This easy vegan banana bread is the best ever! It’s moist, packed with flavor and comes out perfectly every time. Made with simple, easy to find ingredients, this is truly the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need.
This vegan banana bread is our classic, tried and tested recipe and it truly comes out perfectly every time.
Something that I truly love about baking banana bread is how good the house smells! Cinnamon and banana and caramelized sugar all mixed in with the smell of baking bread. Mmmmm!
And there’s nothing quite like a slice of banana bread served freshly baked and warm from the oven.
And if you love baking quick breads then also check out our recipes for vegan pumpkin bread and vegan zucchini bread.
What You Need To Make It:
Ingredient Notes
- Ripe spotty bananas: Ripe and spotty bananas are crucial because they are packed with natural sugars.
- Coconut Oil: This can be swapped for vegan butter (in the same quantity) or you can use applesauce instead for an oil-free version.
- Soy Milk: You can use soy milk as we did, or swap it for any other non-dairy milk.
- Walnuts: These are entirely optional. You can omit them or swap them out for a different nut such as pecans. Or replace them with chocolate chips.
How To Make Vegan Banana Bread
Full instructions and measurements can always be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a summary of the process.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add white and brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix together.
- Measure the correct amount of banana and add it to your blender along with soy milk and coconut oil and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended mix over your dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix it into a smooth batter.
- Add chopped walnuts (optional) and fold in.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared 9×5 loaf pan and smooth down. Add a few more chopped walnuts on top and place into the oven to bake.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
Mash or blend. We love blending up the banana, coconut oil and non-dairy milk in this recipe as it results in a very smooth batter and even distribution of that banana flavor. However, if you prefer not to get your blender involved, you can simply melt the coconut oil, mash it in with your banana and add to the mixing bowl along with the non-dairy milk.
Measure the banana correctly. If you have a food scale, then you can just weigh the peeled banana to get the correct amount. If you don’t have a scale then the best way to measure would be to mash the banana and measure it out in cups. This recipe uses 1 and ½ cups mashed banana or 337g.
Spoon and level the flour. The correct way to measure flour is to use the spoon and level method, which is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup. Alternatively, weigh it on a food scale.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the wet ingredients in with the dry you just want to mix it until just mixed. Don’t over-mix the batter or the texture and/or rise of your loaf may be impacted.
Recipe Q&A
With some small adjustments this works great for gluten-free, check out our vegan gluten free banana bread recipe.
Yes you can. Simply replace the coconut oil with applesauce (in the same quantity) for an oil-free version.
Yes! We’re mad about the muffins. Check out our recipes for vegan banana muffins and vegan chocolate chip banana muffins.
Store it covered at room temperature where it will stay good for a few (3-4) days. If you want it to last longer, then keep it covered in the fridge where it will last for up to a week.
Yes you can. It’s freezer friendly for up to 2 months. When you’re ready for it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Vegan Banana Recipes
- Vegan Banana Pancakes
- Vegan Banana Cake
- Vegan Banana Cookies
- Vegan Banana Ice Cream
- Vegan Banoffee Pie
- Vegan Banana Cream Pie
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (250g)
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar (100g)
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar (100g)
- 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups Mashed Ripe Banana (or 337g peeled weight)*
- ½ cup Soy Milk (120ml) or other non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil (55g) or Vegan Butter*
- 1 cup Walnuts (100g) Chopped, plus more to place on top before baking)*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add white and brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix together.
- Measure the correct amount of banana and add it to your blender jug along with the soy milk and coconut oil (or vegan butter) and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended mix over your dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix it into a smooth batter.
- Add chopped walnuts (optional) and fold in.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared 9×5 loaf pan and smooth down. Add a few more chopped walnuts on top and place into the oven to bake.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Spoon and level the flour. The correct way to measure flour is to use the spoon and level method, which is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup. Alternatively, weigh it on a food scale.
- Measure the banana correctly. If you have a food scale, then you can just weigh the peeled banana to get the correct amount. If you don’t have a scale then the best way to measure would be to mash the banana and measure it out in cups. This recipe uses 1 and ½ cups mashed banana or 337g.
- Mash or blend. We love blending up the banana, coconut oil and non-dairy milk in this recipe as it results in a very smooth batter and even distribution of that banana flavor. However, if you prefer not to get your blender involved, you can simply melt the coconut oil, mash it in with your banana and add to the mixing bowl along with the non-dairy milk.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the wet ingredients in with the dry you just want to mix it until just mixed. Don’t over-mix the batter or the texture and/or rise of your loaf may be impacted.
- Make it oil-free: If you’d like this banana bread to be oil-free then you can replace the coconut oil with applesauce in the same quantity (¼ cup).
- Make it gluten-free: For a gluten-free version of this recipe, please see our recipe for gluten-free banana bread.
- Storing and Freezing: Store it covered at room temperature where it will stay good for a few (3-4) days. If you want it to last longer, then keep it covered in the fridge where it will last for up to a week. It’s freezer friendly for up to 2 months. When you’re ready for it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
- This recipe was first published in September 2015. It has been updated with new photos and lots more tips. The recipe itself has also been very slightly updated. The original recipe used a flax egg, we have updated the recipe to use more banana so a flax egg is not required.
This really is the best vegan banana bread. Light and fluffy. I have tried many and whilst tasty they tend to be dense and stodgy, this recipe is not. Thank you.
Thanks so much Lucy!
Just made this recipe and used it for muffins! It made 15 muffins in total. Blending was the way to go over mashing the banana, made it easier to not over mix as well. I used avocado oil instead of coconut (mostly because we didn’t have any), and added a sprinkle of nutmeg and mini vegan chocolate chips. Baked for 22 minutes in 350 degree oven, they turned out wonderful!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing Bridget!
Another great recipe from this site! Brilliant to have a banana bread recipe with minimal fuss and ingredients. I used this mixture in muffin cases and added dark chocolate chunks which worked well. The baked cakes stuck quite a bit to the cake cases (still tasted great!), not sure if there’s anything I could try to stop that but obviously the recipe isn’t technically for individual cakes.
Hi Maria, so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I’m not sure why they stuck though, it could be the muffin liners themselves.
I substituted oat milk and apple sauce, but no matter how long I baked it, there was still a bottom 1/4 or so that was undercooked. It also deflated a bit as it cooled. I was using a glass pyrex baking dish with parchment paper. The outside browned nicely, and the top 3/4 is good. Should I place the dish lower in the oven (I was baking at middle height), or do I need a different pan?
Hi there, glass can have an impact and generally requires a longer baking time. I would also check your oven temperature to make sure the oven isn’t running a bit cold (an oven thermometer is very affordable and a great kitchen tool to have). Also did you blend your bananas, applesauce and oat milk? It’s not an essential step BUT it does help to distribute it more evenly in the batter so it also does help to avoid any uneven baking.
Thank you for the reply. I blended using a stand mixer instead of a blender. I’ll try the blender next time. I have two oven thermometers (each to check the other), so I’m pretty sure about the temperature, but perhaps it’s time I try a metal pan. Very happy to have banana bread that’s lower in saturated fat!
Are you at high altitude? I had similar issues at 5000 ft in the high desert. Did some googling, reduced baking powder a bit, and baking time is 10 to 15 min. longer. in a glass loaf pan.
I really appreciate the scale weights for the ingredients. I followed this recipe exactly and it came out perfectly. You’re helping a non-cook gain some cooking confidence over here!
So happy to hear that Janelle! Thanks for the awesome review!
Sorry forgot the rating….
Thanks so much Priya!
This is the best banana bread recipe……was amazzzing!! Thank you for the recipe!! <3
Loved it, so good and easy! Thanks so much, perfect to use up ripe bananas 🙂
Thanks for the great review Sonya!
Finally! Not only did Alison make sure to indicate alternatives, but she hit on a great recipe! Even though I forgot to reduce the baking time for my convection oven which made the crust harder (and a bit burnt on top), it was still delicious! Note: I replaced the coconut oil with applesauce, reduced the salt content to half, and replaced the walnuts with a bar of chocolate buried under 2/3 of the batter. Worked great!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Glenn!
Guess what? I loved it so much, and wanted to see what it tasted like without being overbaked, that I made TWO loaves today (less than 24 hours later!)! So, the dryer one yesterday had a more satisfying flavor, but this one was all about soft love (and chocolate!!!) and still tasted really good! 🙂 It is now our favorite recipe for banana bread! If I can remember the freezing part, I’ll try the banana-coffee (bananoffee?) bread! 🙂 One note: eating it with that chocolate bar baked in (not touching the sides!) late in the day, if you are caffeine sensitive, is NOT the way to have a good night’s sleep! 😉 LOL! Thanks, Alison!
Drier. Eye kan spel. Reely!
LOL!
Hahaha, thanks so much for the awesome comment and review Glenn!
It was delicious. Only added a few dark chocolate chunks in the batter & coconut flakes on the top. The former for my son & the latter for myself. I will use this recipe again. Content with the texture, appearance & taste. 👌🏾
Hi! I’ve made this a few times and it’s delicious.
For the nutritional information- how many slices did you get out of your bread so I know how much counts as a serving?😄
Hi Marlouise, I have updated it to make it more clear! It’s based on getting 10 thick slices out of the loaf. Of course you may get more if you cut thinner slices. 🙂
Just made this recipe! It’s fantastic!! I was really careful with the measurements which I normally don’t do but that’s because I normally don’t bake but it was really helpful that you included the proper way to measure flour, I for sure would have just scooped it out! I used a paper bag trimmed to fit in the bottom of the loaf pan because I don’t have parchment paper and it worked great! No sticking to the pan or the bread and very easy to remove. I also just greased the loaf pan with coconut oil before putting the paper bag liner in and pouring the batter in on top. I cooked it for an extra 10 mins because there was a lot of raw batter on my knife when I checked it 10 mins before it was supposed to be done. The top was getting pretty dark so I used the lid from a roasting pan to protect the top of the loaf from burning. Seems to have worked well! Thank you so much!! My first vegan baking project turned out delicious! I’m going to make the pumpkin one now while the oven is still hot!
So happy it came out great and that you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for the great comment and review!
Hey Alison !!
Just a quick clarification. After peeling, 337 g of bananas must be weighed and used in the recipe; am i right ?? Hoping for a reply from you. And thank you so much for such amazing recipes :)<3
Hi Priya, yes it’s the weight of the bananas only (no peels).