Seriously The Best Vegan Banana Bread

You’ll never notice it’s vegan, egg-free, and dairy-free because it has the most delectable, moist and even fluffy texture. And it’s called the best banana bread for good reason, too. All you need are 10 ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on time. After over 15 rounds of testing, I’m certain it’s fluffier, more tender, and less dense than any other vegan banana bread you’ve tried. If you’re more of a muffin gal or want to turn this banana bread into individual-sized treats, you gotta try these outrageously good Vegan Banana Muffins!

Why this recipe works

The ultimate tempting texture.

Banana bread can sometimes get a bad rap for being dense, but this one is far from it. The texture is tender, light, and fluffy, and it’s all thanks to two ingredients: aquafaba and vegan buttermilk. Aquafaba is one of my favorite vegan egg substitutes for baking. It’s just the leftover liquid from a can of chickpeas! When it’s lightly whipped, it miraculously transforms ordinarily dense banana bread into a fluffy and light treat. And adding vegan buttermilk to the batter is the best way to fix the curse of the dry banana bread (you know what I’m talking about!).

No fanciness required.

Banana bread doesn’t claim to be fancy. It leans into its natural rustic charm, which makes it such a comforting treat! It’s made up of simple, pantry ingredients that are flexible and forgiving. Many readers have made tweaks to the recipe and have still had great results. Banana bread is pretty much foolproof, making it perfect for both beginners and pro bakers.

It’s just plain comforting.

Despite being vegan, nut-free, and soy-free and made with some better-for-you ingredients, this banana bread still tastes like pure indulgence. Warmed up and slathered in vegan butter makes it a true dream.

Ingredient notes

Aquafaba. This is the leftover liquid from a can of chickpeas. It’s a magical ingredient that gives this banana bread and other baked goods like my Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake a tender, moist, and light texture. Substitute: If you don’t have a can of chickpeas at home, you can substitute 2 flax eggs instead. To make the flax eggs, mix 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal with 5 tablespoons of water. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes to thicken. Several readers have made this recipe with flax eggs and said it was very tender, so rest assured, it’ll still be tasty (even if not as fluffy as the original). Bananas. Overripe, spotty bananas are essential because (1) they’re very sweet, as the starches have converted to sugar; (2) they’re easier to incorporate into the batter; and (3) they have a deeper banana flavor, which translates to more flavorful banana bread. Oat milk + lemon juice. These two together give you a dairy-free buttermilk substitute, AKA the other secret to this ultra-fluffy and moist banana bread. Substitute: Oat milk is a favorite of mine for baking because of its superb browning abilities (as evident in my Pumpkin Spice Bread) but soy milk should work well as a replacement. Brown sugar. If choosing between light and dark brown sugar, go with the dark variety. It has a deeper molasses flavor, making the bread richer in flavor (and darker in color). You can also use coconut sugar. Flour. All-purpose flour always leaves you with the best texture and foolproof results. Just make sure to measure it properly to prevent the bread from turning out dense! Head to the Tips section to learn more. Substitute: We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour. However, many readers have had pretty good results using an all-purpose GF flour (like this variety from Bob’s Red Mill or this one from King Arthur). FYI gluten-free vegan banana bread will usually turn out a bit more dense. Baking soda. The baking soda produces gas bubbles as a reaction to the acidic lemon juice. The bubbles in the batter enhance the rise and are the reason why this quick bread is so fluffy and light.

Step-by-step instructions

Pour the aquafaba into a mixing bowl. Whip it until it’s frothy and bubbly all over. Mash the bananas in another bow with a fork or potato masher. Lastly, in a separate bowl, stir the lemon juice into the oat milk to make the vegan buttermilk.

Tips for making the best vegan banana bread

. Stir in the whipped aquafaba, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Finish by mixing in the bananas. Tip: If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a whisk. It requires a little more arm muscle. Add the dry ingredients. Gently stir the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon into the wet mixture with a spatula. Try not to overmix! It’s ok if there are light flour streaks left behind. Quick tip: According to Cook’s Illustrated, folding the dry ingredients into the wet (instead of vice versa) promotes better incorporation, a more supple batter, and prevents overmixing. Pour the batter into a loaf pan and smooth out the top. For optional decoration, gently place a halved banana on top of the batter. Sprinkle brown or coconut sugar on top for caramelization. Bake. Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are ok). Cool in the pan for 10 min, then on a wire rack for 20-30 min before slicing and enjoying. Pro tip: Insert the toothpick at an angle rather than vertically into the bread. The angle is a much better test for doneness in a tall loaf cake! The more you mix, the more gluten develops in the batter. If you overmix, the bread will have a dry and almost chewy, denser texture.

Measure your flour properly!

I strongly recommend a digital kitchen scale for baking. If you don’t have one, do not scoop the flour straight from the bag with a measuring cup because you will over-measure the flour and end up with a dry banana bread. The proper way to measure flour is to spoon it into the cup, then level it off with a knife. Want to see the spoon and level method in action? Watch my Youtube video on banana bread (also at the end of this post), starting at the 5:20 mark.

Don’t let the batter rest too long.

Once the baking soda starts to react with lemon juice, bubbly chemistry magic starts to happen! If you let the batter hang out for too long, though, some of those bubbles disappear. So get your batter in the pan and into the oven as quickly as you can.

Let it rest before slicing.

The bread will be gooey if you slice it as soon as it comes out of the oven. Instead, let it rest in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. This rest time lets the loaf finish baking and firm up a bit. But don’t let it sit in the pan too long, or it can develop a soggy bottom. Instead, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For a less sweet banana bread.

The bread isn’t overly sweet, but if you’re limiting your sugar intake, feel free to use as little as ¼ cup of sugar. If you love this Vegan Banana Bread recipe, please rate and review it below and tag me with your recreations on Instagram!