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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Oct 25, 2021 by Katie

    5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread (Healthy + Easy)

    Jump to Recipe Jump To Step-by-Step Photos Jump to Video

    This amazingly wholesome 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread is super quick and easy to make. It’s refined sugar-free and healthier than most regular recipes (no butter involved!). Topped with some Homemade Almond Butter and alongside a cup of Oat Milk Hot Chocolate, it makes the perfect breakfast or healthy sweet treat.

    5 ingredient vegan banana bread loaf with a knife and 2 slices of it next to it.

    For more banana recipes see Vegan Banana Cookies, Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients & Substitution Notes
    • How To Make 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread
    • Optional Add-Ins
    • FAQs
    • Other Recipes To Try
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Similar to our Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread it's super moist and delicious.
    • It’s a super simple 1-bowl recipe!
    • It consists of only 5 basic ingredients!
    • It’s dairy-free, nut-free and contains no butter.

    Ingredients & Substitution Notes

    all ingredients needed to make banana bread.
    • Flour: I used white all-purpose flour for this recipe. You could also use gluten-free flour instead but this will result in a quite different texture. For best results I would recommend sticking to regular flour.
    • Mashed Banana: Bananas not only add taste and texture but also sweetness to this recipe. So I highly recommend using very ripe ones. Look for bananas with lots of brown spots on the skins.
    • Maple Syrup: This recipe is refined sugar free and uses maple syrup as a sweetener. You could use any liquid sweetener of your choice (agave syrup, brown rice syrup, date syrup…). Don’t replace it with crystal sweeteners such as brown sugar or coconut sugar.
    • Olive Oil: I used olive oil in this recipe because it’s much healthier than coconut oil or even vegan butter. Don’t be afraid, you don’t taste it in this recipe! Technically, you could use any neutral flavoured oil though such as melted coconut oil or sunflower oil.
    • Baking Powder: Is your rising agent, don’t omit!

    How To Make 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread

    Because of its minimal ingredients, this easy banana bread comes together in no time!

    Step 1: Mash bananas + mix wet ingredients.

    In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork. It’s important to really measure the required amount of banana puree using a measuring cup for the recipe to turn out perfect.

    Next mix together the mashed bananas, maple syrup and olive oil. I recommend using a whisk.

    mashed banana and maple syrup in a mixing bowl.
    mashed banana and maple syrup in a mixing bowl, whisked together.

    Step 2: Add dry ingredients.

    Then add baking powder and flour and stir until well combined. Stop whisking as soon as you end up with a homogenous batter, don’t overstir or you might end up with a dense texture!

    wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
    wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisked together.

    Step 3: Bake.

    Transfer your batter to a loaf tin lined with parchment paper. My tin size was 20 x 10cm/ 8x4 inch.

    Bake in preheated oven (180°C (350°F)) for 50 – 55 minutes or until a skewer/ toothpick inserted into the centre of the banana bread comes out clean. Bake time might vary slightly depending on your oven.  

    bread tin lined with parchment paper.
    banana bread in a cake tin ready to be put in the oven.

    Step 4: Let cool.

    Take the bread out of the oven. Let it sit in the loaf pan for 5 more minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing it!

    Optional Add-Ins

    • Nuts: I love adding some walnuts or pecans to this recipe. They add some additional texture as well as nutrients!
    • Seeds: if you would want the recipe to be nut-free, seeds such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would make a great addition.
    • Vanilla Extract: Would add some nice subtle vanilla flavour- feel free to add some!
    • Chocolate Chips: Who doesn’t like the combination of chocolate and banana? Throw in some chocolate chips for some additional chocolaty flavour.
    • Dried Fruits: You could chop up some dates or add raisins, dried cranberries or any dried fruit of choice.
    • Cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to add more festive flavours!

    overhead view of vegan banana bread, one slice next to it.

    FAQs

    Is vegan banana bread healthy?

    This depends on the recipe. This specific 5-ingredient vegan banana bread recipe is refined sugar free and uses olive oil instead of butter or coconut oil. While coconut oil and butter contain mostly saturated fat (the kind of fat we would want to reduce in our diet), olive oil contains mostly polyunsaturated an also monounsaturated fats.

    Can I make this banana bread oil-free?

    No, this recipe requires oil to work and achieve the desired taste. Adding oil results in a delicious moist bread.

    Can I make this bread gluten-free?

    I image you could use the same amount of gluten-free flour instead of regular white flour but I haven’t tried it. The bread’s texture might be different though!  

    How to store vegan banana bread?

    Store your leftover banana bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Can I freeze vegan banana bread?

    Yes, either sliced or the whole load can be put in the freezer. Let thaw overnight at room temperature.

    banana bread on a wooden board, hand cutting a slice off.

    Other Recipes To Try

    • Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread
    • Oat Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte
    • Applesauce Oatmeal
    • Pear Pancakes
    • Vegan Salted Caramel Chia Pudding
    • Simple 3-Ingredient Crepes

    📖 Recipe

    5 ingredient vegan banana bread loaf with a knife and 2 slices of it next to it.

    5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread

    This 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread requires only a couple of simple ingredients. It’s nut-free, refined sugar-free and makes the most delicious treat.
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: dairy-free, vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Bake Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 12 slices
    Author: Katie
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 
     

    • 1 ½ cups white all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup maple syrup *or other liquid sweetener of choice
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 ⅓ cup mashed bananas (~3-4 bananas) *see notes

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
    • Line a loaf pan (20 x 10cm/ 8x4 inch) with parchment paper.
    • Mash the bananas in a soup bowl using a fork. Transfer mashed bananas to a measuring cup and measure the exact amount. Or use a kitchen scale.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, maple syrup and olive oil until well combined.
    • Add flour and baking powder and gently stir until just combined. Do not overmix or you might end up with a very dense bread.
    • Now would be the time to include some additional add ins of your choice (optional).
    • Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 min in the centre rack or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre of the banana bread comes out clean.
    • If your bread is starting to look brown towards the end of baking time, cover with foil.
    • Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5 min. Then transfer the bread to a cooling rack.
    • Let cool completely (~1 hour) before slicing it.
    • Enjoy your slice of banana bread with some Homemade Almond Butter and a cup of Oat Milk Hot Chocolate.
    Pssst...You can find detailed step-by step-photos right above this recipe card

    Video

    Notes

    • Bananas: Try to use overripe bananas with lots of brown spots. They are sweeter and easier to work with.
    • Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Keeps for up to 4 days. You could also freeze it and let thaw the day before at room temperature.
    • Additional Add-Ins to try:
      • vanilla extract
      • cinnamon
      • nuts & seeds
      • chocolate chips
      • dried fruits

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a rating and comment telling us how you liked it! Or tag @wholefoodsoulfood__kitchen on Instagram so we can admire your creations!

    More Breakfast

    • Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk
    • Millet Porridge
    • Chia Pudding With Almond Milk
    • French Press Cold Brew

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    katie author of WSK

    Hi, I'm Katie and I am the face behind this website. Click here to learn more about me and my passion for (healthy) food and photography.

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