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–+ servings
Vegan banana bread sliced thickly on bright white marble and a female hand.

Vegan Banana Bread (Simple Pantry Staples)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 3 ripe bananas about 1½ cups mashed
  • ⅓ cup (80 g) non-dairy milk any
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup (150 g) sugar white or brown
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt

  • Mash the bananas: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
    Mash 3 ripe bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth.
    Step 1 Ripe bananas mashed with a fork until mostly smooth.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: Add ⅓ cup non-dairy milk, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
    Step 2 Mashed bananas mixed with plant milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
  • Add the dry ingredients: Sift in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 pinch salt.
    Stir gently until just combined. Don’t overmix; a few small lumps are okay.
    Step 3 Dry ingredients gently stirred into banana mixture to form thick batter.
  • Bake and cool: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
    Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
    Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely for about 1 hour before slicing.
    Step 4 Golden vegan banana bread cooling in a parchment-lined loaf pan.
Substitutions
  • Bananas → Frozen bananas, thawed and drained.
  • Non-dairy milk → Almond, soy, oat, or any plant milk.
  • Vegetable oil → Avocado, sunflower, canola, or mild olive oil.
  • Sugar → White, brown, or coconut sugar.
  • Vanilla extract → Vanilla bean paste, or omit.
  • All-purpose flour → Replace up to half with whole wheat flour.
  • Baking powder → No substitution; use fresh baking powder.
  • Baking soda → No substitution; don’t swap with baking powder.
  • Salt → Omit if needed.
  • Add-ins → Chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, blueberries, dates, cacao nibs, nut butter, tahini, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or nutmeg.
 
Tips
  • Use spotty bananas: Very ripe bananas give the best sweetness, moisture, and flavor.
  • Choose the right pan: An 8 × 4-inch pan makes a taller, domed loaf; larger pans make a shorter loaf and may bake faster.
  • Don’t overmix: Stir just until the flour disappears; a few lumps are fine.
  • Bake right away: Once mixed, get the batter into the oven promptly.
  • Check the center: It’s done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cover if needed: If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
  • Cool completely: Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then about 1 hour on a wire rack before slicing.
  • Fold add-ins gently: Add chocolate chips or nuts at the very end.
  • Store it well: Once completely cool, keep the loaf well wrapped or in an airtight container.
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