Green Banana Run Down recipe includes the most popular Jamaican flavors, thyme, scallion, and Scotch Bonnet Pepper, cooked in coconut milk, it was a huge hit with my family.
This recipe is similar to my Jamaican Vegan Run Down. I also have other Jamaican recipes with coconut milk, such as Jamaican Stew Peas, Jamaican Rice And Peas, and Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.
Green Banana Run Down
Recently, I came across a recipe for Samoan green banana with coconut milk, and right away I decided I wanted to make a Jamaican version. The Samoan recipe was basically cooked green bananas with coconut milk, onions, and salt.
This green banana rundown recipe is so easy to prepare. Green bananas are sold at any ethnic food stores, or in the produce aisle of all major supermarkets. It is important to remember that if you aren’t preparing your green bananas right away, store them in the refrigerator to prevent them from turning ripe.

What Is Run Down?
Rundown is a common Jamaican stew, that is also eaten throughout the Caribbean, such as Dominica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and other Latin American Countries, like Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
Rundown is also called rundown, oil down, fling me far, fling me for, dip and fall back, and stew down. Traditionally, mackerel fish or other seafood is cooked in seasoned coconut milk until the stew is reduced to a creamy savory custard. It is traditionally served with boiled dumplings and cooked green bananas, and served for breakfast.
Ingredients For Green Banana Run Down
- Green Bananas
- Coconut Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Spring Onions
- Tomato
- Thyme
- Allspice
- Creole Seasoning
- Coconut Milk
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- Salt

How To Make Green Banana Run Down?
- Separate green bananas from the stem and wash bananas. Using a sharp knife, cut through or cut off the ends. Make a cut along the side of the banana, cutting only through the skin, not deep into the flesh.
- Remove the skin along the line all the way around the banana. Discard the skin. Repeat until all the banana skins are peeled.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot, add the bananas and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer until bananas are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain water and set aside.
- While the bananas are boiling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions, and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, green onions and cook until fragrant – about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, thyme, allspice, Creole Seasoning, coconut milk, Scotch bonnet pepper, and salt to taste.
- Add green bananas and bring them to a simmer. Cover skillet and allow the run down to cook until sauce is thick about 5-8 minutes.
- Serve immediately. It is delicious served with Green Banana Porridge, Jamaican Steamed Cabbage, or Callaloo.
Other Green Banana Recipes

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Categories
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Course: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Nutrition
(Per serving)- Energy: 276 kcal / 1154 kJ
- Fat: 17 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Carbs: 33 g
Cook Time
- Preparation: 15 min
- Cooking: 30 min
- Ready in: 45 min
- For: 7 Servings
Ingredients
- 7 medium green bananas
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon Creole/Cajun Seasoning, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Separate green bananas from the stem and wash bananas. Using a sharp knife cut through or cut off the ends. Make a cut along the side of the banana, cutting only through the skin, not deep into the flesh.
- Remove the skin along the line all the way around the banana. Discard the skin. Repeat until all the banana skins are peeled.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot, add the bananas and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer until bananas are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain water and set aside.
- While the bananas are boiling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, green onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, thyme, allspice, Creole Seasoning, coconut milk, Scotch bonnet pepper and salt to taste.
- Add green bananas ad and bring to a simmer. Cover skillet and allow run down to cook until sauce is thick, about 5-8 minutes.
- Serve immediately. It is delicious served with Jamaican steamed cabbage or callaloo.
Amazing,,,amazing recipe,,,,its the originality for me….great content right here…!
Thank you Angela, I appreciate your feedback.
This is the best for diabetic people.
I can’t wait to prepare mine because it looks so so delicious which I’m going to prepare for dinner so that I can have a taste of it
I hope you enjoy it Edward.
My second time making this dish. Delicious
Carol, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. I appreciate your feedback, thank you.
This was 🤤 YUMMMM! Will definitely make this a staple in my home❤️
Thank you. I am American-Caribbean and I wanted to make something different with my green bananas and I love this sauce! I served this dish with avocados and a vegan sautéed sausage dish. (Breakfast)
Many thanks🤗
Aviyah, I’m so happy you loved the sauce. Sounds like a yummy breakfast, thank you for sharing your feedback with us.
These recipe looks so delicious. Please sent me the complete recipes Thank You Kindly:
Thank you Yvonne, if you keep scrolling down further you will see the full recipe.
Another winner, Michelle. This was delicious!! I was originally going to make your vegan rundown with eggplant and serve the boiled green bananas on the side, but found my eggplant went bad. Instead I just made the green banana rundown and it was so flavorful and delicious. Served with sautéed/steamed greens in the side. Looking forward to leftovers. Great job- thank you!! 🙏
Thank you for this absolutely spectacular recipe! I have never cooked anything like this before, but I love coconut-milk stews. I used a squirt of Sriracha instead of the Scotch bonnet, which took it in a slightly Thai direction. We ate it with sticky rice and jerk shrimp, and it was the undisputed star of the meal. I can’t emphasize how outstandingly delicious this was!
Jennie that’s awesome to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your feed back.
This was soooooo good. This was my very first vegan meal and it was a home run.
That’s wonderful Andria, I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Do you think this recipe would work with plantains (aside from being the wrong ethnicity)?
I love your site and your recipes!
Chessie, yes it will work with green plantains, thank you very much. My recipes are for everyone, trying to show how easy and flavorful they are to cook.