5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread (Oil-Free)

This quick and easy 5-ingredient vegan banana bread is the best way to use your overripe bananas! So tasty, but also very healthy: made using almond butter instead of oil and also sweetened with bananas + a little maple syrup. No highly processed white sugar! Egg-free, dairy-free and fully plant-based.

Here is the most simple and yummy vegan banana bread you might ever need from now on! It is made using 5 ingredients only that are wholesome and easy to find. This is a no-oil, eggless, dairy-free or white sugar free recipe.

It is so healthy that it qualifies as a wholesome breakfast you can make for your family. Since it is not overly sweet, it can easily take a little chia jam or a drizzle of maple syrup to make it very breakfast-y.

It is also a versatile recipe: you can use as a base to add some more flavorings of your choice. Turn this loaf into chocolate banana bread, make it cinnamon-y or add a handful of walnuts for an added crunch. Or keep it just like that, plain and delicious. Just go with how you feel!

Hope you enjoy this 5-ingredient vegan banana bread! Let me know how it turned out! ❤️

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Very easy and quick bread with minimal hands-on prep time
• Uses simple ingredients
• Ultra healthy and made without any added oil or refined white sugar
• Versatile: can be flavored so many ways
• Great for breakfast, snacking or add vegan chocolate chips to turn it into a tasty dessert
• Perfect recipe for your overripe bananas!
• Fully vegan, eggless and dairy-free

🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)

• Ripe bananas: for best results, you will need OVERRIPE bananas or black spotty bananas. The ones that turned brown or even black, filled with speckles. They are sweeter, packed with moisture and will yield a better texture to the loaf too.
• All-purpose flour: Do not use bread flour for the best texture. I haven't tried it yet using whole wheat flour, but you might be able to swap about 25% of the total amount for it.
• Almond butter: adds more nutrients, but also some healthy fats to make the loaf more tender and filling. Make sure to use natural almond butter (look for almonds and salt ingredients), smooth and pourable almond butter and avoid the thick and solid kind. You can use peanut butter instead.
• Pure maple syrup: do not swap for granulated sugar, but agave nectar might work.

⭐️ Full list of ingredients down below in the recipe card!

📝 Variations and flavoring ideas

We love this 5-ingredient vegan banana bread plain, but you can add so much to it, such as:

• Vegan chocolate chips
• Chopped walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds
• A dash or two of cinnamon or nutmeg
• Vanilla extract
• Raisins
• Extra chunks of banana (within the batter)

You can also have fun garnishing the loaf. I love topping with more slices of banana as they caramelize while baking and add an amazing sweetness and a chewy bite. But also, sprinkle some mini vegan chocolate chips or chopped walnuts over. If you want a sweeter loaf, then feel free to sprinkle some coconut sugar or brown sugar too.

🍽 How to make a 5-ingredient vegan banana bread recipe

Step 1: Combine the mashed bananas with the almond butter and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Stir well and use a whisk if needed to make sure the almond butter is all incorporated without any chunks left.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour with the baking powder and then pour the wet ingredients over. Stir until all combined, but be sure NOT to over-mix. Stop whenever you don't see any clumps of flour anymore. At this point, you can also include some add-ons to flavor your loaf (chocolate chips, raisins, etc).

Step 3: Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf tin. The batter is kind of sticky and thick, so use a spatula to spread it out to the corners. 

Step 4: You can top the loaf with extra banana slices to add extra sweetness, then bake for 45-50 minutes at 350ºF or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool down in the pan for about 15-20 minutes, then take it out and let it cool down on a cooling rack.

⭐️ Detailed recipe down below in the recipe card!

💡 Baking tips

• Use the spoon and level method to measure the flour. Avoid scooping the flour using the measuring cup itself, you will end up with too much flour and it will make the loaf too dry. This is important! 
• You will need smooth, thin and pourable almond butter. This means you have to stir in the jar very well before measuring. Do not use a dry almond butter that you might get at the end of a jar, this will make your loaf dry. 
• Don't skip on covering your pan with parchment paper, the bread will stick and you won't be able to take it out easily. I leave some extra length on the sides so I can just pull on it to take it out, it is easier to slice this way.
• Do not overmix for a fluffier and lighter loaf! I recommend using a spatula as the flour tends to stick to the bottom of the bowl, so you can scrape all the dry ingredients. 
• Check the expiration date on your baking powder for the best rising action.

✅ Other ways to use your overripe bananas

I hope you like this easy 5-ingredient vegan banana bread as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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