Vegan Banana Bread (Healthy + Easy)
This ‘tried and true’, classic vegan banana bread recipe is moist, healthy, and so easy to make. It’s egg & dairy free, has an oil-free option, and is the best banana bread ever!
I love my vegan banana breads, and have quite a few variations in the recipe collection, like this Blueberry Banana Oat Bread, Buckwheat Banana Bread, and Carrot Banana Bread.
All the breads were adapted from this straightforward and incredibly simple recipe with ingredients you probably already have on hand. I’ve made it again and again, and it has not disappointed me yet!
This plant-based banana bread recipe is kid-friendly and a fan-favorite for good reason – it’s delicious!
I’m happy to share with you this wonderfully easy, healthy banana bread I have loved for many years and look forward to loving for many more to come!
Best Vegan Banana Bread Tips
It’s all about the bananas! Banana bread is easy to veganize by adding extra banana, which acts as a binder, replacing the need for eggs or other egg replacers. As an added benefit, you’ll be able to use less sugar. The trick is using very ripe, freckled bananas because the riper the bananas are, the less sugar you’ll need! This recipe only calls for 1/3 cup of sugar, but of course, you can adjust, up or down, to suit your tastes.
Use oil, butter, or applesauce (fats or no fats): I call for oil in place of butter or vegetable shortening, but you’ll find this banana bread recipe to have the option of using vegan butter or shortening if you prefer. I’ve also played around with using half oil and half unsweetened almond milk (equaling 1/3 cup) with excellent results. And if you want to skip the fats altogether, for an ultra-healthy vegan banana bread, try using unsweetened applesauce – it’s terrific!
Spruce up your banana bread with additional add-ins and toppings! Add up to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, or fold in chocolate chips, walnuts, or pecans to the batter. Once the batter is in the loaf pan, sprinkle walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, rolled oats, or sunflower seeds over top before baking. They will add texture and protein.
Spoon & level the flour! When measuring your flour, it’s helpful to use the ‘spoon & level’ method. This will ensure you don’t add too much flour. Never scoop the flour with a measuring cup. Instead, using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup, without packing it, and level with the back of a knife.
Don’t overmix the batter! It’s best baking practice when making any type of quick bread not to overmix. Overmixing the ingredients will cause the gluten proteins to create an elastic batter that may not rise well. You only want to mix until you don’t see any flour streaks.
Methods: Since first posting this recipe, I have adapted it to be mixed in one bowl, making for easy banana bread with fewer dishes to wash!
See Commonly Asked Questions for more tips!
How To Make Vegan Banana Bread
Making vegan banana bread is as easy as can be using this 1 bowl method!
Start by adding the very ripe bananas to the bottom of a medium mixing bowl and mash well. Add the remaining wet ingredients and stir well.
Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick, and a few lumps are OK.
Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 50 – 55 minutes. Ovens are different, so use your best judgment. You can test for doneness using a toothpick, if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
Lastly, let the banana bread cool, slice, and enjoy. If you can’t wait to slice your bread before it’s cooled, you may notice a little gumminess on the knife. This is normal, but once it’s completely cooled, it will slice cleanly.
And that’s it, perfectly golden, moist, and flavorful banana bread made easy and healthy!
Serve + Store
- For serving. Make your slice even better by adding a smear of this healthy Cashew Sweet Cream or Triple Berry Chia Jam for a delicious breakfast or snack!
- How to store: Store your banana bread, covered to maintain moisture, for up to 3 – 4 days on the counter.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I make banana bread gluten-free? Absolutely. You can use any gluten-free flour blend or buckwheat flour, replacing 1 – 1 the amount of flour called for.
Can I make this recipe oil-free? Yes! I have made banana bread oil-free by replacing the oil with applesauce, and it was just as good and even healthier. The loaf was a little denser, but the flavor was still great.
Can I make banana bread without baking soda? Yes, oftentimes, I will make banana bread using 2 heaping teaspoons of baking powder with great results, but I have left the baking soda in the recipe because I know some may prefer to add it as it also helps brown the top of the loaf. Just know that if you don’t have it on hand, you’ll be fine just using baking powder only.
Can I freeze banana bread? Sure thing. You can safely store banana bread in the freezer. It will stay fresh for up to 2 months if stored in a freezer-safe container or bag. Simply let it thaw in the refrigerator before eating. Banana bread can also be stored, covered, on the counter for up to 3 – 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can I make muffins instead? Yep, and they are so good! Use this Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe as your guide. If you don’t care for the chocolate chips, omit them altogether or replace them with walnuts.
What To Do With Extra Bananas?
If you still have a couple of extra bananas from the bunch, try using them in any of these other easy and delicious banana recipes, which require just one or two bananas!
- 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies (a fan-favorite)
- Chunky Banana + Peanut Butter Granola (healthy snack granola)
- Banana Chia Pudding (super easy treat)
- Vegan Banana French Toast (perfect for weekends)
- Avocado Chocolate Pudding (uses a banana to cut the fat)
If you try this banana bread recipe or have a question, please let us know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintVEGAN BANANA BREAD (HEALTHY + EASY)
A tried and true, classic vegan banana bread! Perfectly moist and delicious, this healthy vegan banana bread recipe makes a terrific snack or great way to start the day.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 55 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 – 10 slices 1x
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (210 g) spelt flour (whole wheat, unbleached all-purpose, or gluten free blend), see notes
- 1/3 cup (75 g) organic pure cane sugar (or 1/2 finely chopped dates)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of mineral salt
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) neutral flavored oil (or coconut oil in liquid state, vegan butter at room temp or applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 small or 3 large overripe bananas (about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups (338-410g)), mashed
- 1/4 cup (56 ml) almond milk, use only if needed
optional tasty add-ins:
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini or regular)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your loaf pan.
One bowl method: In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash 3 – 4 bananas (about 1 1/2 cups to 1 3/4 cups works well), add oil/applesauce and vanilla extract, mix again. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and mix well, but don’t overmix, just enough until the flour is combined. Batter will be slightly thick and a few lumps is ok. If mixture seems too thick, add milk, especially if using heavier flours such as whole wheat or whole spelt (you’re more inclined to need it).
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 50 min – 1 hour. Ovens vary, mine usually takes 50 minutes. You can also do the toothpick test in the center of the loaf, if it comes out clean it should be ready. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 min before slicing.
Original method: In a medium/large size bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, mash bananas. Add the oil, vanilla and bananas to the dry ingredients and mix until combined, do not overmix. If mixture seems too thick, add the almond milk (especially if using heavier flours such as whole wheat or whole spelt, you’re more inclined to need it).
Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 50 min – 1 hour. Ovens vary, mine usually takes 50 minutes. You can also do the toothpick test in the center of the loaf, if it comes out clean it should be ready. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 min before slicing.
Store: Keep covered on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the wrapped loaves overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or a toaster oven with a door.
Notes
When using metric units, scaling needs manual calculation.
Flour measurements. When using weighted amounts, flours vary by type. Use this guide to find the correct flour weight: Bob’s Red Mill Flour Weight Chart
No baking soda, no worries. If you don’t have baking soda on hand, use two teaspoons of baking powder. I’ve many loaves without baking soda with good results (the top just may not brown as much).
Oil-free or reduced oil. I have made this by replacing the oil with unsweetened applesauce and it was just as good. Loaf was a little denser and didn’t rise as much, but the flavor was still great. I’ve also played around with using half oil and half unsweetened almond milk (equalling 1/3 cup) with excellent results!
*If using coconut oil, be sure it’s warmed and in its liquid state. My preferred oils for this recipe are either light-flavored olive oil or coconut oil.
Boost of flavor. Add up to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a different flavor.
Add nuts or seeds. Try adding toppings like walnuts, sesame seeds, rolled oats, sunflower seeds, or pecans.
Using dates: To use chopped dates using the 1 bowl method, simply add them in with all the ingredients. If using the original method, add them in with the wet ingredients. I would use about 1/3 – 3/4 cup of dates (depending on how sweet you like it), pitted and finely chopped.
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Hi
I’ve beee looking through your banana bread varieties which look divine. In this one, your conversion from cups to grams of mashed bananas looks great but in some of the others it looks incorrect and you need to double up the grams to get get it right. Here, you use around 220g mashed bananas for a cupful or 2 bananas roughly, I’ll try and find the banana breads with the conversions I thought were incorrect (when I scrolled through briefly a few minutes ago) now and alert you to the inconsistency. But I urge you to check yourself. I use grams as I’m in the UK and always check conversions from cup quantities.
Kind wishes,
Helen
Hi, Helen again
I said above your mashed banana measurements in grams for this recipe look perfect but in others they are incorrect and are certainly not in line with the conversions here. I also said you need to double up your grams in the recipes to correct the conversion (of mashed banana) but it’s not quite as straight forward as that. You need to ensure that a cup of mashed banana is around 220g. Look at the banana quantities in grams for your buckwheat bananas bread as that is the first incorrect conversion I spotted. I don’t have time to write the detail right now about all the others but I will do so soon if you don’t spot the errors yourself. Look at buckwheat banana bread first, compare it to this and you will see what I am getting at.
Kind regards,
Helen
This recipe looks perfect in so far as cups to grams of mashed bananas are concerned. Please look at some of your other banana bread recipes and the conversions for mashed bananas are incorrect. Sorry I can’t sort them all out now for you. I urge you to check. I’ll go through them in time, I promise and will write to you.
Helen
Thanks so much Helen for pointing that out! I’ve went through and fixed them all. If you see anything that needs adjusting, please let me know. I really appreciate it, and so do others who will be making this recipe! Cheers :)
Hi again
So sorry for the time taken to get back to you. I am so glad you realised the errors yourself. I’ll go back and check again another time!
I have an almost uncanny ability to spot errors involving numbers. They just leap out at me. It can be quite a handicap and many people do not appreciate being told they are wrong, however diplomatically I try to explain things. I’m glad you are not like that! I have a background in mathematical physics and spent years looking at students’’ work which is probably responsible! It isn’t always good – it holds me up as I cannot let errors just sit there.
Love Helen x
It was so good it almost didn’t have the chance to cool down! Everyone loved it! Definitely The recipe for banana bread from now on.
So glad it’s a hit with everyone! Thank you for the feedback. Cheers :)
I’ve made this recipe several times with great success! I use applesauce instead of oil and 1/4 cup of sugar instead of 1/3. I find that it’s plenty sweet. I also use both the baking soda and baking powder. Planning on making another loaf tonight :)
Came out moist and soft…..this was the best vegan banana bread I’ve made. Great recipe. I used 4 bananas and 1 green apple and no oil / no extra plant milk.
I just made your recipe. I used the walnuts, which I toasted, apple sauce instead of oil, chopped dates instead of sugar, whole Einkorn wheat flour which I ground fresh, and a little extra vanilla.
My wife and I had a slice with some tea after dinner and I told her it may be the best banana bread I’ve ever tried! It was pretty dense, but the flavor was out of this world!
Thank you so much for this great recipe! I’ve always wanted to make a whole-grain banana bread with no sweetener or oils. This is a great one!
Tried a few different healthy banana bread recipes and this one is very good and easy.
Made my own gluten-free mix by grinding up leftover millet and rice and topping off with a bit of chickpea flour. Used the chopped date and applesauce options. Kept in the baking soda, went with the walnuts, and did not add any milk.
How did you add in the dates
I made this yesterday, absolutely delicious. I chose to add walnuts and cinnamon to the batter and sprinkled some oats and a little cinnamon on top. Definitely my new go to banana bread recipe from now on.
First time I made banana bread, really loving it!
I just made the cake now and can’t wait to try it. Please note that you forgot to mention the salt in the One Bowl method. I did it without and hope it won’t affect the result much. Will try to omit oil in apple sauce next time. Thanks!
Great, hope you love it! I’ll adjust the recipe, thanks for pointing that out. Also, it’ll be just fine without salt! Enjoy!
Never baked anything vegan or GF before, so I didn’t know what to expect. Used a gluten free flour mix & applesauce. Wasn’t as pleased with the outcome because of the flour. It stayed sort of gummy on the inside & tougher on the outside. Any flour suggestions (nut allergies)? Flavor was still like banana bread.
Next time you bake a loaf, let it cool fairly well before slicing. If you slice the bread before it cools, it will seem gummy. But it’s not easy waiting, since you just want to dig in to your freshly baked loaf – but that may help.
As for flours, I would source out a well-known brand that has an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. You may even want to read reviews from a few places before purchasing. I haven’t used many gluten-free flour blends, so I can’t recommend one at this time.
Hope that helps, and you have better luck next time! :)