Vegan Banana Bread
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This vegan banana bread is soft, perfectly moist and full of rich banana flavor. It’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients and comes together easily for a healthy breakfast or snack.
Does anyone not like banana bread?! I’m sure there’s someone out there but I have yet to meet them!
I already have a couple banana bread recipes here on EBF. One that’s just a basic healthy banana bread and then a coconut flour banana bread as well. Both of these recipes are awesome, but I wanted a true vegan banana bread so that’s where the idea for this recipe came from.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Vegan Banana Bread Recipe
- Vegan made easy – No eggs or dairy needed for this soft, cozy loaf that everyone can enjoy.
- Perfectly balanced – Sweet from the ripe bananas with just a touch of richness from the molasses-like flavor of coconut sugar.
- Light yet moist – Thanks to applesauce and a mix of flours, this banana bread stays soft without feeling heavy.
- Freezer-friendly – Bake a loaf now and freeze the rest for an easy grab-and-go breakfast later.
Ingredients Needed
- whole wheat pastry flour – a lighter version of whole wheat flour that gives baked goods a soft texture. White whole wheat flour is a fine substitute. You can also use regular whole wheat, but the loaf will turn out a bit more dense.
- all-purpose flour – I like to combine this with whole wheat pastry flour so the bread stays light and tender. You can use all of one type if you prefer.
- baking soda – helps the loaf rise and stay fluffy.
- sea salt – adds flavor, but also is important for the rising process.
- mashed banana – it’s all about the bananas! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your loaf will be.
- coconut sugar – my favorite natural sweetener for banana bread. It adds a warm, caramel-like flavor. Brown sugar is a great alternative.
- unsweetened applesauce – applesauce replaces the fat! It helps keep this banana bread moist and keeps the calorie count down. You can use my applesauce recipe or use store-bought.
- non-dairy milk – I like to use unsweetened almond milk, but any dairy-free milk will work.
- vanilla extract – an essential flavor addition to banana bread.
- chopped walnuts – you can skip walnuts if you want, but I like the added texture and flavor!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Vegan Banana Bread
Making this vegan recipe is easy and so rewarding. Here’s how to do it in just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then stir in the coconut sugar, applesauce, non-dairy milk, and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the flours, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined, then fold in the walnuts if using.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before slicing and serving.
Tips for the Best Vegan Banana Bread
- Use extra ripe bananas – The darker the peel, the better. Those brown, spotty bananas make your bread naturally sweeter and more flavorful. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, pop them in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes to soften and sweeten them up.
- Don’t overmix – I know it’s tempting to keep stirring, but once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make your bread dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Let it cool completely – I get it, warm banana bread smells incredible, but cutting too soon can make it gummy inside. Give it a little time to cool before slicing for the best texture.
Storing Leftover Banana Bread
Did you know that keeping your banana bread in the fridge can actually dry it out? The best way to store it is on the counter. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If you want to save it for later, you can freeze it! Freeze the whole loaf or slice it first for easy grab-and-go servings. When you’re ready to enjoy, let it thaw at room temperature and it’ll taste just as fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I recommend using a gluten-free four blend in place of both of the flours so 2 cups total. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour to test it. The bread didn’t rise as much as it does with regular flour but it still tasted great! If you need another gluten-free banana bread option, try my coconut flour banana bread.
Definitely. Try folding in chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or chopped pecans before baking. Just don’t overdo it — about ½ cup total mix-ins is perfect.
Stick a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready. Every oven is different, so start checking around the 50-minute mark.
That usually happens if it’s underbaked or the batter was mixed too much. Make sure your oven is fully preheated and give the loaf time to set before slicing.
More Quick Breads to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Vegan Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cup mashed banana, about 3 bananas
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, additional mix-ins: chocolate chips or blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan by greasing with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix together mashed bananas, coconut sugar, applesauce, milk and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl mix together flours, baking soda and salt.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Don’t over mix or the banana bread can come out dense and gummy.
- Add walnuts or other mix-ins.
- Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Watch loaf around the 40 minute mark and if the top starts to brown, cover it with foil.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes
- Gluten-free: Feel free to use a gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten-free. I tested it with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and it worked great, the bread just didn’t rise quite as much.
- Storage: Keep your banana bread wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Avoid the fridge: Storing banana bread in the refrigerator will cause it to dry out.
- Freezing: To store longer, wrap the full loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Delicious recipe!! I used almond flour 1:1 ratio to make this GF and DF & it came out very moist (not as fluffy as your typical banana loaf but that’s expected with the almond flour). Will definitely make this again it’s so tasty & toddler approved!
YAY! This is so great to hear and I am glad this turned out delicious for you, Holly. Thanks for taking the time to share your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
I’ve not made gluten free before but want to make it so everyone at work can partake. I would do 2 cups of the gluten free 1:1 flour in place of the two cups of whole wheat/ap flour correct?
Hi Anastasia – Yes! I recommend using a gluten-free four blend in place of both of the flours so 2 cups total. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour to test it. The bread didn’t rise as much as it does with regular flour but it still tasted great! Hope everyone enjoys!
Looks delicious! Can I sub the applesauce for something else?
Hey Maria – I haven’t tried this with anything else, but you could probably use yogurt or oil in place of the applesauce if needed. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!