I made rhubarb curd once and it was stellar.
I say we compromise, melt some Nutella right in with the butter, and smear it on the face of the earth. Or, say we do give up on Nutella, and add peanut butter instead? Better yet, we just whip up a huge batch of oatmeal and load it with all of the toppings. Any way, this is pure genius.
You’re right, I’ve never heard of banana curd before- but I bet after your description it will become ‘a thing’. The only problem is in my house, bananas never sit around long enough to ripen. I’ll have to hide one away and use it for this.
Now I want to make banana bread cupcakes/muffins, filled with banana curd and topped with vanilla bean mascarpone frosting. Kind of a riff on my Cranberry Curd Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting…yummm….
I love this idea. I have about 50 frozen, overripe bananas in my freezer next to a bunch of frozen loaves of banana bread. I’ve been waiting for a new banana idea. Thanks, Melissa.
I’ve yet to try this recipe with a frozen, thawed banana. You’ll have to let me know how it turns out. Or maybe I need to freeze the next one and give it a whirl.
Umm, this is genius. I am definitely a banana on my oatmeal type of girl. Can’t wait to try it! I made a lemon curd for the doughnut book and was kind of obsessed, so thinking about banana curd makes me want to do a happy dance.
Let me know how it turns out! I’ve never made curd with anything besides sugar but would love to change that. I’ve started making a double batch of this. It last about 2.5 weeks before it’s completely inhaled. I have two yolks in the fridge and two very ripe bananas on the counter. I better hop to it too.
Hi, very nice recipe. How long is possible to have this curd in the fridge? How long its selflife? Thank you for your answer!
Hey Lucie! Ours has kept for up to a month (before we ate it all). Hope this helps!
How do you think this would do as a cake filling? Also, did anyone ever try it with honey or agave or coconut sugar?
Once cooled and set, I think it would be wonderful as a filling. It’s a super concentrated flavor of banana. I’ve only tried with regular sugar. Would love to hear if you try something else with success!
This seems like it would be good with a maple sugar!
Thank you so much for posting this! I was searching for a banana curd recipe because Toasted Coconut & Sea Salt Triscuits. They’re great with Nutella, but would be even better I think with Nutella *and* banana curd. I’ll try the recipe as written, but may have to experiment with subbing lime juice (+ a little lime zest) for the lemon juice. I’m also thinking about the possibility of incorporating a little rum…
I made this today and it came out wonderful! but I had an issue with it getting really thick when I allowed it to cool. i tweaked some of the ingredients. I think next time I will add more lemon juice as well.
Just wondering if it stays quite liquidy or if it will set in the fridge. I’m looking for ideas to substitute for lemon in a pie and would love to make banana in the filling.
It will set up to the consistency of lemon curd. I think it’d work great in a pie, though will sag a bit when cut. Also, a little goes a long way. The banana flavor somehow amplifies through this process.
Saw banana curd at the store yesterday while buying lemon curd to make ice cream. So I made a triple batch this morning intending to turn it into ice cream eventually, but I may just eat it all first with a spoon … So good!
I had bookmarked this recipe and finally tried it today. I doubled the recipe and it is FABULOUS over greek yogurt! And I probably will eat the rest of it with my spoon before it even gets cool enough to stick in the fridge. I highly recommend this recipe! Thanks Melissa!
I remember initially reading about this banana curd when you posted it in March and made a mental note to make it one day. Today was the day. I was staring at a severely ripe banana on my counter and wanted to make something quick and easy with it. I thought of this recipe and immediately started. 10 minutes-ish later I am drooling over the result and eating it by the spoonful (whoops). I’ll definitely be making it again and again! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made this twice already (yes, it’s that good!): the first time by roasting my yellow banana and the second time with an overripe banana. I’m not sure if I did anything wrong the first time (I definitely may have!) but the texture was more of a butter schmear, for waffles let’s say, than a curd. Both very tasty! But the second time around with the non-roasted banana yielded a greater amount of curd and a more expected texture.
I’m so glad you wrote! I haven’t tried it with a roasted banana or a frozen, thawed banana yet. I was wondering if it yielded a different consistency and it sounds like it does. I don’t think you did anything wrong. I was just thinking as well, this recipe can be finicky in that no two bananas are exactly the same size. In good practice, I should probably have a set measurement for the banana. Oy! Thanks again for the feedback. I’d love to hear any other findings. In the meantime, I’m going to try making this with other bananas.
This looks amazing. Question – what is the difference between a curd and a pudding? Is it milk/cream?
Oh, good question. It think adding cream to this would give it more of a pudding consistency. The flavor of the curd is pretty concentrated. A little goes a long way. Hope you are well Ruby!
I’m thinking this would be REALLY nice with custard!! Yum!
I have the same banana preferences as you do! Which, yes, makes banana consumption very difficult. Yay for this curd!
I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first, but now I’m convinced! Giving this a try!
Nice! I can’t wait to try this! We make a passionfruit curd at the restaurant where I work, and it’s incredible. I can only imagine that this is equally delicious.
This reminds me of a sauce I make for a fruit salad – with grapes, apples, pineapple tidbits. Of course I add a tad bit of whipped cream to the sauce after it’s cooled. 🙂 Then mix in the fruit.
This seems like a very good idea! I am dreaming of banana curd in my morning yogurt…
I must admit that I saw the title, “Banana Curd,” and I was like, whaaa? But I love love love curds, and this looks like no exception. I’m totally with you on the five bananas in the freezer, especially with a toddler that only eats half a banana in a sitting. I’ll have to give this a try!
I love banana curd. I used to buy banana curd at my local supermarket until they decided it was time to discontinue it. I was sad. Now I am sad no longer! WooHoo! Thank you so much!
So sad. Hope this helps fill the void!
I will help you make this a thing! I love this idea. And of course now I’m thinking “what else can we make into a curd…” I made rhubarb curd once and it was stellar.
Rhubarb curd sounds so good. As soon as I get my hands on some, it’s a must try.
Long live banana curd!
I say we compromise, melt some Nutella right in with the butter, and smear it on the face of the earth. Or, say we do give up on Nutella, and add peanut butter instead? Better yet, we just whip up a huge batch of oatmeal and load it with all of the toppings. Any way, this is pure genius.
Amen.
Melissa, you are genius! I think I could put this on and in everything!
I’ve been spreading it on everything! It think it’s borderline addition.
Genius! Making it right now, eating it on oatmeal in the morning. Done and done.
Hope you loved it!
You’re right, I’ve never heard of banana curd before- but I bet after your description it will become ‘a thing’. The only problem is in my house, bananas never sit around long enough to ripen. I’ll have to hide one away and use it for this.
I’ve started leaving sticky notes on food I claim. That’s bad 🙂
Now I want to make banana bread cupcakes/muffins, filled with banana curd and topped with vanilla bean mascarpone frosting. Kind of a riff on my Cranberry Curd Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting…yummm….
I love that idea! And I absolutely love the sound of your cupcakes. Wow, wow, wow!
I love this idea. I have about 50 frozen, overripe bananas in my freezer next to a bunch of frozen loaves of banana bread. I’ve been waiting for a new banana idea. Thanks, Melissa.
I’ve yet to try this recipe with a frozen, thawed banana. You’ll have to let me know how it turns out. Or maybe I need to freeze the next one and give it a whirl.
Yes! Let’s DEFINITELY make this a thing! I love bananas!
I’m feeling good vibes about banana curd on toast and pancakes and granola.. and just everything.. this is brilliant!
i luv u!
You had me at crêpes + nutella. But really, I could see myself putting this on everything. So brilliant!!
Umm, this is genius. I am definitely a banana on my oatmeal type of girl. Can’t wait to try it! I made a lemon curd for the doughnut book and was kind of obsessed, so thinking about banana curd makes me want to do a happy dance.
I hope you love it! We’re obsessed.
I love that you made this with 1 banana! A perfect small-batch. I think I’m going to try it today with honey. 🙂
Let me know how it turns out! I’ve never made curd with anything besides sugar but would love to change that. I’ve started making a double batch of this. It last about 2.5 weeks before it’s completely inhaled. I have two yolks in the fridge and two very ripe bananas on the counter. I better hop to it too.