Vegan Banana Bread

The best simple one bowl vegan banana bread recipe! This healthier vegan banana bread is oil-free when made with applesauce, and studded with walnuts and chocolate chips.

One of my friends recently mentioned that her mom makes the banana nut bread from my cookbook nearly every weekend. I’m so glad she mentioned it, because it had been way too long since my last loaf of banana bread. I wanted to share the cookbook recipe with you, because it’s a favorite, but also wanted to make it egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan, since many of my friends here are plant-based eaters. Making this classic banana bread vegan was easy, and the only other change I made was to omit the whole flax seeds. I’ve since learned that whole flax aren’t really digestible. If you’d like to add flax, I’d go with a tablespoon or two of flax meal. 

This vegan banana nut bread is loaded with walnuts and dark chocolate. It has that classic shiny outer crust and soft interior. A slice is perfect for breakfast, brunch or an after-school snack. I love it with a spread of vegan cream cheese. Like my Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, I wanted this recipe to taste like the classic recipe. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, check out my Gluten Free Banana Blueberry Muffins or Chocolate Banana Muffins. If you’re not feeling the banana, head to my Gluten Free Vegan Carrot Muffins or Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Muffins. Update: I now have a Vegan Pumpkin Bread version of this recipe! Let’s check out how to make this simple vegan banana bread! 

Mash the Bananas 

The first step in making this vegan banana nut bread is patiently waiting for your bananas to get just overripe. Those brown speckled bananas you don’t really want to eat anymore are perfect for banana bread. Quick tip: you can speed up the ripening process by storing your bananas in a paper bag for a day or two.

Peel the bananas, add them to a bowl and give them a good smash. This is a great step for kids to help with. I’ve used 3-4 bananas with good results.  You’ll want about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. 

Make the Vegan Banana Bread Batter

Next, add the milk (soy, almond, etc.), sugar, oil, and apple cider vinegar. A note about sugar: I’ve made this banana bread with organic unbleached cane sugar, raw turbinado sugar, and with coconut sugar. While I like that coconut sugar is probably less processed and lower glycemic, the cane sugar resulted in a moister banana bread with a lighter color. I’ve also tested this recipe with maple syrup, and the bread was just too mushy. I’d love to try this recipe with other alternative sugars such as monkfruit, dates, or date sugar, but haven’t done so yet. The thing is, the sugar isn’t just a sweetener, it also provides structure. 

How to Make Oil-Free Vegan Banana Bread

I’ve tested this recipe both with coconut oil and with applesauce for an oil-free version. Technically it’s still not completely oil-free, since nuts and chocolate both contain oil, but you know what I mean. The difference was barely discernible, with the oil version just a little moister on the second day. I’ve written the recipe with applesauce and no oil, but if you’d prefer to use oil or you’re out of applesauce, subbing is a 1:1 ratio. 

Stir all the wet ingredients together and set aside. To be honest, I usually dump the dry ingredients right into this same bowl after mixing the wet.

The proper way, however, is to mix all the dry ingredients together first. That way the baking soda is even distributed throughout the batter. Let’s talk about flours. While I usually go for less refined flours like homemade gluten-free oat flour, I stuck with traditional organic all-purpose and whole wheat flours here. My first attempt making this recipe with oat and almond flours resulted in a mushy bread, so I’ll keep working on a gluten-free version.  

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir together with a spatula to combine. 

Fold in the Walnuts and Chocolate 

The thing that everyone loves about this banana bread is that it doesn’t skimp on nuts. There are crunchy walnuts in every bite, which are delicious, but also add nutrition to this banana bread. Those melty dark chocolate chips or chunks? They have antioxidants. Or something. 

Bake the Banana Bread 

Despite its moniker, quick bread isn’t all that quick. While muffins are done in about 15 minutes, banana bread needs a solid hour. 

Once the banana bread has cooled a bit it’s ready to slice and eat. Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or a golden latte. I love it with a spread of homemade Vegan Cashew Cream Cheese! 

This vegan banana bread is a bit denser than recipes with eggs, but I don’t think anyone would ever guess that it is egg and dairy free. Since traditional banana breads often have a full stick of butter, I think this a great improvement. If you love banana, check out these Vegan Banana Chia Pancakes or this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie and Peanut Butter Banana Nice Cream! Want even more vegan breakfast ideas? Head to this post next: 35 Amazing Vegan Breakfast Ideas.