Banana Katsu is a Japanese style of deep-fried bananas except it has a panko breadcrumb coating. It is very crispy and easy to make at home with simple ingredients. You can slice the bananas crosswise for smaller pieces or lengthwise for a longer shape
Can't get enough of Banana desserts? Try my Banana Mochi next!
๐ About This Recipe
Growing up, my mom used to deep-fry bananas for us using leftover fish and chips batter. It was one of my favorite snacks and I loved to eat it with a bowl of vanilla ice cream. For this recipe, I am using panko breadcrumbs instead of fish and chips batter. I think it is much crispier this way.
I always loved the taste of fried bananas. They are sweeter and more fruity-tasting than when they are raw. It is really important to use ripe bananas for this. They should be very soft and have some bruising already. I have tried it with unripe bananas and they end up tasting very plain.
๐ณ Ingredients
- Bananas: Choose yellow bananas, which already have some bruises or brown spots. If your bananas are unripe, you can speed up the ripening process by placing them in a warm spot or closing them in a paper bag.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: This is a Japanese-style breadcrumb used for breading fried foods. You can find them in them in most Asian markets.
- Eggs: Used to coat the bananas so the panko breadcrumbs stick to them.
- Cornstarch: A light dusting of cornstarch helps the eggs stick to the bananas.
- Oil for frying: Any oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil..
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Arrange the following items in a small area: a plate of sliced bananas, a shallow dish of cornstarch, a shallow dish of beaten eggs, and a shallow dish of panko breadcrumbs.
STEP 2: Working one at a time, dip a slice of banana in the flour and shake off any excess. Then dip it in the beaten egg and let any excess drip off. Finally, coat it in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate or wire rack while you do the rest.
STEP 3: Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Gently lower 3-4 slices of banana into the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Try to maintain an oil temperature between 325-350ยฐF. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
STEP 4: Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ Air-fryer Variation
I know many of you do not like deep-frying, so I tested this in the air fryer and it works just as well. The only thing to keep in mind is you need a lot of oil, otherwise the crust kind of just tastes like old bread.
Preheat your air fryer to 400ยฐF. Brush one teaspoon of oil over each slice of banana and air fry for 4-5 minutes. Flip the slices over, brush with another teaspoon of oil, and air fry for another 4-5 minutes. If you are using an oil spray, you need to make sure to spray generously.
๐ Recipe
Banana Katsu (Panko fried banana)
Ingredients
- 2 bananas (cut in half crosswise, and sliced length-wise. You should end up with 4 slices per banana)
- ยฝ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Arrange the following items in a small area: a plate of sliced bananas, a shallow dish of cornstarch, a shallow dish of beaten eggs, and a shallow dish of panko breadcrumbs.
- Working one at a time, dip a slice of banana in the flour and shake off any excess. Then dip it in the beaten egg and let any excess drip off. Finally, coat it in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate or wire rack while you do the rest.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Gently lower 3-4 slices of banana into the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Try to maintain an oil temperature between 325-350ยฐF. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Erin
They came out well. I substitute the cornstarch with pancake mix. Everyone loved them. Thanks!
Grump
Thanks, Erin! I'll have to try it with pancake mix next time.