• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
Kitrusy
Clean Eat, Entrées, Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian, Lacto-Vegetarian, Sides

Clean Eat Green Banana Pie

Jump to Recipe              Print Recipe

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

A close up vertical image of a piece of green banana pie paired with some Caribbean-style stew chicken

This is a lovely Caribbean dish that my mother taught me to make, and it’s one that makes me both hungry and happy to think about. It’s rich, creamy, cheesy, clean eat and very simple to make!


Post Contents:

Toggle
    • To make it you’ll need the following:
    • Here’s how to make this Caribbean Pie!
  • Clean Eat Green Banana Pie
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

To make it you’ll need the following:

An overhead image of plates and dishes of ingredients for green banana pie including: green bananas, chicken broth, milk, whole wheat pastry flour, whole-wheat breadcrumbs, butter, salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic, and cheeses (I used smoked Gouda, jalapeno cheddar and a marbled mozzarella/cheddar mix)

  • Green (cooking) bananas: not to be confused with green plantains.
  • Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth can be used. You can also use a bone broth or stock.
  • Milk: I’m using whole milk. I highly recommend this for the best results. However if you’re in a pinch, you can replace the milk with equal amounts of broth (in addition to the broth the recipe calls for).
  • Flour: I’m using some whole wheat pastry flour but you can also use white whole wheat flour or a gluten-free blend such as Bob’s 1-1 Flour.
  • Breadcrumbs: I’m using whole wheat panko-style breadcrumbs but you can also use a gluten free panko variety if you prefer.
  • Butter: I’m using salted but you can also use unsalted if preferred.
  • Salt: I’m using my favorite Himalayan Pink salt but you can use sea salt if you prefer.
  • Black pepper: Pre- or fresh ground, the choice is yours.
  • Dried oregano: This adds great flavor to our sauce.
  • Garlic: I’m using fresh grains of garlic but you can also use ground or dehydrated if you prefer. For a great option, you can use some Roasted Garlic.
  • Cheeses: I’m using a combination of smoked Gouda, jalapeno cheddar and a marbled mozzarella/cheddar mix. You can use any semi-soft or hard cheese that you enjoy.

In the original recipe, a bouillon cube is used to flavor the roux and the dish itself, which, if you read the ingredients you’ll quickly realize is not clean. The solution to this is either to make your own bouillon cubes or more simply swap out some of the milk used in the roux for organic chicken or vegetable bone broth which is both healthy, nutritious and delicious!


Here’s how to make this Caribbean Pie!

An angled image of a pot of boiled green bananas

Set your bananas to boil: To a large pot, add water and a splash of oil. We will leave the bananas in their skins because it makes it so much easier to peel them once cooked. To make your life even easier, you can slice off the bottom tip and score along the length with a knife so that once boiled, you have a mark that will allow you to peel them easily.

An overhead image of melted butter in a pot

Now, onto our sauce: We’ll begin by melting the butter. When it begins to bubble and brown ever-so-slightly, we’ll lower the heat and add the flour and make a paste (we’re essentially making a roux).

An overhead image of melted butter and flour for a roux in a pot

The flour and butter will cook for a minute or two (moving it around so that it doesn’t brown or burn and so that all the fat from the butter can be fully absorbed by the flour). Then, once it’s cooked, we’ll add in the milk and broth and whisk continuously to ensure that there’s no lumps and that the roux comes together nice and smooth. Raise the heat to high to allow it to thicken faster. Once thickened, lower the heat to med.

An overhead image of a roux with seasoning added to it

Next we’ll mix in the salt, pepper, and dried oregano….

An overhead image of a roux sauce with shredded cheese added in

And finally the garlic and 2/3 of the cheeses.

Reserve 1/3 of your cheese for later. I personally love the flavor imparted by the jalapenos as well as the smoothness of the mozzarella and slight bite of the cheddar in the sauce.  The smoked Gouda was set aside, you’ll see why in a moment.

The sauce will thicken up with the cheeses added in so if it gets too thick feel free to add more milk or broth to thin it out (but do keep in mind that we do want it to be on the thicker side. For reference it should be about the consistency of canned condensed soup).

An overhead image of a cheesy roux sauce

Once all the herbs and spices and cheeses are well mixed in our sauce is done!

An overhead image of whole, peeled green bananas in a bowl

After boiling for 15-20 minutes the bananas will be ready. We’ll drain and peel them. If you didn’t score them beforehand that’s not a problem, all you need to do it pinch the top  near the stem (I use a pair of tongs to do this since the bananas will be very hot) and the skin will split which will allow you to easily peel it like you would a regular banana.

An overhead image of diced green bananas in a pot

We’ll chop and partially mash the bananas but we’re not aiming for a smooth mash, instead we want it to be partially chunky.

An overhead image of green bananas with a cheesy roux sauce added in

Now, to bring the pie together! Our thick, cheesy roux sauce gets added to the mashed bananas…

An overhead image of green bananas mixed with a cheesy roux sauce

…and mixed in so that each piece of banana is coated. If you like, now is a good time to taste test and adjust your seasoning to taste.

An overhead image of green bananas mixed with a cheesy roux sauce with small cubes of cheese on top

Then using the 1/3 of cheese we set aside earlier, we’ll cut it into small cubes and fold it in. Do not over mix at this step. You want the little cubes of cheese to remain whole so that they turn into cheesy pockets when we bake our pie instead of just blending in with everything. I use smoked Gouda because I love the flavor but you can use whatever cheese you like or have on hand.

An overhead image of a green banana pie with a dish of whole wheat breadcrumbs to the side

After filling a baking dish with the green banana mixture, we have the option of topping it with either whole wheat panko breadcrumbs or with more cheese!

An overhead image of a green banana pie with an unbaked breadcrumb top

I’ve opted for the breadcrumbs since they offer a great crunch and textural variation.

An overhead image of a green banana pie with a baked and browned top

After a quick bake to melt the cheese and brown the top, our green banana pie is done!

A close up image of a piece of green banana pie paired with some Caribbean-style stew chicken

Whether used as a side dish or main dish, this pie is flavorful and addictively delicious. See the little pockets of smoked Gouda goodness sidled between our green banana chunks? The savory flavor explosion is phenomenal.

An angled image of a plated serving of green banana pie paired with some Caribbean-style stew chicken and freshly sliced cucumbers with green bananas, cheese and fresh herbs in the background

A great pairing for this dish is a Caribbean Style Stew Chicken (pictured above) which is made and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices and coated in a flavorful sauce made from a caramelized sugar base!
Give it a try and let me know how it turns out in the comments below! 💖

A close up image of a piece of green banana pie paired with some Caribbean-style stew chicken
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Clean Eat Green Banana Pie

This Caribbean dish is rich, creamy, cheesy, clean eat, and best of all, it's very simple to make!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean
Servings: 4
Calories: 583kcal
Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

  • 8 grains green bananas
  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • 3 tbsp stone ground whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 cups Whole Milk
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (I use organic chicken bone broth)
  • 1 tsp Himalayan salt (to taste)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 cup jalapeno cheddar (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheddar blend (shredded)
  • 1/3 cup smoked gouda (small cubes)
  • 1 clove fresh garlic
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs (or shredded cheese)

Instructions

  • Boil the bananas: Wash and separate the grains of bananas from each other and place them in a pot of water with a tbsp of oil. Bring the pot to a boil for 15-20 minutes.
  • Make the cheesy roux: Begin by melting the butter. When it's frothy and slightly brown lower the heat to low and add the whole wheat flour and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly to avoid it from burning or browning.
  • Add the milk and broth to the butter/flour mixture and whisk vigorously to ensure there are no lumps and that the roux is smooth. Raise the heat to med-high and allow the roux to bubble and thicken.
  • Season the roux with the salt, pepper and dried oregano. 
  • Lower the heat once more and add in 1 cup of freshly shredded cheese (I used jalapeno cheddar and mozzarella/cheddar but you can use whichever cheese you like) and grated garlic and whisk until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  • Peel and cut the bananas: Drain the water from the pot with the bananas and (using a pair of tongs) peel the bananas and discard the skins. Cut and slightly mash the bananas being sure to allow some larger chunks to remain. 
  • Assemble the pie: Add the cheesy roux sauce to the chunked and mashed bananas and fold together. 
  • Cube the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese (I used a smoked Gouda)and fold to incorporate it throughout the mixture. Do not over mix, you want the cubed cheese to form pockets and not melt and be blended into to the pie.
  • Add the cheesy banana mixture to a baking dish and tamp the mixture down to create an even layer. Top with either wholewheat panko breadcrumbs or shredded cheese.
  • Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes until the top is browned (if using breadcrumbs) or the cheese is melted.
  • Let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

  • Lowering the heat when you add the flour to the butter for the roux is essential in allowing the fat in the butter to be wholly absorbed by the flour and cooked. 

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1310mg | Potassium: 1116mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 27.6mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 2.1mg

Post navigation

Caribbean Style Stew Chicken
Quick and Easy No-Rise Garlic Naan

ABOUT KITRUSY

Hi there! Welcome to Kitrusy where we devise and share our clean-eating culinary creations. We aim to keep things clean and simple, so feel free to look around and I'm sure you'll discover something just for you!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • RSS
  • Pinterest
  • Elara Pro by LyraThemes.com
  • Kitrusy © 2023

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required
We use cookies on our site and continuing to use our site in anyway way constitutes consent to our use of cookies. At any time you may withdraw consent. If you want to know why we use cookies or how you can withdraw consent please visit the cookies section in our privacy policy.