Stop the unripe fruit woes and learn how to ripen fruit faster with these seven easy peasy tricks! Best part? You probably already have everything you need!

Fruit in a brown paper bag from Shelf Cooking.

Are you craving some banana bread but your bananas are still green? Nooo! Well, actually, we have a solution for that!

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We'll show you how to ripen fruit fast with seven tried and true methods. Don't worry, most of these methods can be done using things you already have at home. Never let unripe fruit stop you again!


PAPER BAG METHOD

All you need to ripen fruit is a paper bag. Yes, really! Simply place the unripe fruit in a paper bag and it will trap the ethylene gas, causing the fruit to ripen quicker! Place a ripe banana or apple in the bag with the unripe fruit to speed the process up even more!


HOW TO RIPEN FRUIT FASTER WITH RICE

Don't have a brown bag to ripen your fruit? Grab a jar of rice instead! Much like the brown bag, the rice traps the ethylene gas and helps the fruit ripen faster. This method is most popular for ripening hard mangos. Fully submerge your mango in the rice and check every six to twelve hours!


DIRECT SUNLIGHT

Apples ripening on a windowsill from Shelf Cooking.

Have tomatoes that aren't quite soft enough yet? Place them on a sunny windowsill and let the sun work it's ripening magic!

Pro Tip: Make sure the windowsill isn't too hot or it can leave mushy spots on your fruit.


RIPEN FRUIT WITH THE TEA TOWEL METHOD

This method is genius for ripening peaches! Grab a tea towel or a linen napkin and lay it flat on the counter. Place your peaches on the tea towel stem side down but don't let them touch! Place another cloth on top and gently tuck in the sides so they are covered.

Check them in a couple days and enjoy the sweet, sweet taste of a ripe, juicy peach!


COOKING THE FRUIT TO RIPEN IT

Need fruit ripe now? Blanching it is one way to do it. While it won't actually ripen your fruit, it will make it softer and less bitter. This may not be the best method if you're wanting to eat the fruit fresh, but it's a great way to prepare fruit for baking!


STICK IT IN THE MICROWAVE

Woman turning on microwave from Shelf Cooking.

Need bananas ASAP for banana bread? Pop those babies in the microwave! Peel your banana and cook on high for thirty seconds and voila!


HOW TO RIPEN A PINEAPPLE

Want to ripen your pineapple faster and make it as sweet as possible? Turn it upside down! This helps the fruit ripen evenly and encourages the sugars to disperse throughout the pineapple for a sweet flesh.

And there you have it folks, the seven best ways to ripen fruit fast! You'll be chomping down on a sweet peach or a bite of banana bread before you know it! Do you have any tried and true ripening methods? Share them with us below!


Want more fruity tips and tricks?

Have a cherry sweet day!