
This healthy banana bread recipe is ultra moist, fluffy and Easy to make with a handful of wholesome ingredients. Great for breakfast, snacking and meal prep! (Vegan, gluten free, nut free, oil free & refined sugar free).

It's Monday, time to get this (banana) bread! Say hello to the newest addition to the collection of banana bread recipes in the world: this my friends, is my very best healthy banana bread recipe.
Saying something is the best is a bold statement, but I promise you that this recipe delivers. I've made my fair share of gluten free banana breads and so many of them were dense and gummy but this version is anything but that. It's everything you love about classic banana bread but made with wholesome ingredients:
- it's crumb is dense yet still super fluffy
- it's ultra moist
- it's rich in banana flavour
- it's perfectly sweetened
And what makes this recipe different from most is that it's also:
- vegan
- gluten free
- dairy free
- egg free
- oil free
- nut free (although you could use nut butter)
- and refined sugar free
Healthy enough for breakfast or a quick snack. So delicious it could also be considered dessert. This vegan gluten free banana bread is extraordinary.

Ingredients in this Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
Baking up the perfect moist and fluffy banana bread is about the right ratios of ingredients and baking technique. Since this version is vegan, gluten free, oil free and refined sugar free, it's important to follow the recipe as close as possible for best results. Here's the ingredients you'll need:
- Overripe Bananas: Super spotty bananas not only infuses the bread with a ton of banana flavour, but it also adds sweetness so we can cut back on the added sugar.
- Maple Syrup: Keeping it refined sugar free & naturally sweetened.
- Tahini: Adds a boots of protein and healthy fats. You could also other nut/seed butters but just be sure it's the drippy kind.
- Dairy Free Milk: I use lite canned coconut milk for an ultra moist banana bread but you can use any non dairy milk of your choice.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps this bread rise without using any eggs.
- Oat Flour: My favourite flour to use for wholesome quick breads! Packed with dietary fiber, this gluten free flour bakes up a dense yet fluffy crumb. Use a fine oat flour for the best texture.
- White Rice Flour: Keeps this gluten free banana bread from getting too gummy and dense.
- Potato Starch: Helps bind the other flours together and keeps this loaf super light and fluffy! Using potato starch makes a lovely crisp crust too.
- Vanilla: Adds extra richness and flavour.
- Salt: Brings out the sweetness of the bananas!
If you prefer using just oat flour, you can try my OG vegan gluten free oat flour banana bread. This version is just as delicious but the texture is just ever so slightly denser due to the nature of oat flour.

How to Make the BEST Healthy Banana Bread
No need for any fancy equipment to make this super easy banana bread-- not even measuring cups! Just a scale, 1-bowl and a whisk. Maybe a spatula too if you really want to scrape all the batter out. Place the bowl on the scale and add the ingredients while weighing them out.
- Mash the super ripe bananas: Either with a fork or blender. If you want small chunks of bananas, mash with a fork. If you like a really smooth banana bread use a blender.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the tahini, maple syrup, dairy free milk, vanilla and apple cider vinegar to the bowl and whisk together.
- Add in the dry ingredients: Add the oat flour, rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. TIP: If you have a sifter, sift the baking soda and powder so there are no clumps-- otherwise be sure to whisk the ingredients thoroughly.
- Bake: Transfer the batter into a 8x4 inch loaf pan (see tips below for other sized pans). It WILL be full right to the top but I have never had it overflow on me. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 F.
- Cool: This is probably the hardest step but so important. If you cut into it while still warm, it tends to be denser and almost gummy in texture.

Tips for Making Fluffy & Moist Healthy Banana Bread
- Weigh the Ingredients: I said this earlier but it's important to follow the recipe exactly as written. If you make any subs, please note the texture will differ.
- Use SUPER Ripe Bananas: I like to use bananas that have yellow spots on them. Yes yellow spots, meaning the bananas are borderline mushy to the touch.
- Use a 8x4 Inch Loaf Pan (900g): The secret to this banana bread recipe is using a smaller loaf pan. Most recipes call for a 9x5 inch loaf pan which holds more batter but risks not getting cooked all the way through. If you decrease the amount of batter you add to the pan, you end up with a short banana bread that looks more like a cake.
- Check Doneness: The surface will be holden brown. When you press on the top, it should feel bouncy and spring right back up. Insert a skewer or chopstick in the middle of the loaf all the way through-- if it comes out clean or with a few cooked crumbs it's ready to come out of the oven.
- Cool Properly: The longer it sits in the loaf pan, the soggy-er the bread will get. I carefully remove it from the pan a minute after I take it out of the oven by using a dull knife and running it through the sides without parchment paper. Let it completely cool on a wire rack. If you want to eat this banana bread warm, re-heat it once it's been sliced.
- Bake Them into Muffins: Here's the muffin version!
Customize Your Banana Bread
Banana bread doesn't have to be boring. There are so many ways to jazz it up just by mixing in come add-ins! Here are some of my favourites:
- Chocolate: Chunks or chips! A classic combo with banana bread, always a go-to. About ½ cup.
- Nuts: Walnuts, pecans and almonds! About ½ cup chopped. Also great with the chocolate chips.
- Berries: About 1 cup fresh or frozen berries (my fav is blueberries). Be sure to dust it with some flour first if using frozen so it absorbs the extra liquid.
- Bourbon: About 1 tbsp.
- Espresso: 1 teaspoon instant espresso, dissolved with the liquid ingredients.
- Almond extract: 1 tsp, it makes it taste like cake and so good with blueberries!
How to Store & Freeze Banana Bread
This vegan gluten free banana bread keeps well at room temperature for up to 2-3 days semi-covered in a container. To freeze, slice them into servings and then place in freezer safe containers or reusable bags for up to 2 months (anything longer and the banana bread sort of dries out). When ready, thaw at room temperature with a damp paper towel covering it. Alternatively, you can also microwave for 20 seconds or until warm. The damp paper towel trick keeps the banana bread from drying out.

More Healthy Banana Recipes to Try:
- Flourless Banana Blender Muffins
- Vegan Banana Protein Muffins
- Banana Bread Donuts
- Breakfast Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Banana Bread Oatmeal Bars
- Moist Banana Snack Cake
- 2 Minute Banana Bread Mug Cake

If you recreate this Best Healthy Banana Bread Recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Healthy Banana Bread
This healthy banana bread recipe is ultra moist, fluffy and Easy to make with a handful of wholesome ingredients. Great for breakfast, snacking and meal prep! (Vegan, gluten free, oil free & refined sugar free).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minuntes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, north american
Ingredients
- 1 scant cup mashed super ripe bananas (200g // about 1 ½ medium bananas)
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp drippy tahini (90g // or any runny nut butter)
- ¾ cup lite coconut milk (180g // or any dairy free milk)
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup (60g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10g)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (10g)
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp fine oat flour (140g // store bought or homemade)
- ⅔ + 2 tbsp cup white rice flour (120g)
- 2 tbsp potato starch (30g // not potato flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line or grease a 8x4 inch loaf tin.
- Into a large mixing bowl, weigh in the bananas and mash until pureed. You could also blend the bananas until smooth if you prefer a uniform banana bread with no chunks of bananas. Pour in the tahini, dairy free milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar and whisk until combined.
- Add in the oat flour, rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes. If you have a nice golden crust on the top already, place tin foil over the loaf and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until it's springy to the touch and skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Total baking time should be about 55-60 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and then carefully remove the banana bread out of the loaf pan. Be sure to run a dull knife around the edges where the banana bread is touching the pan without parchment paper between it. Place on a wire rack and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe adapted from my Fluffy Banana Muffins Recipe
- Helpful Equipment: 8x4 inch loaf tin, mixing bowl, whisk, spatula, scale
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 261
- Sugar: 8.1g
- Sodium: 217mg
- Fat: 8.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 41.4g
- Fiber: 3.8g
- Protein: 5.5g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: healthy banana bread, vegan banana bread, gluten free banana bread
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

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Alli says
Hi!
I was wondering if glutinous rice flour (like mochi stuff) is the same as white rice flour? For this recipe I mean.
Thank you^^
Lisa Kitahara says
Hi! No, glutinous rice flour will make it gummy. You can try using brown rice flour, a gf all purpose blend or maybe even buckwheat/quinoa flour instead! 🙂
Cheïma says
Thank you for your hard work and your recipe. I just have a slice of this amazing banana bread. It is soft and less dense that the previous banana bread recipe (that I like too). This one it very nice 🙂 If a coffee shop serves me a slice of it I'll not be upset.
Keep going Lisa :"3
★★★★★
Elaine says
This banana bread looks amazing! I can't wait to try it!
★★★★★
Marisol Chancellor says
the texture of this bread is just beautiful! love a healthy banana bread recipe
Jordan | Prickly Fresh says
Genuinely there's nothing I love more than banana bread and I love that this one is vegan!
★★★★★
Tirsa says
One of the best banana bread recipes I have ever tried, love the texture. I used tahini this time but I would love to try peanutbutter as well, think it will be lovely too. Thanks for the recipe Lisa!
★★★★★
Emma says
10/10 recommend! This recipe is the best! I find that actually fluffy and still moist banana bread, especially when it is vegan and healthy, is really hard to come by so this recipe is my new go to! It is also just so simple and quick to make and so so delicious!
I actually swapped the tahini for sunflower seed butter as I was out of tahini when I made it and it worked great! It added a really nice depth of flavor and was still super moist and fluffy (it will make the bread go to the tiniest bit green over time though as this happens when you bake sunbutter, just a heads up).
★★★★★
Leena says
What does the tahini do? Can I sub with almond butter mixed with some milk to make it drippy?
Lisa Kitahara says
It adds moisture! You could try, though I haven't tried it myself so can't guarantee results.
Jasmin says
Such a delicious Banana Bread recipes! Try it out, it's amazing!
★★★★★
Rose says
Hi! Don’t have potato starch, may I use tapioca flour/starch instead? And buckwheat flour instead of white rice flour?
Megan says
The fluffiest vegan banana bread recipe I've tried! love it
★★★★★
Priscilla says
I have to say, I was honestly skeptical about how this recipe would turn out. But WOW... SO GOOD. You can't even tell that it's so healthy either! My brother always jokes saying he's allergic to anything healthy. I doubt he'll be able to tell the difference and I can't wait to share this with him just to surprise him about what's in it.
I ended up using oat milk in place of coconut milk, arrowroot powder in place of potato starch and added blueberries and dark chocolate... YUM. My sons have food allergies/sensitivities and I have absolutely no qualms about giving this to them.
This recipe is bookmarked and will be made often! THANK YOU!
★★★★★
Anya says
I’ve made this many times. Always turns out great.
★★★★★