Banana peel bacon is not just tasty and unique, but it falls under the practice of zero-waste cooking — of which one of the main pillars is to repurpose and reuse food waste instead of trashing it. If nothing else, banana peel bacon is innovative, but it doesn’t exactly taste like regular bacon.

Banana peel bacon does look like bacon, but the taste is markedly different, as Tom Hunt, a columnist for The Guardian, called the crispy treat "flavorful and interesting to eat." The treat can be a great source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, but it's best to use organic bananas to avoid any pesticides.

Hunt made banana peel bacon by marinating the peels in a smokey, umami-like marinade, then seasoning them with black pepper and frying them up in a frying pan. You can also use ingredients like balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, or even tahini to marinate and season the peels.

Personal chef Charles Hunter III of The Salted Table is credited with introducing the recipe to the internet, having been inspired to improve on something he saw on TikTok. If you're not a banana lover, you can also try the same idea with vegetable skins like carrots or eggplant.