Maruya are Filipino banana fritters made with ripe saba bananas coated in batter and fried until golden.
I used rice flour to make the coating light and crisp.
They're ready in about 30 minutes and best eaten warm!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Saba bananas: Use ripe bananas that still hold their shape. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and softer your fritters will be. Frozen saba also works. You can also use ripe plantains, burro bananas, or Thai bananas.
- Rice flour: Use regular rice flour, not glutinous rice flour. It makes the coating light and crisp. You can also use cornstarch, potato starch, or all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: Helps keep the batter light and crispy. You can leave it out, but the maruya may be less crispy.
- Sugar: Granulated or brown sugar works. Adjust the amount depending on how sweet your bananas are.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil suitable for frying, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
How to Make Maruya (Filipino Banana Fritters)
Step 1: Slice the bananas
Peel 6 ripe saba bananas.
Cut each lengthwise into 2 or 3 slices, depending on its thickness.
Step 2: Skewer the bananas
Arrange the slices side by side and thread a bamboo skewer through them to hold them together.
You can also skip the skewers and fry each slice separately.
Step 3: Make the batter
In a wide bowl, combine:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ cup sugar
Add ½ cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
Add more water a little at a time, using about ¾ cup total.
The batter should be slightly thinner than pancake batter so it coats the bananas lightly.
Step 4: Coat the bananas
Dip the bananas into the batter, turning to coat both sides.
Lift them out and let the extra batter drip off.
Step 5: Fry the bananas
Heat enough oil to cover the bananas in a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
Drop a little batter into the oil. It should sizzle right away.
Carefully lower the coated bananas into the oil.
Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.
Cook in batches, leaving space between them. Lower the heat if they brown too quickly.
Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Sprinkle with granulated or powdered sugar, if you like.
Serve your maruya warm while still crisp.
Recipe FAQs
Maruya are Filipino banana fritters, usually made with ripe saba bananas. The bananas are sliced or mashed, coated in batter, and fried. They're often sprinkled with sugar and eaten for merienda.
Saba bananas work well because they hold their shape when fried. Regular Cavendish bananas also work, but they're softer and may turn mushy as they cook.
If the oil is not hot enough, the batter absorbs more oil. Frying too many at once can also lower the temperature. Fry in batches, then drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
More Filipino Street Foods to Try
- Maruya na kamote: Sweet potato fritters with a light, crisp coating.
- Taho: Warm, soft tofu with brown sugar syrup and sago pearls.
- Banana cue: Fried saba bananas coated in caramelized sugar and served on skewers.
- Turon: Crispy banana and jackfruit spring rolls. Try ube turon with ube jam, too.
- Siomai: Steamed dumplings served with soy sauce, calamansi, and chili garlic oil.
- Adobong mani: Salted peanuts fried with garlic.
Merienda Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Maruya (Filipino Banana Fritters)
Equipment
- Wok or frying pan
- Bamboo skewers (optional)
Ingredients
- 6 ripe saba bananas
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup water more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and slice lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces. Skewer the slices together, or fry individually.
- In a wide bowl, mix rice flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add ½ cup water and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, then add more water until slightly thinner than pancake batter.
- Heat enough oil to cover the bananas in a frying pan over medium-high heat. A small drop of batter should sizzle right away.
- Dip the bananas in the batter. Let the excess drip off, then carefully lower into the oil. Fry in batches for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.
- Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar, if you like, and serve warm.
Notes
- Saba bananas: Use ripe ones that hold their shape. Frozen saba, ripe plantains, burro, or Thai bananas also work.
- Rice flour: Use regular, not glutinous rice flour. Cornstarch, potato starch, or all-purpose flour also work.
- Baking powder: Helps make the coating crisp. Optional.
- Sugar: Granulated or brown sugar works.
- Oil: Use vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying.
Marissa says
Hahhaha you read my mind!!! Love love love these!!!!!!
Nora Rey says
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. 🍌💛