How Long Does It Take For A Plantain To Ripen?

Whether in stews, desserts, or side dishes, plantains are a versatile ingredient that can play star or supporting roles in just about any meal you could imagine. Green plantains have rough and starchy flesh with a vegetal flavor that compliments savory dishes and meat. Meanwhile, black plantains are completely ripe. The flesh is soft and has an almost caramel-like sweetness that's perfect for dessert. But what does a plantain's ripening timeline look like?

As a basic rule of thumb, you can expect your green plantains to turn yellow within a week and for yellow plantains to turn black in another week, at which point it's as ripe as it's going to get. Factors like temperature, air moisture, the time of year, and even the elevation you live at can make your plantains ripen quickly or dance along that precipice of "not quite ripe enough" for what feels like a thousand years. If you want to speed the process up, you could try storing them in a warm, dry place instead of somewhere cool, as heat breaks down organic matter and cold temperatures tend to preserve it. You can also use science to your advantage by placing plantains in a bag with a banana or apple since the ethylene gas they emit speeds up the ripening process in other fruits.

The best part about plantains? They're usable no matter the stage of ripeness. Many people turn their noses up at green bananas, thinking they are too hard or starchy to snack on. Meanwhile, a banana ripened to the point of pitch blackness is just straight-up rotten. But plantains? You can take a black-and-yellow plantain and whip up cream-cheese stuffed plantain balls for dessert. If you have a green one, make a simple but hearty soup called sancocho that stars chicken, potatoes, corn, and plantains (and also doubles as a tried and true hangover cure).

Even pitch-black plantains aren't lost to the compost heap just yet, so you don't have to worry about ripening your plantains to the point of no return. If your plantains have hit an all-black color after your attempts at speeding up the ripening process, don't lament — just mash and add them to any recipe that requires a mashed Cavendish. Or, you could make platanos maduros: slices of ripe plantain that caramelize and crisp up nicely in oil. Regardless of your plantain's ripeness, you're sure to find a recipe that'll help its current flavors shine.