This Vegan Banana Bread is a moist and easy recipe, which is made with overripe bananas and chopped walnuts. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about an hour.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Vegan Banana Bread Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 3 medium overripe bananas
- ⅓ cup organic granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup organic brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil (or your favorite baking oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans, vegan chocolate chips)
For Topping:
- ¼ cup organic brown sugar
How To Make Trader Joe’s Vegan Banana Bread
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to use as handles.
- Mash Bananas and Mix Wet Ingredients: Peel the bananas and place them into a large mixing bowl. Mash them well with a fork or potato masher. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla to the bowl and stir until well-mixed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt evenly over the top of the flour.
- Mix the Batter: Stir everything together with a spatula just until mixed. Do not overmix; the batter will be thick.
- Fold in Walnuts: Gently fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Fill Pan and Top with Sugar: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top evenly with the ¼ cup of brown sugar for the topping.
- Bake the Bread: Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before using the parchment handles to lift it out of the pan. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- How ripe should my bananas be? For the best flavor and texture, use very ripe bananas. The recipe notes suggest that at least a third of the banana peel should be brown, and preferably closer to half.
- Can I use a different oil? Yes, the recipe notes you can use your favorite baking oil. Melted coconut oil or a light vegetable oil would also work well.
- How do I prevent a dense or gummy banana bread? The most important step is not to overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few lumps are perfectly fine and will result in a more tender bread.
- Can I add chocolate chips? Absolutely! The recipe suggests that 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips would be a delicious substitute or addition to the walnuts.
What To Serve With Vegan Banana Bread
This moist and delicious bread is perfect on its own, but it’s also great with:
- A spread of vegan butter or margarine
- A layer of creamy peanut or almond butter
- A cup of hot coffee or a plant-based latte
- A side of fresh fruit
How To Store Vegan Banana Bread
- Room Temperature: Let the bread cool completely. Store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay moist and fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap the cooled loaf (whole or sliced) tightly in plastic wrap and then in a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Vegan Banana Bread Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 322kcal
- Carbohydrates: 43.5g
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Sodium: 362mg
- Sugar: 19.4g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
This is almost always caused by overmixing the batter. The moment the wet and dry ingredients are combined, gluten starts to develop. Mixing for too long will result in a tough, dense, and gummy texture.
Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture may be slightly different but it will still be delicious.
The recipe suggests pecans or vegan chocolate chips as great alternatives. You could also use a combination of different nuts or simply leave them out for a plain banana bread.
Try More Recipes:
- Trader Joe’s Shrimp Burger Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Peppermint Loaf Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Palak Paneer Recipe
Trader Joe’s Vegan Banana Bread Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes50
minutes322
kcalA classic, incredibly moist one-bowl vegan banana bread packed with walnuts and finished with a crunchy brown sugar topping.
Ingredients
3 medium overripe bananas
⅔ cup combined granulated & brown sugar
⅓ cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas well.
- Stir in sugars, oil, and vanilla.
- Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt on top of the wet ingredients.
- Stir everything together until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in the walnuts.
- Pour batter into the pan, top with brown sugar, and bake for 50 minutes.
Notes
- Using very ripe, brown-spotted bananas is the most important step for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Be very careful not to overmix the batter; a few lumps are perfectly fine and lead to a more tender bread.
- The parchment paper “sling” in the loaf pan makes it much easier to remove the cooled bread without it breaking.
- If you are sensitive to salt, you can reduce the amount to ½ teaspoon as suggested in the original recipe notes.
