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    Home » Desserts Recipes

    Filipino Banana Fritters Recipe

    Published: Sep 19, 2023 by Nora Reyes · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. · 2 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Filipino Banana Fritters, locally known as Maruya, are a staple in Filipino street food culture. Slices of saba bananas are coated in a light, crispy batter made with rice flour. This delicious snack combines the sweetness of bananas with a slightly crunchy exterior, ready in under 30 minutes!

    Holding Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya).
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • Notes and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Try these popular Filipino street foods
    • Other dessert recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients you'll need

    Individual ingredients for Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya)
    Water, salt, and oil are not in the photo.

    Notes and substitutions

    • Saba Bananas: Choose ripe saba bananas—the riper the banana, the sweet and more tender your fritters will be. If fresh ones are unavailable, frozen ones make a great alternative. You can also use ripe plantains, burro bananas, or Thai bananas.
    • Rice Flour: A gluten-free flour that provides a light, crispy texture. Don't confuse it with glutinous rice flour, which has different properties. You can use cornstarch, potato starch, or all-purpose flour as alternatives.
    • Baking Powder: This leavening agent adds crispness to the batter by creating tiny gas bubbles, making the fritters light and airy. If unavailable, feel free to skip it.
    • Sugar: You can use granulated or brown sugar. Feel free to adjust the sweetness depending on your taste or on the natural sweetness of the bananas you're using.
    • Oil: Choose a high-temperature neutral oil, like vegetable, canola, peanut, or avocado oil. These oils have high smoke points, perfect for frying.

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Slice the bananas

    Slice each banana lengthwise into two or three equal pieces, depending on your preference for thickness.

    Sliced saba bananas on a cutting board.

    Step 2: Skewer the bananas

    Thread these pieces onto a bamboo skewer, making sure they are tightly aligned. Alternatively, you can skip the skewers altogether and simply fry each piece individually.

    Skewering saba banana slices.

    Step 3: Make the batter

    In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Start by adding ½ cup of water and mix until smooth. Continue adding water until you achieve a consistency slightly thinner than that of pancake batter.

    Making the batter for Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya).

    Step 4: Dip the bananas

    Dip the skewered bananas into the batter, making sure each piece is well-coated. Use a wide bowl that can comfortably fit the bananas.

    Coating the skewered saba bananas in the batter.

    Step 5: Prepare the oil

    Set your skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to fully submerge the bananas.

    To check if the oil is hot enough, you can insert a wooden chopstick or spoon into the oil; if bubbles form around it, the oil is ready. Carefully place the skewered bananas in it.

    Frying saba banana fritters in oil.

    Step 6: Fry until golden brown

    Fry each side for approximately 3-5 minutes or until they achieve a beautiful golden brown color.

    Skewered saba bananas in oil.

    Step 7: Drain excess oil

    Remove the fritters from the oil and drain them on a wire rack or paper towel.

    Draining fried saba bananas on a wire rack.

    Enjoy your Banana Fritters while they're warm and crunchy. For an extra touch of sweetness, a dusting of granulated or powdered sugar is optional.

    Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya) on banana leaves.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use regular bananas instead of saba bananas?

    Saba bananas are perfect for this recipe as they keep their shape and texture beautifully during frying. If you're using regular Cavendish bananas, just be aware they might turn a bit softer and mushier when cooked.

    Can I make the fritters ahead of time?

    Banana Fritters are best enjoyed fresh to maintain their warm, crunchy texture. However, if you need to make them ahead, you can reheat them in an air-fryer or oven set to 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes to regain some of their crispness.

    Try these popular Filipino street foods

    • Taho: A warm, sweet treat made with soft tofu, arnibal (bown sugar syrup), and sago pearls.
    • Banana Cue: Deep-fried saba bananas coated in caramelized brown sugar and skewered on bamboo sticks.
    • Turon: Saba bananas and jackfruit (langka) wrapped in lumpia wrappers, then fried until crispy and caramelized. Ube Turon is a variation filled with Ube Halaya.
    • Siomai: Steamed dumplings filled with a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, and aromatics, often served with soy sauce, calamansi, and chili garlic oil.
    • Adobong Mani: Salted peanuts fried with garlic and sometimes spiced with chili.

    Other dessert recipes you may like

    • crema de fruta on a spoon
      No-Bake Crema de Fruta (Filipino Layered Fruit Cake)
    • Holding a piece of Tikoy Roll.
      Tikoy Rolls
    • A slice of biko on a banana leaf.
      Biko
    • Bibingkang Malagkit on a plate with banana leaf.
      Bibingkang Malagkit

    Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes.  Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!

    Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!

    📖 Recipe

    Holding Filipino banana fritters with a banana leaf.

    Filipino Banana Fritters

    Saba banana slices coated in a light, crispy batter made from rice flour. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 297kcal
    Author: Nora Rey
    Cost: $4-$6

    Equipment

    • Wok or Skillet
    • Wide bowl (for dipping bananas)
    • Bamboo skewers (optional)

    Ingredients

    • 6 ripe saba bananas (see note)
    • 1 cup rice flour (see note)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder (see note)
    • Salt a pinch
    • ¼ cup sugar (see note)
    • ¾ cup water adjust as needed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Oil for frying (see note)

    Instructions

    • Prepare the Bananas: Slice each banana lengthwise into two or three equal pieces, depending on your preference for thickness. Thread these pieces onto a bamboo skewer, making sure they are tightly aligned.
      Alternatively, you can skip the skewers altogether and simply fry each piece individually.
    • Make the Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Start by adding ½ cup of water and mix until smooth. Continue adding water until you achieve a consistency slightly thinner than that of pancake batter.
    • Dip the Bananas: Dip the skewered bananas into the batter, making sure each piece is well-coated. Use a wide bowl that can comfortably fit the bananas.
    • Fry the Fritters: Set your skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to fully submerge the bananas. To check if the oil is hot enough, you can insert a wooden chopstick or spoon into the oil; if bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
      Carefully place the skewered bananas in it. Fry each side for approximately 3-5 minutes or until they achieve a beautiful golden brown color.
    • Drain: Remove the fritters from the oil and drain them on a wire rack or paper towel.
      Enjoy your Banana Fritters while they're warm and crunchy. For an extra touch of sweetness, a dusting of granulated or powdered sugar is optional.

    Notes

    • Saba Bananas: Choose ripe saba bananas—the riper the banana, the sweet and more tender your fritters will be. If fresh ones are unavailable, frozen ones make a great alternative. You can also use ripe plantains, burro bananas, or Thai bananas.
    • Rice Flour: A gluten-free flour that provides a light, crispy texture. Don't confuse it with glutinous rice flour, which has different properties. You can use cornstarch, potato starch, or all-purpose flour as alternatives.
    • Baking Powder: This leavening agent adds crispness to the batter by creating tiny gas bubbles, making the fritters light and airy. If unavailable, feel free to skip it.
    • Sugar: You can use granulated or brown sugar. Feel free to adjust the sweetness depending on your taste or on the natural sweetness of the bananas you're using.
    • Oil: Choose a high-temperature neutral oil, like vegetable, canola, peanut, or avocado oil. These oils have high smoke points, perfect for frying.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 111mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gCalcium: 43mgIron: 0.2mg
    Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided here is solely for informational purposes. I am not a certified nutritionist, and this data hasn't been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or any other authority. It shouldn't be seen as health or nutrition advice. The figures are estimates calculated from various food composition databases and might vary based on product types, brands, natural variations in produce, and ingredient processing methods. Individual results may differ.
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!

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    About the author

    Hi, I'm Nora! 

    Whether you're new to Filipino food or have loved it for so long, I sure am happy you're here!  I hope you'll find useful recipes that you can enjoy and share with family and friends.

    Learn more about me →

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marissa

      September 20, 2023 at 1:59 am

      5 stars
      Hahhaha you read my mind!!! Love love love these!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Nora Rey

        September 20, 2023 at 9:10 am

        Haha, great minds think alike, right? I'm so glad to hear you love maruya as much as I do! There's something about those fried banana fritters that just hits the spot. 🍌💛

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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