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This is the best vegan banana bread you will ever try! Irresistibly moist and tender, it has a melt-in-your-mouth texture and bursts plenty of banana flavor. Made with 9 simple ingredients in 1 bowl, this classic treat will leave you begging for more!
⭐️ Why You Should Try This Recipe
- The gourmet version of your classic banana bread. The photos don’t even do justice to how tender and pillowy the texture of this banana bread is. It has a moist and buttery crumb that literally melts in your mouth!
- Made with simple ingredients. No need to go shopping for specific ingredients. You most probably have all of the ingredients on hand. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover bananas.
- Stays moist and soft for days. Unlike many banana bread recipes, this one remains moist and doesn’t dry out, even after days! Since it keeps so well, you can enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up, for breakfast or dessert throughout the week.
🍌 Ingredient Notes
This egg-free banana bread recipe requires 9 pantry staples you probably already have in your kitchen. Here is what you will need:
- Banana – Use ripe and spotty bananas for the best flavor. Unripe bananas would yield a gummy texture.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works best here.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil like canola, grapeseed, or sunflower oil. Alternatively, you can use a mix of half oil and half melted vegan butter.
- Sugar – I went with granulated white sugar, but you can use light brown or coconut sugar. Just be aware that using coconut sugar will make your bread darker.
- Baking powder and baking soda – To help the bread rise and give it a fluffy texture.
- Vanilla extract – For a fresh and floral aroma. You can use store-bought high-quality vanilla extract or homemade vanilla extract.
- Salt – Just a pinch of salt helps elevate the overall flavor.
- Cinnamon – For an extra touch of warmth. If you want to spice your banana bread, feel free to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of ginger and nutmeg.
🥣 How To Make Vegan Banana Bread
Make the batter
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Pour in the liquid ingredients. Mash or blend the bananas until puréed. Next, add the mashed bananas, oil, and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
- Mix. Using a spoon or spatula, mix the liquid ingredients with the dry ones until combined. Do not overmix, or it might yield a chewier texture.
Mashing vs. Blending The Bananas
You can either mash the ripe bananas using a fork or add them to a blender and blend until smooth. I usually prefer the latter option as it yields a finer texture. That is totally up to you. If you enjoy small chunks of banana, use the first option.
Bake
- Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Pour in the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. At this point, you can decorate it with chocolate chips, nuts, or sliced bananas.
- Bake. Finally, bake the bread for 45-50 minutes in a 325°F (165°C) preheated oven until golden brown. A heavenly smell will infuse your kitchen!
🍫 Add-ins
While this banana bread tastes wonderful on its own, you can customize it to your liking by adding the following:
- Nuts: Add roasted almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or cashews. You can add them whole or chop them.
- Seeds: Pumpkin, sunflower, or poppy seeds. Stir them into the batter or use them as a topping.
- Chocolate chips: Or chocolate chunks! The combination of banana and chocolate never goes wrong.
- Dried fruits: Raisins, chopped dates, or dried blueberries are tasty additions!
- Caramel sauce: If you want to take this banana bread one level up, swirl vegan caramel sauce into the batter before baking.
❄️ Freezing
You can freeze this banana bread for up to 2 months. Slice it into thick slices and wrap each one in plastic wrap. To thaw, let it rest on the counter for about 2 hours.
🧈 What To Serve With Banana Bread
You can serve this banana bread as is or spread it with vegan butter, praline paste, or peanut butter. It’s also delicious for breakfast, served with almond yogurt and fresh berries!
📔 Tips
- Use good, ripe bananas. The type of bananas you use will significantly affect the final flavor of your bread. Stay away from cheap and flavorless bananas. You also want to use spotty, almost too-ripe bananas, which will bring extra sweetness.
- Use the gram measurements. Cup metrics can be inaccurate, and not all bananas weigh the same. Hence, I highly recommend measuring all of your ingredients on a scale.
- Do not overmix. Stop mixing as soon as the liquid ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients. Overmixing would develop the gluten and give you a chewier crumb.
- Let cool completely before enjoying. Straight from the oven, the bread will be very soft. Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
💬 FAQ
I do not recommend omitting or substituting the oil, as it would completely change its texture.
I haven’t tried it yet, but I think a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix will work.
Yes, to do so: fill each muffin pan cavity to the 3/4 and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Store this banana bread at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap.
It will remain moist and tender for up to 5 days. After that, it tends to become a bit dryer.
I hope you will love this classic vegan banana bread recipe. We have been making it over and over lately! It’s super easy and quick, and everyone loves it, from kids to grandparents!
Looking for a chocolate version? Check out our Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread!
🥞 More Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes
⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
The Best Vegan Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F (165°C) and line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Blend the bananas. Peel and transfer the bananas to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can mash the bananas in a plate using a fork.
- Pour in the liquid ingredients. Add the mashed bananas, oil, and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
- Mix. Using a spoon or spatula, mix the liquid ingredients with the dry ones until combined. Do not overmix, or it might yield a chewier texture.
- Pour in the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. At this point, you can decorate it with chocolate chips, nuts, or sliced bananas.
- Bake. Finally, bake the bread for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
- This banana bread will keep for up to 4 days stored at room temperature. Keep it covered with plastic wrap to preserve its moisture.
Notes
- Use good, ripe bananas. The type of bananas you use will significantly affect the final flavor of your bread. Stay away from cheap and flavorless bananas. You also want to use spotty, almost too-ripe bananas, which will bring extra sweetness.
- Use the gram measurements. Cup metrics can be inaccurate, and not all bananas weigh the same. Hence, I highly recommend measuring all of your ingredients on a scale.
- Do not overmix. Stop mixing as soon as the liquid ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients. Overmixing would develop the gluten and give you a chewier crumb.
- Let cool completely before enjoying. Straight from the oven, the bread will be very soft. Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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An amazing recipe Thomas. Thank you for sharing !
You are welcome Tommy!