Author: This easy vegan banana bread is soft, moist, fluffy, and packed with sweet banana flavor. Made in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients, this foolproof recipe bakes up perfectly every time and tastes just like classic banana bread, without the eggs or dairy.
FEATURED COMMENT:
This was by far the best banana bread, perfectly sweet with a little crunch on the outside. like eating a little bit of heaven. Winner!! - Lizzie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This vegan banana bread recipe is the one you'll come back to every time you have a few spotty bananas on the counter. It's soft, moist, fluffy, and packed with sweet banana flavor, with that classic banana bread taste everyone loves. Best of all, it's made in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients, so it's practically impossible to mess up.
Leave it plain and it's absolutely delicious, or stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, raisins, or your favorite combination of mix-ins. However you make it, this is the kind of recipe you'll want to bake again and again.
Why This Easy Vegan Banana Bread Works
- Super moist: The generous amount of ripe banana creates a soft, tender loaf that stays moist for days.
- One bowl recipe: There's no need to mix the dry ingredients separately, which means cleanup is that much easier!
- Reliable results: A simple list of ingredients and easy steps mean this vegan banana bread recipe is one you can count on.
Ingredients for Vegan Banana Bread
Wet Ingredients
- Ground flaxseed or chia seeds: You'll mix these with warm water to replace the egg.
- Very ripe bananas: The riper the better! Bananas with lots of brown spots are sweeter and have more banana flavor.
- Melted vegan butter or neutral oil: Vegan butter gives the richest flavor, but either works well.
- White sugar: For sweetness and a tender crumb.
- Vanilla extract: This enhances the overall flavor.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: You can swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum if needed.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Banana bread is a quick bread, so these are what make it rise instead of yeast.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon (optional): If you'd like, for a little bit of cozy flavor.
Optional Add-Ins: Vegan chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans, and/or raisins.
How to Make the Best Vegan Banana Bread
- Make the Flax Egg: Stir together the ground flaxseed and warm water, then let it sit for about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Mash the Bananas: Use a fork to mash the bananas in a bowl. It's fine if there are still a few small lumps!
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, and flax egg until smooth.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon over the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. If using chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, or another mix-in, fold them into the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips and Variations
- The spottier, the better: Bananas with lots of brown spots are sweeter, mash more easily, and give the loaf the best banana flavor.
- Measure the bananas: Banana sizes vary quite a bit, so measuring the mashed banana gives more reliable results than going by the number of bananas.
- Don't overmix: Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten and can knock some of the air out of the batter, leading to a denser loaf.
- Know your pan: If you're not sure the size of your loaf pan, measure it. I used an 8x4 pan, but 9x5 pans are common too. If your pan is 9x5, you can still make this recipe, but you'll end up with a loaf that's not as tall. (It's also likely to bake a little bit faster.)
- Make it without oil: For an oil-free vegan banana bread, use ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce instead of vegan butter or oil.
Delicious Served With
- Vegan butter
- Vegan cream cheese
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Fresh berries or fruit salad
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Pecan Crunch Oat Latte
- Chai latte
- Matcha latte
Storage and Freezing
- Room temperature: Store this vegan banana bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Slice the loaf and freeze individual slices or the whole loaf for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast slices straight from frozen.
More Ways to Use Bananas
If you try this easy vegan banana bread recipe, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to hear what you think! Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Easy Vegan Banana Bread (Moist, Fluffy & One Bowl)
This Easy Vegan Banana Bread is soft, moist, fluffy, and packed with sweet banana flavor. Made in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients, this foolproof recipe bakes up perfectly every time and tastes just like classic banana bread, without the eggs or dairy.
Servings: slices (1 loaf)
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Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, or ground chia seeds
- 5 tablespoons warm water
- 1 ⅓ cups mashed very ripe bananas, (about 3 medium bananas)
- ½ cup melted vegan butter, or neutral oil
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, (optional)
Optional add-ins (Stir in any one of the following, or mix and match up to 1½ cups total):
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or line an 8 x 4-inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg: In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with the warm water. Set aside for about 5 minutes to thicken.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter, sugar, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and flax egg until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using) over the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix, it's ok if it's lumpy.
- Add-ins (optional): Fold in any add-ins if using.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
For best flavor: Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be.
Storage: Store tightly covered at room temperature for 3–4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Pan note: This recipe was developed in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan for a taller loaf and ideal texture. A 9 x 5-inch loaf pan will also work, but the loaf will be shorter and may bake slightly faster.
Oil-Free Option: You can substitute the vegan butter with ½ cup unsweetened applesauce for an oil-free version. The texture will be a bit softer and less rich, but still tasty.
Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking to hydrate the flour. Texture may vary slightly depending on the brand.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving without add-ins (recipe makes 12 servings) | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Gary says
Tasty and moist. My 6 year old granddaughter said it was the best bread ever!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww, BEST review! 🥹💚 So happy you both loved it, Gary!
Brenda says
Great job!!! I just made this tonight—wonderful! I don’t use white sugar, so I subbed sucanat 1:1 and didn’t have vegan butter, so I subbed coconut oil 1:1. Turned out great!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy those swaps worked perfectly for you, Brenda! 😊 Thanks for sharing what you used!
Cathryn Kasper says
Hi Sam!
I’m wondering where you get your clips for holding the parchment paper to the pan.
😊Cathryn Kasper
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Cathryn! Those were actually my photographer’s clips, so I’m not sure of the exact brand, but they’re stainless-steel parchment paper baking clips. 😊 Here are some similar ones.
HB says
Best I’ve ever had! My neighbors couldn’t believe it was vegan and made with flax ‘egg’.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wow, thank you! That's such a wonderful compliment. I'm so glad everyone loved it! 🍌😊
MARY says
Oh yeah, this is good. Too good! Made it for some friends, and we all had seconds so there was none left!! Will make again soon. Definitely on the sweeter side of the banana breads, but worth it!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you enjoyed it, Mary! 🙂
Maria B. says
I've made this 3 times. I love it. I do not add chocolate chips or raisins. I like it with just the walnuts. An extra banana makes it very moist. I love bananas and this recipe is a favorite.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds amazing, Maria! I love the idea of extra banana for moisture. So happy it’s a favorite 🙂
V says
This was an awesome healthy banana bread recipe to share with my family! I added a bit less sugar than the recipe asked for but it still turned out delicious 🙂
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it V! Thanks for the review 🙂
Anna says
This is the best banana bread. I followed the recipe using applesauce instead of oil and dried cranberries instead of raisins. I roasted my walnuts as described.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So thrilled you loved it so much Anna!! 🙂
Cynthia says
Best banana bread, vegan or otherwise, I’ve ever made!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
High praise - thanks for sharing, Cynthia!
Michelle says
if I only have whole wheat pastry flour, will that still work?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Michelle! Yes, whole wheat pastry flour should work well here, it may be just slightly more tender and less dense. Enjoy! 😊
Ariana says
This is a lovely recipe. Easy to customize, and I love freezing it by the slice for an easy snack later on. Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yummm! Thrilled you love it so much Ariana!
Tricia says
I make this at least once a month
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy you love my recipe so much 🙂 Thank you for leaving a review Tricia!
Judith Arayaes says
So easy and So good. I've made this so many times. I'm always buying bananas but they don't always get eaten, so I make banana bread. I'm not a fan of baking but this recipe is so simple, ingredients that I always have and just mix them ,done. A total winner!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Apologies for the late response, I am just seeing this now. I'm so thrilled you love the banana bread so much Judith! Thank you for the review 🙂
Jo-anne Ward says
This is THE best banana bread recipe I have made. It’s also the easiest to make. My work colleagues agree!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So happy to hear this! Thank you for your kind words Jo-anne! (And apologies for the late response) 🙂
Claude says
This recipe was easy and super moist
Cheryl says
I made this for dessert tonight.
They loved it!!!
I was the only vegan.
I added some mini semisweet chocolate chips (vegan), substituted pecans for the walnuts and reduced the sugar.
I served with a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup on the plate with a few slices of fresh banana and almond whipped cream.
Let’s just say I don’t have to worry about freezing any leftovers.
One guest said she wanted to lick her plate it was so good.
Thanks for the GREAT recipe.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Lick the plate good! We love that!
Cassie says
Made it using pecans instead of walnuts as that's what I had on hand. Delicious!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yum that sounds great too!
cristina tomas says
perfect! I used chocolate chips instead raisins. What can I
say? Delicious, easy to make, perfect
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Super delicious combo!
Lizzie says
This was by far the best banana bread, perfectly sweet with a little crunch on the outside. like eating a little bit of heaven. Winner!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Lizzie. Thank you for the review 🙂
Barbra says
I haven’t tried the banana nut muffins yet, but I made Sam’s Vegan Banana Bread this am and it is everything she says it is! Delicious, moist, a little chewy on the outside, flavourful and so comforting! We loved it as a mid morning snack and will probably enjoy another piece this afternoon with tea!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it Barbra!
Bridget says
I'm new to alternative egg replacements- I typically just buy a sack of Bob's Egg Replacer. Do you measure 2 tablespoons of Chia/Flax then grind or do you grind a bunch and take 2 tablespoons out of that?
Peggy Does Cake says
Not my place to answer, but this would always be 2 tablespoons of flax seed that has already been ground.
Bridget says
Thank you!
Patti says
Hi Bridget- I have only used chia or flax as egg replacements and measure 2 tbsp ground. Mine is in the oven right now and it is the first vegan banana bread I’ve made! If licking the beater is anything to go by, it’s another winner-winner it doesn’t-taste-like-chicken dinner 😉
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes, we love to see the community helping each other out. Ground flax is the way to go and we hope it turned out delicious!