The best banana bread ever, and it's vegan! Perfectly sweet, moist, and topped with a brown sugar crust, this delicious banana bread is super easy to make and customizable with your favorite stir-ins.
My family has the best banana bread recipe. Ever. I hate to brag, but it's true. Back when I was young and learning to cook, I tried out some banana bread recipes that were decent, before my mom took me aside, handed me a recipe card and informed me that it was the only banana bread recipe I'd ever need, because it was the best!
Jump to:
Well, she was wrong about at least one thing, because I guess she didn't know that a time would come when I'd need a vegan banana bread recipe. But that's not a big deal, because creating a vegan version of the old family favorite recipe was no biggie!
Oh, and well, maybe she was wrong about it being the best, because, in fact, this vegan recipe is actually better.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Overripe bananas. Your bananas absolutely need to be overripe. This means LOTS of brown spots. Preferably almost as much brown peel as yellow. Check out the photo below to get an idea of what this looks like. Using bananas that aren't ripe enough will not only affect the banana flavor of your bread, but it will give it a dry, chewy texture.
- Sugars. We're using granulated white and brown sugar, and you'll want to make sure both are organic in order to keep the recipe vegan. Coconut sugar can be substituted for brown sugar if you'd like.
- Canola oil. Feel free to substitute another baking oil, like vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or even olive oil. I don't recommend using vegan butter in this particular recipe.
- Vanilla extract.
- Flour. The recipe calls for all-purpose wheat flour, which is the only type I've tested it with. I've had a few readers that had success with various gluten-free flours, though. Check out the comments below the recipe to read about their results. I suspect that whole wheat pastry flour or a mix of white and whole wheat flour would also work.
- Baking soda.
- Cinnamon. You can leave this out if you insist, but it adds a wonderful flavor to the loaf.
- Salt.
- Walnuts. You're welcome to substitute another type of nut such as pecans or hazelnuts, or use your favorite banana bread stir-in, such as chocolate chips.
Tip: If you have overripe bananas but aren't ready to make banana bread, just freeze them! Peel them, seal them up in freezer bags, then thaw when you're ready to bake
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
The great thing about veganizing banana bread is that you don't have to fuss over figuring out the right egg substitute. Bananas do the job! I use bananas as vegan egg substitutes in all kinds of baked goods, but when it comes to banana bread, they're already an integral part of the recipe.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Oil a loaf pan, then cut a sheet of parchment paper to about half the length of your pan. Line the pan with the parchment paper as shown in the photo above. You'll use that little bit of overhang to lift your banana bread from the pan when it's ready.
Step 3: Peel and place your bananas into a large mixing bowl, then use a fork or potato masher to mash them up. Get the mixture relatively smooth, but don't break a sweat! In fact, leave a few little chunks if you like. Personally, I think little chunks are part of the charm of homemade banana bread.
Step 4: Add sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla to the bowl, then stir everything up.
Step 5: Add your flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the other dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients — baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Tip: Wondering why we sprinkle the other dry ingredients on top of the flour? That's how we keep this as a one-bowl recipe! This method helps to ensure that everything gets mixed in evenly, without you having to combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Step 6: Stir the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Don't overdo it!
Step 7: Now, gently fold in the walnuts. The batter will be very thick.
Tip: Stir your batter just until the ingredients are combined. Mixing too much will overdevelop the gluten, making your vegan banana bread tough. This rule applies with pretty much all wheat flour-based muffins and quick breads.
Step 8: Pour the batter into your loaf pan and smooth it on top.
Step 9: Sprinkle some brown sugar over the top of your unbaked loaf. I like to gently press it in a bit with my hands.
Step 10: Pop the pan into the oven and bake your vegan banana bread until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 11: Let your loaf cool for at least 15 minutes. At this point you have the option of removing it from the pan. Use the extra parchment paper hanging over the sides to pull it out.
Tip: As with all baked goods recipes, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin baking.
Step 12: Once your vegan banana bread has cooled completely, go ahead and slice it up. Dig in!
If you love this recipe and have more overripe bananas to use up, try my vegan banana waffles, vegan French toast casserole, vegan banana cake, or vegan banana pancakes!
Variations
- Chocolate chip banana bread. Instead of walnuts, add a cup of vegan chocolate chips to the batter. And if you're a chocolate lover, make sure to check out my vegan chocolate banana bread recipe as well!
- Switch up the nuts. Replace the chopped walnuts with pecans, almonds, or peanuts.
- Spiced banana bread. Include some additional warming spices, such as cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. You can increase the amount of ground cinnamon as well!
- Garnish with an extra banana. Cut a banana in half, lengthwise, then place the halves over your loaf before baking, cut sides up. Gently press them in. I recommend skipping the brown sugar topping if you go with this option.
Leftovers & Storage
Store your leftover vegan banana bread in it's original loaf pan, tightly covered in plastic wrap. It will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for about 1 week.
You can also seal the loaf up in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
You can optionally warm the individual slices in the microwave or oven heated to 350°F for a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually old baking soda is the culprit. Test yours by sprinkling it in some vinegar. It should fizz. If not, toss and replace it.
They're not necessary! Bananas serve the same function.
Use my vegan banana muffins recipe! I've made all the necessary adjustments for you.
When I created this recipe, I used overripe bananas weighing about five ounces each. This includes the peel and everything. Having said that, the recipe is forgiving, and unless you rarely buy bananas, you should be fine to simply use what look like medium-sized bananas to you.
More Vegan Quick Breads
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
The Best Vegan Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium overripe bananas (Notes 1 and 2)
- ⅓ cup organic granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup organic brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil (or your favorite baking oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt (Note 3)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans, vegan chocolate chips, or your favorite banana bread stir-in)
For Topping
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and arrange a strip of parchment paper width-wise along the center, with just a bit hanging out over each side.
- Peel the bananas and place them into a large mixing bowl. Mash them well with a fork or potato masher.
- Add sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla to the bowl. Stir until well-mixed.
- Add the flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon and salt on top of the flour.
- Stir everything together just until mixed. Don't overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the top with brown sugar.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow the loaf to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let it cool completely before slicing.
- Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure at least a third of your banana peel is brown, and preferably closer to half. Bananas that aren't ripe enough will negatively affect the flavor and texture of this recipe.
- You should be able to eyeball your bananas to find a medium one, but if you're in doubt, go for ones that weigh about 5 ounces (with the peel).
- While the majority of commenters on this recipe have loved it, I've also heard from a few people who found it to be too salty. I think the amount of salt is perfect, but if you tend to be sensitive to saltiness, try using only ½ teaspoon of salt the first time you make it.
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I was wondering what kind of adjustments I need to make for high-altitude baking. I usually use Hungarian flour but because everything is locked down Hungarian flour is sold out. So what kind of adjustments do I need to make for high altitude baking with this recipe?
I'm afraid I'll have to guess because I'm not able to test my recipes at high altitude. Based on what I know about high altitude baking, I'm thinking you should add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water to the batter, and increase the baking temperature to 375°F. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try!
Great and easy recipe! Thank you for sharing. I added apple cider vinegar. It was delicious .
My bananas seemed it a bit on the small side, so I added a cup of applesauce. I used a mixture of walnuts and pecans. I love cinnamon, so I sprinkled a mixture of cinnamon and sugar on top. It is the yummiest banana bread ever. I had it for brunch with a bit of salty vegan butter on top. I hope no one in my household likes it so that there would be more for me! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! Do you think I could substitute the sugar with monk fruit sweetener?
I'm so glad you like it! I haven't tried making this with any alternative sweeteners, but I think you should be fine with granulated monk fruit sweetener. I'm not so sure about the liquid kind though. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try!
Tried making this and the whole thing was uncooked in the middle. Will try without the parchment paper next time!
Delicious, non-vegans in the family found this addictive as well! Thank you
This was delicious! I added mini chocolate chips and used coconut sugar. I’m trying to refrain from eating more:)
Is it possible to sub out the all purpose flour for something along the lines of almond flour? Coconut Flour? etc?
Probably not, at least without changing some of the other ingredients/amounts. Almond and coconut flours don't typically work as substitutes for all-purpose. You could try a gluten-free all purpose blend, but I think anything else would be risky.
Can I make this in a cast iron? I don’t have a bread tin sadly
I don't see why not! I'm not sure if that will affect the bake time though, so I'd keep a close eye on it.
Wow! This recipe is so good! I didn't have a problem with dryness because I used 4 smallish bananas instead of 3 medium and I put them in the oven at 350 until they turned black. I also chopped up a vegan chocolate bar which was about 2/3 cup and I think that was just enough.
This is amazing, so easy and delicious. I sliced a piece of the banana and placed it on top before baking, it was so pretty and delicious with the sugar caramelizing on top of it. thanks!!!!
Have been searching for the perfect vegan banana bread recipe and this is it! I used coconut oil and swapped 1/2 cup flour for 1/2 cup rolled oats and sprinkled some coconut flakes on top - delicious! Thank you!
I made this recipe using the peanut butter idea for the oil and it was great! My husband snarfed it up! Thank you so much!
I made this with safflower oil because I do not use canola oil. This was so delicious! My husband loved it and he is not vegan. I never tell him when something is vegan until after he has had it and loved it. (Teehee)
I just made this bread this morning, and it was delicious! I also made it with King Arthur gluten free flour and it still came out just like the banana bread we all know and love. I used vegan mini chocolate chips, but I would note to decrease the amount from 1 cup to 1/2 or 3/4...as the banana flavor was over powered, so it tasted more like chocolate with a hint of banana rather than the reverse.
Overall, GREAT recipe and I'm so happy that I can still make delicious treats for my family on Sunday mornings while adhering to my gluten and dairy-free diet. Thank you so much for posting such an easy and yummy recipe!
We had three very ripe bananas which we didn't want to throw away, so this recipe is perfect for helping us use up the scraps of our baking supplies! Since I didn't have any pecans/walnuts around, so I stirred in some cocoa nibs and also sprinkled some chia seeds and hazelnuts on top of the batter before it goes into the oven.
Unfortunately, I made the rookie mistake of forgetting to combine the sugars and vanilla extract liquids INTO the banana mixture, as I added the flour into the mixing bowl first. It was difficult to combine as a result, but I added a few tablespoons of oat milk to keep the batter going (without overmixing too much). The result was still very good, even though there were a few spots of flour which weren't mixed in properly.
Will have to try again, this time actually reading the instructions properly!
I substituted applesauce for oil and it turned out absolutely delish! It did have one issue though that I need to address and I could use some input from more seasoned bakers. The side and bottom crusts were tough and chewy. I didn’t think I over mixed the batter. The loaf was a deep golden brown and the toothpick came out bone dry when I pulled it from the oven, so I wondered if I maybe over cooked it. Any thoughts as to potential causes? Otherwise, great recipe!
Looking forward to making this, but at some point, could you update the recipe with a weight for the bananas (unpeeled)? It makes a big difference how big your bananas are, I would imagine and 'medium' is in the eye of the beholder (or maybe the mouth)? Thanks so much!
They should be around 5 ounce each. :)
This is my current go-to recipe for something quick, easy and delicious for the family at the weekend. Thank you xx
I give it five stars
Great recipe ! the kids loved it. Thank You.
Third time making this awesome banana bread. Last time I added peanut butter as one of my bananas was small. It was a hit! This time I have added 1/2 cup each vegan chocolate chips and walnuts. My son and husband love this bread even though they are not vegan.Thank you for the great recipe.
I've made this now several times and each time it's perfect! Absolutely delicious. I add the walnuts and chocolate chips and it's so good no-one you;d know it's vegan. Best I've ever had. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Just wanted to say I'm new to baking, and I'm so grateful for your delicious and easy to follow recipe. This banana bread is awesome, and so are you and your website!
Very good recipe! Thanks :)
I made gluten free muffins using this recipe! Subbed King Arthur measure for measure gluten free flour and added some chocolate chips and bam! Perfect for satisfying all the dietary restrictions of my team WITHOUT compromising ANY flavor!
This was soooo delicious-- I intend to use this recipe every time I want to make banana bread. It has a nice crunchy crust on the outside, while being moist and tender on the inside. The recipe was super easy to follow (yay to one bowl recipes) and turned out perfect both times I made it.
Just made this and it was awesome! I added chocolate chips but otherwise made the recipe exactly as is. It's really good having a recipe that doesn't require an egg substitute. Thank you!
This looks delicious, I can't wait to try it! I was wondering - do you have a recommendation on what I could replace the oil with? Perhaps apple sauce? I'm trying to cook oil-free and I'm finding it challenging! Thanks!
You could try applesauce. I haven't tried the recipe with it myself, but I've heard from others who say it worked!
Great recipe! I substituted applesauce for sugar and some coconut sugar. I also added dates, pumpkin seeds and craisons.
My new go-to banana bread recipe! I add chocolate chips instead of the nuts and double up on baking powder because I don't have baking soda and it comes out perfect!!! Made it 3 times in the past 3 weeks, love it so much.
I’m excited to make this, however I was wondering what temperature and time should I bake this for in muffin tins?
I'd bake them at 350 for about 20 minutes, or you could just follow my vegan banana muffins recipe: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-banana-chocolate-chip-walnut-muffins/ Enjoy!
I reckon I’ll swap the granulated sugar with maple syrup or brown rice syrup next time to make it truly vegan :)
You can just use organic sugar - it's not processed with animal bones like regular sugar. :)
I’m happy to report that this recipe works beautifully with gluten-free flour (I’m based in Australia & used the White Wings brand of GF plain flour). I added honey instead of granulated sugar to compensate for any extra dryness & added chopped, dried dates at the liquid stage to plump them up a little. I forgot the vanilla & brown sugar crust but no matter — it still turned out great. Thank you, Alissa!
Glad you enjoyed it!!
I made this gluten free using Bob's red mill. My bananas weren't over ripe so I figured it wouldnt be as banana-y. However after trying the finished product it tastes like salt. I even put less than it called for. What could have gone wrong?
You definitely need to use overripe bananas - otherwise they'll be too starchy and the texture will be all wrong. I could also be the flour - I haven't tested this with any gluten-free varieties so I can't say for sure if they work or not.
The issue was definitely the bananas not being ripe enough. I use Bobs red mill exclusively for all my gf baking and it works perfectly. I am a professional baker.
This is outstanding! The brown sugar on top is a great idea. This will be my go-to banana bread recipe from now on.
So happy to hear that! Thanks Lorraine!
While granulated sugar is typically not vegan because it is bone-bleached, this recipe is killer! I like to add a teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper for a hot finish!
Oh great idea! Cayenne pepper sounds like a delicious addition! Glad you like it. You can use organic sugar to keep this vegan - it's processed without animal bones. :)
Do you know if it would work with Spelt flour?
It should! I've used spelt flour in similar recipes with no problem.
This a great recipe. However, I found it hard to know when the bread was done. I baked it in a heavy, shiny, grey nonstick pan. The first time, I pulled it out at 45 minutes, and it was too dry. The second time I tried the recipe, I pulled it out at 35 minutes due to the toothpick coming out clean, but it was a little doughy in the middle. Other than that, it was delicious and easy to bake. I put a note on my copy of your recipe to bake at least 40 minutes and maybe longer, but not 50. (I use an oven thermometer to make sure oven is actually 350°.)
Before baking, I poured in half the dough without nuts, then the other half after mixing in 1/2 cup chopped nuts, as we are a mixed household. It was perfect.
I shared my photo on the Vegan Baking page on Facebook with a link to your page.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the share!
Can I make it gluten free?
You could try substituting an all-purpose gluten-free blend. I haven't tried though, so no promises!
I made this recipe tonight using gluten free all purpose flour. It came out perfect!
I made this yesterday, and it was not just my first time making banana bread, but my first time making any kind of bread. It came out perfect, and everyone loved it! I added pecans and vegan chocolate chips and it was so good.
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Ashleigh!
So delish!!! My third time making this recipe. My only issue is that is that the batter is always SO thick to the point where ingredients don’t mix evenly at all. So I’ve always had to add a good amount of liquid (usually some oat milk creamer or almond milk) to get it all to blend. So strange. I wonder What the heck im doing wrong! Other than that it’s always a success! Got one in the oven now. Thanks for sharing!
I'm glad you like it! Banana bread batter is very thick, and will usually be a bit lumpy, so you might not be doing anything wrong at all. :)
Happy Holidays Alissa,
I would like to use some whole wheat flour.
What ratio of white & wheat flour do you suggest?
Can’t wait to try making it this week!
I'd try half and half! I'd love to hear how it turns out!
I really hope this works out for me! It's baking in the oven right now and I'm bringing it to an office breakfast potluck tomorrow morning. I have vegan coworkers so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'll report back tomorrow when I get to taste it!
Best coworker ever award goes to you! How sweet you are to make something vegan for them 💜
I think that it amazing that you made a vegan option in consideration of your coworkers. As the only vegan at an office that does lots of "food" days, I am often left with a salad or some veggies to dip or some crackers. It is so great that you are so thoughtful.
~Steff
I substituted the white flour for bran to make it more healthy but the mixture ended up so dry it was like cookie dough. I added a lot more oil which made zero difference. I was unsure about adding milk to get it to be a little more runny since no mention was made of milk in the ingredients I didn't want to mess up the recipe completely. Its now in the oven.i have very little faith it will be edible. It's my first attempt at vegan baking. My daughter is a vegan so I wanted to make something for her to enjoy as well.
.
Sorry to hear that! I wouldn't recommend substituting all of the flour with bran. You could experiment with replacing just a portion of the flour with bran - try 20% to start, but there's never a guarantee that the recipe will turn out well.
first time making something vegan! The bananabread looks beautiful, I think it's just a bit dry. I'm thinking I may have overmixed the batter a bit? It may be more moist towards the middle of the loaf as I ate an end piece this morning. Any tips to make the bread more moist, it may just be my inexperience though... Also did a mix of chopped pistachios and walnuts and sprinkled a bit on top with the brownsugar and it make a beautiful little topping crust. Great flavor, I had a lot of fun in the kitchen last night!!
Glad you had fun! Usually if it's too dry it's a result of the bananas not being ripe enough (they need to be super soft with lots of brown spots) or mismeasuring somewhere. Could it have been either of those things?
This is great! Thanks!
Glad you like it!
I made this as the vegan option to replace the scone at my chorus's Jingle Bell Tea. I got rave reviews and requests for the recipe, so thank you!!
I made a couple of modifications - In addition to the cinnamon, I added 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to make it have a more spice cake flavor and added 1 apple cored and diced (peel on) since the scones were cranberry orange so wanted a fruit mix-in as well.
So moist and delicious!
That sounds like a delicious variation! I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks Joy!
Could I trouble you to provide a weight for the amount of banana used?
I'm afraid I don't have a medium sized banana on hand at the moment, but according to healthline it should weigh about 118 grams.
Making this today! Does that weight include the peel?
It does. Enjoy! :)
Hello, I didn’t make this bread yet, but my question: can you freeze it? Thank you!
Yup! It freezes great!
This recipe was awesome and ridiculously easy. I only had frozen bananas and was too lazy to wait for them to completely defrost, so they were still a little frozen in some spots which may have reduced some moisture in the bread. I also cut a bit of the oil out (did about 3/4 the amount) and added a bit of almond milk because the mix was understandably a lot thicker than yours. I added chopped cashews and subbed maple syrup for vanilla extract (didn’t have any). It still came out perfect. Absolutely fool proof and so easy with minimal dish clean up...my favorite kind of recipe!
Yay! Great modifications and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I used baking powder instead of baking soda by mistake but it turned out great!?!!???
Also, I want to try again using almond flour to make it gluten free. Should I make any other changes? Thank you.
Glad it worked out! Be careful with the almond flour - you can't normally sub it directly for wheat flour. You'll probably need to mix it with some other type of flour (because almond flour is very heavy), but I'm not an expert on almond flour so I'm really not sure what would work. I'm thinking oat, but can't be sure without trying.
Hi, Alissa...
I plan to make your recipe today but want to know if I can substitute coconut sugar for granulated sugar?
Please advise.
Deborah
Hi Deborah! Coconut sugar should work just fine. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Alissa!
I dont have parchment paper...i have an aluminum foil baking pan...can I just grease the pan with coconut oil??
Im making your recipe today it looks so good! I made some adaptations of my own and cant wait to try it!!
That should work just fine! I mainly prefer parchment because it makes it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan, but you can certainly grease it.
I made this tonight! It turned out pretty well, but I did use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil. I added coconut flakes and a pinch of cloves while doubling the cinnamon. I followed the cooking directions, but did notice the outer layer of the bread was a bit overdone and a bit chewy, while the inside was perfect. Maybe a TAD dry. I may add a little more applesauce next time and bake for 5 minutes less to solve the problem, but it is VERY tasty! And honestly.. I don't mind a well done chewy crust, but I"m weird like that. HA!