This simple, one-bowl vegan oil-free banana bread recipe will become the only one you’ll ever need. It gives banana bread a healthy makeover while staying moist, sweet, and totally delicious. Add your favorite chopped nuts to this recipe to put your spin on it!
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Whenever I see a few browning bananas on the kitchen counter, I either peel and freeze them for smoothies or make banana bread!
Bananas are on our shopping list every week. I throw them in the kids’ lunches; they make a great grab-and-go snack for the car, but no matter what I do, I always buy a few too many. But this never bothers me because bananas are one of the staple ingredients I use when baking vegan desserts.
I use them in vegan muffins, cookies, pancakes, quick bread, oatmeal, and more. They’re naturally sweet, which means I can reduce other added sugars while still getting that subtly sweet flavor. If you’re looking for the BEST vegan banana bread recipe that doesn’t use any oil, you’re in the right place! This one is a fan favorite!
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Why You’ll Love This Vegan Oil-Free Banana Bread
- Suitable for Any Diet: This bread is free of dairy, oil, nuts, and eggs, and it can be easily adapted to be gluten-free.
- Naturally Sweet: This bread is full of naturally sweet bananas and applesauce and further sweetened with a bit of unrefined coconut sugar.
- Simple Ingredients: You’ll only need a few essential ingredients to make this bread.
- Easy: This is a simple, one-bowl recipe that even beginners can easily make.
Ingredients and Notes
- Bananas: Bananas give the bread its signature flavor and lots of moisture.
- White Whole Wheat Flour: This flour is higher in fiber than all-purpose flour, but it still gives the bread a light, fluffy texture.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce provides moisture in place of oil or melted butter.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk: This adds moisture to the bread.
- Coconut Sugar: This unrefined sugar is better for you and adds a wonderful sweetness to the bread.
- Chopped Nuts: An optional ingredient, chopped nuts provide an earthy flavor and a nice crunch.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Substitutions
- For the best results, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour.
- If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can use real maple syrup or cane sugar. as a substitute.
- Add your favorite chopped nuts to the batter, and sprinkle some nuts on top. I recommend ¼ cup of chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, and two tablespoons of chopped nuts to the top.
- Try adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the bread for more flavor.
- For a special treat, add ⅓ cup of chocolate chips.
How to Make Vegan Banana Bread With No Oil
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a medium bowl until they become thick and liquid. Then, add the applesauce, vanilla, and almond milk and stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture and mix until just combined. If you’re adding nuts, do so at this point.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly across the top with a spatula.
- Bake until the top browns and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Then slice and enjoy!
Step 6: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
FAQS
Several substitutes can create moist and delicious banana bread without oil. In this vegan banana bread, I used unsweetened applesauce. However, applesauce is not the only substitution. You can use any fruit or veggie puree, such as pumpkin or squash. You can also use your favorite non-dairy milk, such as oat, almond, or soy milk.
Yes, you can also substitute yogurt for oil in banana bread. If you are preparing vegan banana bread, use dairy-free yogurt. Always opt for plain yogurt, not fruit-flavored or vanilla yogurt.
Traditional banana bread has over 200 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 20 grams of sugar. My vegan and oil-free version has 118 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, and half the sugar at just under 10 grams. It contains no processed sugar and uses high-fiber white whole wheat flour instead of white flour. The elimination of oil reduces calories, fat, and saturated fat.
Bananas should be as ripe as possible for banana bread. At a minimum, your bananas should be brown or have brown spots. But believe it or not, the best flavor comes from those bananas that are too gross to eat raw. If you have them, bananas that have deep, dark, brown skin and are super-smushy are fantastic for baking.
Bananas can never be too ripe for baking. The riper they are, the sweeter and more intense their flavor. That being said, bananas will eventually go bad, so be careful not to use rotten bananas in your baked goods.
Some people think the peel tells the tale, but that’s not true. Bananas with black skin can be used in baking if they haven’t gone bad. The real trick is using your eyes and your nose. If the bananas smell off, have any mold on the peel, or they’re seeping liquid, they’ve gone bad. Otherwise, they’re perfect for baking.
Expert Tips
- Use the ripest bananas possible for your banana bread.
- Use white whole wheat flour for lighter, moist bread.
- Make sure your applesauce is unsweetened. It acts as the oil and gives this banana bread moisture, but you don’t need the added sugar from applesauce.
- Sift the flour before adding it to the wet ingredients for a lighter texture.
- After taking the bread out of the oven, test it with a toothpick to ensure it is cooked all through.
Serving Suggestions
This banana bread tastes perfect all on its own with a cup of coffee or tea, but there are many delicious variations. I enjoy eating it with peanut butter and a few pecans sprinkled on top. You can also use almond butter, or if you want to get fancy, whip up some vegan coconut cream!
Of course, I can’t forget breakfast! This bread makes a great addition to a sweet and savory breakfast or brunch served with cornmeal porridge, an omelet, or sweet potato Brussels sprouts hash.
Video
Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezer: Wrap the bread in a double layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Defrost frozen bread in the refrigerator overnight. If you want warm bread, cover with aluminum foil and warm in the oven at 325°F for 5-10 minutes.
🍌 More Vegan and Oil Free Banana Recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Oil Free Banana Bread
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Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour or gluten free flour blend
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a medium sized bowl mash the bananas until they become a thick liquid consistency. Add the applesauce, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Don't over mix. Add the optional ⅓ cup of chopped nuts. Reserve some to sprinkle on the top after it's added to the loaf pan.
- Line a 9 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly across the top using a spatula. Optional: Sprinkle a few chopped nuts on the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until the top browns and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely before you slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use brown spotted bananas that are very ripe.
- Use white whole wheat flour for lighter more moist bread.
- Make sure your applesauce is unsweetened. It acts as the oil and gives this banana bread moisture, but you don’t need added sugar.
- For lighter bread, sift the flour before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- If the top of the bread browns quickly, add an aluminum foil tent to prevent burning the top.
- Test the bread with a toothpick after taking it out of the oven to make sure it is done.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap in saran wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag to avoid freezer burn.
Maria
Will make again. Made it without any sugar, just added more applesauce. Delicious for breakfast.
Bujji
Made this many many times. Comes out perfectly every time. And still the family favorite. Thank you !!
Janice
Husband loved it!!!
Susan
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! This banana bread was easy to make and so sweet and tasty. I used date sugar instead of coconut and white whole wheat flour. The texture was just right for a whole grain bread quick bread. I expect to use this recipe often.
Alison Corey
I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! Your substitutions sound great too!
Shanna
We make this recipe often. Love it. Getting ready to make it again today, but I don’t have enough whole wheat flour and I don’t have all-purpose. Can I substitute any other flour for the whole wheat; oat, spelt, buckwheat? I have plenty of those flours.
Alison Corey
I think using an oat or spelt flour should work just fine! Let me know how it turns out!
Laura
This is outstanding. Love the fact that I can use coconut sugar (and a small amount), no oil, and yet……..the flavor is really good and the texture moist. I added blueberries in mine, since they’re in season. This is a keeper recipe. Thank you.
Alocasia
Delicious! My bananas may not have been large enough so I ended up having to use four. I didn’t have enough coconut sugar left so I used date sugar in its place. This recipe is a definite keeper.
S
Can we use normal milk if we do not have almond milk
Alison Corey
Yes, you can use regular milk.
kalia
is it possible to make this recipe with all purpose flour??
Alison Corey
Yes, you can make this recipe with all purpose flour.
Jaime Hardwick
This is a delicious recipe that I have made twice now. I will say that my bread only took 40 min and I might try about five min less than that when I make it next. Thanks for a great oil free vegan recipe!
Alison Corey
Thank you for sharing about the cook time! Depending on your oven and where you’re located cook times can differ.
Rita Guthrie
The bread tastes good, but didn’t rise. Could be that my baking powder is old. I don’t use it often. I’ll try the recipe again with fresh baking powder. I used GF flour…that could have affected it.
Alison Corey
Hi Rita,
If your banana bread didn’t leaven it is most likely due to the type of gluten-free flour you used and the baking powder. There are many different types of flour, and not all of them work the same way. I recommend increasing the amount of baking powder, and adding a 1/2 tsp of baking soda when using a gluten-free flour to help achieve a rise on your bake.
Emma Halsall
Hi, would you be able to change the measurements into grams as I am not sure how to measure in cups?
Thanks.
Alison Corey
Hello Emma,
I found this resource that should help convert the cups measurements to grams. I hope you enjoy the banana bread! https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/cups-grams.php
Umesh Thakka
Instead of coconut sugar it can be made with date paste ?
Alison Corey
I have not used date paste before, but feel free to give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
Emily Stein
The Banana Bread recipe is delicous and easy to make. Adding chocolate chips makes it even better! Thanks.
Alison Corey
Hi Emily!
Thank you for the kind review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Donna Thorne
Hello Alison… just tried your Vegan-No Oil Applesauce banana bread. I can tell you It is by far the VERY best I have ever come across. Sending you grateful thanks for sharing this recipe. Regards, Donna Thorne.
Alison Corey
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this Banana Bread recipe! It’s one of our family favorites!
cheryl
Easy and delicious, it won’t last the day! Thank you very much!
Alison Corey
I’m so happy to hear it turned out well! Enjoy!!
Genevieve
I love a good banana bread recipe!! This one looks delicious!
Michelle
It’s surprising how good this bread is even without any oil!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
The texture on that bread looks amazingly light, not stodgy like many dairy free versions. Perfect!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Love banana bread – and I love that you’ve made it healthier and dairy free. Indulgent but without the guilt.
Liz
This looks awesome! Can you use frozen bananas? I have a bunch! ;0)
Alison Corey
I haven’t used frozen bananas before. If you do use frozen bananas I would thaw them first, but they might be a bit watery. If you try it with frozen bananas let me know how it turns out!