Easy Vegan Banana Bread š An easy vegan recipe for making simply the most delicious and moist, eggless & dairy-free banana bread. With just a few basic ingredients, enjoy this scrumptious cake-like loaf anytime you like!
Looking for something to do with those over-ripe bananas on your kitchen counter? Make banana bread! Chances are, you likely have all the ingredients you'll need to whip up a loaf of best vegan banana bread that will be out of the oven in about an hour!
Quick breads, like this yummy easy vegan banana bread recipe, are some of my favorite baked goods to create. Sweet enough to be a dessert and light enough to enjoy for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea, just like my simple vegan lemon blueberry bread and vegan zucchini bread.
I love making quick breads. Like the name suggests, a quick bread is just that - a leavened flour-based loaf that does not require yeast or additional time for rising/proofing in order for the bread to increase in volume. Quick breads (like my favorite vegan pumpkin bread) rise while baking, much like cakes and muffins. For this recipe, we will use baking soda as a leavening agent.
NOTE: Unlike some banana bread recipes, this one does not include baking powder as a leavening agent (which provides acidity and reacts with baking soda to help the loaf rise). Since bananas naturally contain low levels of acid, they contribute to the rise and texture of the banana bread. This article explains more about baking soda vs. baking powder in banana bread.
Table of Contents
š Why you should try this recipe
- It's lightly sweet, very moist and super delicious!
- The mellow flavor of bananas shine through
- So easy to make!
- Eggless and dairy-free. Can be made gluten-free (see below)
- It's a tried and true, time-tested recipe
The credit for this recipe goes to my darling Great-Aunt Velma, who baked many loaves of this luscious banana bread for generations of our family over the years.
š Ingredient Notes
š„ See printable recipe card below for complete quantities & details.
- Flour - I use organic all-purpose flour. See notes below for gluten-free tips.
- Baking Soda - For best rising results, use fresh baking soda.
- Salt
- Bananas - use fully ripe (or over-ripe bananas - they're even sweeter).
- Vegan Butter - melted
- Sugar - I use organic cane sugar. Substitute with coconut sugar or granulated sugar of your choice.
- Vanilla
- Vegan egg replacer - To make this recipe eggless, I used Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. See below for other options.
- Walnuts - optional. See below for more add-ins.
Add-ins
This easy recipe for making the best eggless vegan banana bread is wonderful as is, but if you would like to add some extra texture & flavors, here are some tasty ideas:
- Nuts - walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews
- Chocolate chips - vegan semi-sweet or white chocolate chips
- Coconut -flaked
- Dates - chopped
- Raisins
- Cranberries
- Blueberries
- Cinnamon or nutmeg - if using, add to dry ingredients
What can I use instead of egg in banana bread?
Traditionally, this recipe calls for eggs, which I've substituted withĀ vegan egg replacer.Ā There are several packaged powdered egg replacers available which work well. You can also make your own by combining one tablespoon ground flax meal with three tablespoons of water (per egg). Allow it to sit 5 - 15 minutes to thicken before using. Here are some of the most popular egg substitutes to use in baking:
Learn everything you need to know about baking without eggs or dairy in this article with our Top Tips For Egg-free and Dairy-Free Baking.
š Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.
3. Add egg replacer. Whisk thoroughly.
4. Peel bananas and break into pieces. Place in a medium size mixing bowl.
5. Mash bananas using a potato masher or fork.
6. Add mashed bananas to butter/sugar mixture.
7. Whisk or stir to combine.
8. Gradually add flour/baking soda/salt to wet ingredients.
9. Pour in walnuts or other optional add-ins. Using a whisk or silicone spatula, mix until just combined (don't over-stir). Batter will be thick.
10. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease/flour inside of pan. Spoon batter into loaf pan. Place on middle rack in oven. Bake at 350ā for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness at 50 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and dry when loaf is ready.
11. Place pan on a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes (or more) before serving.
š Banana Bread Baking Tips
- Use fresh ingredients, including flour and leavening agents like baking soda. All-purpose white flour has a shelf life of about 3-8 months. Gluten-free and whole wheat flours may become stale sooner. Unless you bake a lot, it's better to purchase flour in small quantities. Baking soda can lose its rising oomph after a few months. I like to keep an extra unopened box on hand just in case.
- Measure accurately. Baking is equal parts science and art. Unlike some cooking methods where you can guess-timate quantities by adding a handful of this or a pinch of that - too much or too little of an ingredient can mean the difference between ooh and aah or uh-oh.Ā Pre-measuring your ingredients with everything prepped in advance can be a game-changer.
š Equipment
These are the kitchen tools I use to make banana bread:
- Mixing bowls 2 medium, 1 large
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Oven-proof loaf pan
- Potato masher or fork
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Gluten-free Baking Tip
To prepare this easy vegan banana bread recipe without wheat gluten, choose a 1-1 gluten-free flour. Be sure to check the labels of the other ingredients you use to ensure they are all gluten-free.
š FAQ's
What are those strings on bananas? Is it ok to eat them?
Purely from habit, I always remove those annoying stringy things whenever I peel a banana. I'd never really thought about it before, just assuming they were inedible, or at least something I didn't want to eat. As it turns out, they have a name - "phloem bundles" - an essential part of the banana's vascular system that delivers nutrients throughout the fruit. If you don't mind their tough texture, you can absolutely eat them. As for me, I prefer not to have strings in my banana bread, but you sure can leave them in if you like.
Is it OK to use frozen bananas for banana bread?
Yes, in fact freezing over-ripe bananas is a great way to always have bananas on hand for baking and making smoothies. Simply peel the bananas and place them in a ziplock freezer bag or air-tight container and keep frozen up to three months. When ready to use for baking, allow them to thaw for about 20 minutes before mashing.
Can I replace butter with applesauce in vegan banana bread?
Yes, you can replace the melted plant-based butter with applesauce for a lower-fat version of banana bread. Keep in mind that this substitution might affect the texture slightly and will likely add an apple flavor to the loaf.
How to store vegan banana bread?
You can store leftover vegan banana bread refrigerated in an airtight food container or food-safe plastic bag up to 3-4 days or frozen up to 3 months.
If you love this recipe ā ā ā ā ā please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!š„
Recipe
Easy Vegan Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls 2 medium, 1 large
- Oven-proof loaf pan
- Potato masher or fork
- whisk
- silicone spatula
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour All-purpose flour. See notes below for gluten-free tips.
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- Ā½ teaspoon Salt
- 1Ā½ cups Bananas Mashed - about 4 bananas (fully ripe or over-ripe)
- Ā½ cup Vegan Butter Melted
- Ā½ cup Sugar Granulated
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 eggs Vegan egg replacer Prepared equivalent of 2 eggs
- Ā½ cup Walnuts Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350Ā°F
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter, sugar, and vanilla.
- Add egg replacer. Whisk thoroughly.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mash bananas using aĀ potato masherĀ or fork.
- Add bananas to butter/sugar mixture. Whisk to combine.
- Gradually add flour/baking soda/salt to wet ingredients.
- Stir in walnuts or other optional add-ins.
- Using a whisk or silicone spatula, mix until just combined (don't over-stir). Batter will be thick.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease/flour inside of pan.
- Spoon batter into loaf pan.
- Place on middle rack in oven. Bake at 350ā for 50-60 minutes.
- Check for doneness at 50 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and dry when loaf is ready.
- Remove from oven. Place pan on a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes (or more) before serving.
- Store leftover vegan banana bread in an airtight container or food-safe plastic bag up to 3 days.
Notes
- NutsĀ - walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews
- Chocolate chipsĀ - veganĀ semi-sweetĀ orĀ white chocolateĀ chips
- CoconutĀ -flaked
- DatesĀ - chopped
- Raisins
- Cranberries
- Blueberries
- CinnamonĀ or nutmegĀ - if using, add to dry ingredients
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 Ā°F (74 Ā°C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Manuel almendares says
How do you activate the baking soda to leaven the bread since it has no acid.baking soda needs an acid to create air bubbles and to leaven baked goods
Connie says
The low level of acidity in bananas is enough to react with the baking soda and help the loaf rise. This recipe has been in my family for generations and always produces dense, delicious loaves with just the right texture and rise.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Here is everything you want in a simply moist and delicious banana bread. So easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy! I hope you love it as much as I do!
melanie says
What can we use and what amount, instead of egg replacer? Apple sauce? Flax eggs?
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Melanie: Yes, you can use flax meal as an egg replacer. I've mentioned it in the recipe FAQ's - Combine one tablespoon ground flax meal with three tablespoons of water (per egg). Allow it to sit 5 ā 15 minutes to thicken before using. Another option that I have used successfully in cakes is to simply use soda water (3-4 tablespoons per egg). I haven't tried it in this recipe but imagine it would work. Otherwise, applesauce is fine, but it can make the banana bread taste like apple (which isn't necessarily a bad thing!)
Twana R Cisse says
Thanks for the great ideas baking banana bread and alternative uses to make it vegan healthy! I have diabetes so it makes a big difference how I bake and cook.
Connie says
Hi Twana - It's my pleasure. We all need banana bread in our lives and I'm happy you found my recipe to be helpful! Thank you for your kind wordsš