Are Plantains Bananas? The Difference Between These 2 Similar Fruits

When you conjure up images of bananas and plantains in your mind's eye — or even have a look at a pair of photos, for that matter — they are clearly quite similar. Both are elongated fruits, often with a curve to them, that range in color from verdant green to bright yellow to dark brown, depending on ripeness. And they look similar for good reason: Bananas and plantains are very closely related. There are actually thousands of varieties of bananas in the world, all of which are in the Musa genus. 

But because of some early confusion in the naming process, differences are largely noted by cultivar rather than species. Bananas and plantains fit under the same genetic umbrella, and the real difference comes in how they are eaten. In the U.S., we divide them into bananas and plantains, but elsewhere they are instead often divided into dessert bananas (bananas) and cooking bananas (plantains). For the sake of this article, we will focus more on what you'd expect to find at the grocery store in the U.S., rather than delving too far into the many bananas of the world.

The biggest culinary differences between bananas and plantains is found in the levels of starch they contain. In addition to typically being larger and having thicker skin, plantains — or cooking bananas — are typically much higher in starch, meaning that they need to be cooked to be at their best. Dessert bananas, on the other hand, are sweeter and are typically eaten raw.

There are many varieties of dessert bananas in the world, but the most common banana cultivar at the grocery store is undoubtedly the Cavendish banana. These bananas all look and taste the same, in part because they are all actually clones. While bananas once had big seeds, these days commercial bananas are a seedless fruit and are instead grown entirely by the replanting of cuttings. This makes the fruit exceptionally uniform, but having a large crop of genetically identical plants does create a vulnerability to disease, which will likely someday lead to the extinction of that particular banana variety. 

But beyond the strange way in which Cavendish bananas are grown, there is little else to explain. These are the same bananas that have dominated the world market since the 1960s, the sort folks have been slicing over their oatmeal for decades. But while the fruit may be familiar, that doesn't mean we can't share some interesting things to do with them. Many, if not most, dessert bananas are probably eaten raw. Or, at best, cooked into banana pancakes or baked into banana bread. 

But there are many unexpected ways to cook bananas out there. On the simpler and more familiar end of the spectrum, there are recipes such as these chocolate banana brownies, which bring together a classic flavor pairing — bananas and chocolate — for an interesting take on a classic baked good. For something a touch more unusual, check out this banana lumpia recipe, and whip up a batch of crisp fried banana snacks perfect for dipping in caramel sauce. Or, toe the line between sweet and savory with this South Indian dry banana curry.

Unlike the bananas that you see at the grocery store, plantains are not limited to a single cultivar. There are a number of varieties that make up staple food crops in many tropical areas around the world, such as the Americas, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Plantains are eaten at all stages of ripeness, from fresh and green all the way to old and black. Thanks to the firmer texture of plantains, they do not turn to mush even when very ripe, and can thus be used in more ways than just being added to baked goods.

Green plantains are very starchy and are typically used in a similar fashion to other common starches. They can be used to make flour or mashed like potatoes. In the Caribbean, green plantains are what make up the bulk of Puerto Rico's classic dish, mofongo, and are also the key to crispy tostones. As plantains ripen, some of that starch converts into sugar, changing not only the flavor but also how they are best prepared. 

While they never quite reach the sugar levels of a banana, ripe plantains do take on a certain sweetness that can be enhanced by roasting or frying them. Simple roasted ripe plantains have an addictive combination of sweet and savory flavor. Similarly, maduros are like the riper version of tostones, fried plantains with a nice balance of flavors. Plantains may be very similar to bananas in terms of genetics, but in the kitchen, there is a clear divide between the two.