Rethinking the Recipe: Banana Peel ‘Bacon’ BLT

April 30, 2025

Stop Food Waste Day, held the final Wednesday of April, is for everyone. Started by Compass Group in 2017, Stop Food Waste Day is a global initiative that raises awareness about the staggering amount of food that goes to waste and encourages people to take meaningful steps to change that.

Eurest brings this mission to its marketplaces to draw attention to the practical, creative and impactful ways we can all change our behavior to reduce food waste.

Reducing food waste at the source means looking at ingredients in new ways.

Take the classic BLT. Our chefs gave it a plant-forward, low-waste twist by swapping traditional bacon for something unexpected: banana peels. Crispy, smoky and full of flavor, it’s a great reminder that a little creativity can go a long way – and still deliver taste.

We invite you to try.

Banana Peel Bacon BLT
Makes 8 sliders

Ingredients:

Banana Peel Bacon:

  • Peels from 4 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup canola oil (plus more for frying)
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1/2 tsp of garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp of ginger puree

Candied Bacon Ailoi:

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Additional Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup arugula
  • 1/2 lemon (squeezed)
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 Avocado
  • 8 Slider buns

Instructions

1. Make the “banana bacon”

  • Using a spoon scoop out excessive white pith from banana peel
  • Cut peels into 2” long pieces
  • In a bowl, prepare marinade by whisking together soy sauce, canola oil, liquid smoke, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger purée
  • Add banana peels and allow to marinate for 4-12 hours or overnight

2. Prepare candied bacon aioli

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Place bacon on a baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar
  3. Bake until crispy and caramelized. Allow to cool, sugar will caramelize.
  4. Chop candied bacon into small pieces and mix into mayonnaise
  5. Chill until ready to use

3. Slice tomato into 1/4” thick pieces and roast in oven at 300F until slightly dry. Keep warm.

4. Toss arugula with a squeeze of fresh lemon, oil, and sprinkle of salt and gently combine

5. Slice and lightly toast the slider buns.

6. Cut avocado in half, remove the pit, and slice into thin slices (about 8 slices per avocado).

7. Cook the banana peel bacon

  • Heat a high-heat oil (canola, avocado, or similar) in a pan over medium-high heat
  • Fry marinated banana peels for 30–45 seconds per side, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

8. Assemble the sliders:

  • Spread 1 tbsp aioli on both halves of the bun
  • Layer with arugula, 2-3 pieces “banana bacon, one roasted tomato slice and one avocado slice

9. Serve immediately