This is the best ever vegan banana bread and it’s so EASY to make in 1 bowl! With tons of banana flavor and super moist texture, it’s the only recipe you’ll ever need.
Want more recipes that use up ripe bananas? You’ll love my Quick & Easy Vegan Banana Muffins, Vegan Banana Pancakes and Best Vegan Banana Cake.
Don’t let your old bananas go to waste! Instead, mash ‘em up and throw them into this easy banana bread recipe. Every slice is moist, lightly spiced, and just so scrumptious! Enjoy a slice warm with a pat of vegan butter.
The batter is so simple and made in one bowl with easy to find ingredients. In fact, you probably have most, if not all of them in your cupboard right now!
Why I love this banana bread
- Customizable – You can make it gluten free, oil free, nut free and it’s already egg and dairy free! Mix in chopped nuts, chocolate chips or even dried fruit.
- SO EASY – This recipe really couldn’t be easier to make. Mash the bananas, add the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients and bake.
- Incredibly delicious – It comes out perfect every time, with a beautiful golden crust and moist, tender center.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Bananas – Use really ripe, spotty bananas for the best results.
- Flax eggs – Made from ground flaxseed and water. If you don’t have flaxseed at home, you can use another egg replacer or use ½ cup of applesauce instead.
- Vegan butter – While vegan butter is the best and will make the banana bread very moist and buttery flavored, any neutral oil works well as a replacement. Applesauce or plain vegan yogurt also works for an oil free banana bread, but the results won’t be as moist and can be a bit gummy.
- Sugar – I use both organic granulated sugar (organic to ensure it’s vegan friendly) and brown sugar, interchangeably. Both work well. You can also use coconut sugar. Feel free to cut the sugar in half for a less sweet banana bread.
- Almond milk – Or you can use oat milk, cashew milk, or any other plant milk you have at home.
- All purpose flour – Or use spelt flour or white whole wheat flour/whole wheat pastry flour. Looking for gluten free banana bread? Try my easy Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread recipe or simply substitute a gluten free mix.
- Baking soda – To help the bread rise.
- Add ins – I love freshly ground nutmeg and chopped walnuts in banana bread. You can easily customize it any way you like using my suggestions below!
How to make vegan banana bread
You’ll need a standard loaf pan and just one mixing bowl for this recipe. The batter is so easy to make.
Make the flax egg by stirring the ground flaxseed together with the water. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken. Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Scoop them into a measuring cup to make sure you have the right amount.
Stir the melted vegan butter into the bananas.
Add the sugar, milk, and flax egg to the bananas. Stir to combine.
Next, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Gently stir to combine.
Be careful not to over mix the batter, or your bread could be dense and gummy tasting. Finish by folding in any add ins, such as chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
The crust will turn a beautiful golden brown in the oven, and might just be the best part!
Let the bread cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. Slice when it’s cool and enjoy.
Tips for the best banana bread
- Add ins – Cinnamon, vegan chocolate chips, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or dried fruit like cranberries or raisins.
- Toppings – Gently press sliced bananas, chocolate chips, oats, sunflower seeds, or walnuts on top of the banana bread batter before it goes in the oven.
- Don’t over mix – Gently mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or spatula until everything is just combined. Over mixing the batter will leave you with dense bread.
- Let it cool – Let the finished banana bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This will make it easier to slice and keep it from crumbling all over the place.
Frequently asked questions
This probably means your baking soda is too old. Test its freshness by sprinkling a little into some vinegar. If it’s fizzy, that means it’s fresh. If not, head to the store for a fresh box.
Yes! Either replace the all purpose flour with a gluten free flour blend or follow my Gluten Free Banana Bread recipe instead.
You can replace the vegan butter with applesauce or plain vegan yogurt.
Vegan banana bread will stay fresh for 1 or 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge. Make sure to wrap the finished loaf really well in plastic wrap so it stays moist.
Yes! It freezes really well for up to 3 months. Just wrap it really well and let it cool first.
Banana Bread Muffins
You can make muffins instead of bread with this recipe. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and fill muffin liners in a pan nearly to the top. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until done.
Want more vegan quick bread recipes?
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
- The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- 1 Bowl Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
Best Vegan Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 5 tablespoons water
- 2 large ripe bananas, about 1 cup mashed
- 1/3 cup melted vegan butter or neutral oil
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup dairy free milk oat, almond or soy
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg, optional but good
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or non-dairy chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a standard loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches or 9 x 5 inches).
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside to thicken; this is your flax egg mixture.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Scoop it into a measuring cup to make sure you have about 1 cup mashed, then return it to the bowl. Stir the melted vegan butter into the bananas.
- Now add the sugar, almond milk and flax egg mixture. Stir with a large spoon until well combined.
- Add the flour to the bowl with the wet ingredients, then sprinkle the baking soda, salt and nutmeg if using on top of the flour. Stir gently until just combined, making sure you don't over mix.
- Gently fold in the walnuts or chocolate chips, if using. Pour into the prepared pan, place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the loaf to a cooling rack. Let the banana bread cool for at least 30 minutes if possible, as this will make it easier to slice. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Oil free: Use applesauce instead of melted vegan butter. I have tested it and while I prefer it with oil, it’s quite good with applesauce.
- Gluten free: Use a gluten free flour mix. May also sub spelt flour or white whole wheat flour for a whole grain option.
- Nut free: Use soy milk, coconut milk or another non-dairy milk instead of almond milk. Any milk will do!
- Sugar: You may use brown sugar or granulated sugar here. Even coconut sugar works. Feel free to lower the amount for a less sweet bread.
- Muffins instead: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, divide into muffin liners and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until done.
- Leftovers/freezing: Cover leftover banana bread and keep at room temperature 1-2 days, or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Banana bread freezes very well, too.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted September 2018 and has been republished with new photos and better writing. I’m always improving the content on my website, thank you!
I love your page!!!!!! I love your recipes!!!!Thank you so much for sharing your creativity ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Tameca. Your kind words just make my day! I love creating these recipes, and it’s so awesome to receive your feedback! Thanks you, and I wish you happy cooking!
I added blueberries this time and yummy! Thx again Nora for your amazing recipes!
You bet! Sounds delicious with blueberries! Thanks for your fabulous review!
Hi Nora,
We have made this atleast 10 times now and it has come out perfect every time!! Wholesome, fluffy and delicious. I use whole wheat flour and yogurt in place of flaxseeds. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
You are welcome! I am so excited you are loving the recipe! Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review!
I made the recipe doubled and it worked perfectly. Very tasty. I did use brown sugar, a few dates, and walnuts. For a vegan egg I use a 50/50 mix of flax seed and chia seed – seems to work best for me.
Hi Judy. How wonderful the bread came out great for you! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback!
Unfortunately this recipe didn’t work for me at all and I followed it to the letter. I don’t think 1 tsp of baking soda was enough. It ended up as a very dense loaf, not rising at all.
Delicious 😋
I have been making this recipe for a few years and it gets such rave reviews that I am making 10 loaves for a party tomorrow. I am currently on loaf number 6. I have 3 pans and can usually bake 2 at a time. I don’t like to over crowd my oven. The party is for my former student employees who will be returning to their own countries.
Hi Kathy. Sounds like a fun party, and what a wonderful contribution you are providing! I’m so glad you are loving the bread recipe! Thanks for sharing this fun event, and wishing you happy baking!
Absolutely delicious. Thank you Nora for another great recipe.
Hi, I just made this banana bread. I substituted the flaxseed with 1/4 cup of JustEggs and it turned out so beautiful and delicious. Thank you for sharing. It is now my go to banana bread recipe. You can’t even tell it’s vegan!
You are welcome, Andrea! I’m glad you loved the bread! Thanks for letting us know the JustEggs worked well! I appreciate your wonderful review and feedback!
This looks so good, I’m going to try it!
This recipe is everything it claims to be… absolutely love it! So glad I found it.
Thanks for your awesome review and feedback!
This is my go-to banana bread recipe. It’s so good and reliable! I usually make it for me and my husband who are both vegan but I’m sure non-vegans would enjoy it and not miss a thing.
Whenever I’m searching for a recipe for a new dish or bake that I want to try, I find that I can really trust Nora Cooks and get excellent results 🙂 thank you Nora
I am so encouraged that you love and trust my recipes! I appreciate you using them! Thanks for your fantastic review and comments! Happy cooking to you!
I’ve baked this bread 3 times in 3 weeks. It’s that good. Don’t skip the nutmeg it makes it. Also I used mini chocolate chips (grabbed to fast at the grocery store) and they are perfect. Makes it so the bread isn’t so messy with melted chocolate (not that that is a bad thing).
That’s amazing, Anna! I’m thrilled you’re loving the banana bread so much 🙂
I used whole wheat flour in this recipe and it was a success at the table, all gone so quickly! Thank you Nora 🌸
This bread is amazing. I was a huge baker before I became vegan and this bread was just as good if not better than what I used to bake. I love all your recipes!!! Thank you!
This recipe is my first attempt at vegan baking. This bread is moist and delicious.
I used soy milk and I use canola oil instead of vegan butter. I put the batter in three small foil pans. 2 as a gift and one for me.😂
I was stumped. My friend has followed a vegan diet for over 30 years. She just got home from the hospital and I wanted to provide a meal for her. Main dish, fruit salad and an avocado tomato salad. I needed dessert and this fit the bill. Thank you.
I wish that I could post a photo. They are beautiful.
The key is not over mixing. I folded all ingredients.
That’s really nice of you to cook for your vegan friend. I don’t know how much you know about vegan meals but the main dish-salad and fruit aren’t what vegans eat for a main meal. I recommend visiting Nora’s other recipes on her website for a hearty satisfying main meal, such as a hearty soup, bolognese with pasta, stews or stir fries with tofu.
I think this person was saying they made a main dish, also a fruit salad, also a tomato and avocado salad. The salads weren’t the main dish. Not sure why you felt it necessary to correct something that is completely unrelated to the recipe and none of your business.
This banana bread is delicious. I was a vegetarian for 40 years. I would also consider myself a master baker in my former vegetarian life:). One of the hold outs to being vegan was the baking issue. I finally took the vegan plunge a year ago and am not sure why I waited so long? I am discovering vegan baked goods are actually better than what I remember. This recipe is one of the reasons why. It is very simple and straightforward. I am a working mother and it is wonderful to be able to log on this website and find something to make from ingredients I have in the house. I do love using the flax egg better than an egg replacement I purchased for the banana bread. I think it’s just me and the love of flax:). I did see a few comments where this recipe did not work out for people. I am discovering in my vegan baking mix only until combined. This seems to be important. I also make sure I cool the vegan butter before adding other ingredients. I think this also helps rise the bread better a little better? I once added the vegan butter too hot and the flax egg seemed to get stiff quickly, that loaf did not rise as well as others. I just made two loaves of this tonight, a glass pan and metal pan. The glass pan took a little longer to cook than suggested time, the metal pan cooked a little under the 50 minutes suggested time so I think you just need to watch the oven if you are new to this recipe. It’s a keeper. Thank you for posting and I am looking forward to baking more of your recipes.
Hi Laurie! Welcome to my recipes at Nora Cooks! Thanks for sharing your valuable baking experience and wonderful review! I hope that you enjoy your journey through my recipes! Happy cooking!
Could blueberries be folded into this recipe?
Yes – sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that!
This is my go-to recipe for banana bread. It’s perfect every time! I usually use the flax egg, but decided to switch it up and add strawberry banana baby food instead of the suggested apple sauce substitute. With the chocolate chips and walnuts, it’s a winner! A thousand thank you’s for this delicious and easy vegan banana bread recipe, Nora!!
Hi Nora, this will be my first time trying this recipe. May I use coconut flour instead of all purpose.
Hi Fay, unfortunately coconut flour will not work as a substitute for regular flour. It does not work the same in baking. You can use a gluten free all purpose flour with pretty good results, or whole wheat pastry flour.
My son is vegan. I made this for him. The bread is delicious. But the crust is very hard. I told my son to cut the crust off. lol
Sounds like you over baked it and that’s not the recipe’s fault.
THE BEST. Dont bother looking at another banana bread recipe. This is the one.
I usually add some sort of nut + chocolate chips but otherwise, follow the recipe and it’s FOOLS PROOF.
Thank you, Nora! Love your recipes.
Would this fit in an 8 by 8?
Yes, it should.
Hi Nora! This recipe looks delicious! I was wondering if it’s ok to use coconut milk? Thank you!
Hi Estrella! Yes, coconut milk will work! Enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious! Easy to make.
This is my go to banana bread recipe! It’s absolutely perfect! I make it as a loaf and muffins, whichever I’m feeling
So glad you are loving the recipe! Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review!
Fantastic recipe! Nice and moist, great texture – it didn’t last long here! I made two; one with chopped walnuts and one with chocolate chips. They were both great. Thanks for this!