Using bananas instead of oil makes this fat-free banana bread extremely moist and lightly sweet, and the blueberries add a fruity surprise to every bite.Â
Q: What’s black and yellow and soft all over?
A: The bananas on our kitchen counter when we got home from the beach on Sunday.
Of course, when we left on Thursday, the bananas were firm and yellow, even a little green. I’d meant to take them with me, but in the rush of packing I forgot. By the time we got home, our bananas were so overripe that I could actually smell them as we entered the door.
But you know the old saying: When life gives you mushy bananas, make banana bread! Well, I may have just made that “old saying” up.
Nevertheless, it’s true that the riper the bananas, the better the banana bread, so finding several overripe bananas on my kitchen counter was not a hardship at all but an opportunity to make a treat for the family. And since it’s blueberry season here, I saw it as a double opportunity and filled my banana bread with some of the plumpest, sweetest blueberries I’ve ever tasted.
The result was incredible: The bananas make the bread extremely moist and lightly sweet, and the blueberries add a fruity surprise to every other bite. If you like bananas and blueberries, I think you’ll love them together.
Before I hit you with the recipe, I want to let you know that the Tried & Tasted roundup has been posted over at Holy Cow. I mentioned before that people would be making recipes from this blog and then sharing them on their own blogs. Well, I’m just overwhelmed at the response: I counted 39 different entries, some of them of recipes I’d forgotten I made. It’s going to take me a while to go through them all, but I will! Please visit some of them yourself–and tell them I sent you.
Blueberry-Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 large over-ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup vanilla soymilk or apple sauce (80 ml)
- 1/2 cup agave nectar (120 ml) see notes below
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour (240 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup blueberries (240 ml)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or wipe a 9Ă—5-inch loaf pan with oil or use a silicon loaf pan.
- Mix the soymilk with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until it curdles. (If using apple sauce, skip this step and add the lemon juice to the bananas.)
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the remaining lemon juice, soymilk, and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined. Fold in the blueberries.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into 12 slices and serving.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share!
km
Hello, I thought this recipe looked nice to try, so instead of taking the laptop in the kitchen (WHERE IT COULD GET RUINED) I tried to print said recipe, and walked away for a moment. I was shocked when I next looked at the printer. There are so many wasted sheets of paper hocking your book or website subscriptions or something, I’m not really sure, I now understand that this recipe is copyrighted. I assumed it was creative commons, since its on the internet for use. I was not trying to distribute it, just try it. If you had not tried to be so “clever” i may have tried this recipe, liked it, and bought your book or whatever your selling!
SusanV
There is a link to the printer-friendly version of the recipe prominently displayed that you can click and then print the text of the recipe on one page, no ads or photos. You might try that before leaving a nasty comment the next time you visit a blog.
Jennifer
I just made this today and my whole famliy LOVES it (even my 5 year old son). Most times I’ve try a vegan bread it comes out dry and sticks to the pan. This recipe is fantastic. Although I could have added more blueberries!!!
Shay
Hey Susan!
I’ve been following your recipes for months now and thought I would finally comment before baking this recipe tomorrow…
I tried your upside down peach cake once, and unfortunately, only the peaches were edible as the cake was hard and dense, soft and mushy, and just terrible. Last time I tried to make a pumpkin bread it turned out similar and I am quite nervous to try this banana bread recipe now… if I only have white flour will that suffice? And what about adding some oats or wheat germ?
thanks Susan!
SusanV
I’m sorry your previous attempts turned out badly. I don’t recommend that you substitute flours or add ingredients to the baked goods because they haven’t been tested and can have bad results, as you may have already found out.
April
I just made this yesterday, and it turned out delicious! I used white flour (all I had and luckily no gluten issues in our house!) and three VERY ripe bananas, which basically gooified when I used them. It turned out super moist and probably the prettiest banana bread I have ever made. I really don’t know how so many people messed it up, because it really was super easy! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Kelly
Loved this recipe!!! Will use it again & again & again! I came here in search of dairy free options & have had my whole world opened up to so many wonderful dishes. This was my first to actually bake & it turned out wonderful. I made an extra loaf & gave it to my friend, who also loved it. Thank you for all that you do!!!
Kaitlyn
To be honest, I wasn’t crazy about this recipe. Maybe it’s because I used the applesauce instead of the milk.
Katie
This recipe was great, my bread came out perfect and tasty and it was really simple. I used applesauce instead of soy milk and that’s the only change I made! But delicious when heated up with some vegan butter and Cinnamon. Mmm check out my photo on flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dropbeatsnotbabies/5405681571/
Kristina
I tried this twice both times with great results. I’m veg, and my boyfriend is an omnivore, but we come back to this site time and time again because it has such great recipes regardless of what type of diet you subscribe to. That’s for such an easy recipe. We used cherries once and blueberries + chocolate chips the other time. nom nom nom nom
JodiM
I just made this, followed recipe exactly, using apple sauce, added a cup of pecans and did use 1 egg (we are not vegan). It was so good, the 3 y/o’s, 15 y/o, and a junk food friend all loved it! Thanks for a great recipe
Paul
Many thanks SusanV! This recipe helped convince me I could make it as a vegan. By happy accident, I made this first with spelt flour and 1/3 c. almond milk — it was fantastic. Since then, I’ve made it nearly a dozen times in just the last few months. I tried the applesauce version and have varied the fruit and type of flour. The spelt flour and almond milk version, to which I’ve added a 4oz package of diced peaches in light syrup, is my favorite. Thanks again for sharing your talents and knowledge. Your recipe box is big boost to this new vegan.
Helena
Thanks for keep posting, Susan! I’ve got 2 questions:
*I don’t have vanilla soy milk (can I add vanilla extract to soy milk?)
**I couldn’t find apple sauce (!?) in my local supermarket (other sauces ok but not apple!!) Can I substitute it for other fruit sauce or make it at home?
Thank you, always!
SusanV
Yes, to both questions, Helena. If you want to make apple sauce yourself, just chop up an apple, put it in a saucepan with a little water, and cook it until soft. Mash it with a fork or puree it in a blender or food processor. Other fruit sauces should work just fine, too.
Helena
Thank you for the super fast answer, Susan! Off to the kitchen now 🙂
Elizabeth
I have tried this twice and I have to extend the cooking time significantly. Next time will try to make muffins or something smaller. Good recipe though
Ocean
Just made this today and I love them! I had a container of blueberries that were going bad fast and this recipe looked so easy and good that I had to try it. And it definitely lived up to my expectations!
I didn’t have any over-ripe bananas so I just cut the semi-green ones I had into a bowl and microwaved them so they’d be easier to mash. I used maple syrup instead of agave nectar and only had 1/4C left so I added in 1/4C + a little more of white sugar. I only had plain soy milk so I added in two teaspoons of vanilla and also a teaspoon of cinnamon per another reader’s suggestion. I made 12 muffins that baked for about 20mins.
They were very moist and healthy tasting; great texture and you don’t feel guilty about eating them at all. They were a little on the bland side for me but I believe it was because the bananas were not very ripe. So I drizzled honey on top. My whole family loved it as well and they actually thought it had just the right amount of sweetness. I think it’s going to be great for breakfast; I’m going to heat it and add some jam with it =) Great recipe!
Jennifer
I made the banana bread today with whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, agave and walnuts….. I used 4 small bananas ….. turned out perfect…… I think it would be difficult to distinguish this loaf from one with oil and eggs…. This was the first time for me on this site…. I just googled fat-free banana bread…. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Laura
Thanks for the great recipe! Just made this as a dessert for my in-laws tonight and everyone loved it! I am nursing my son, who has tons of allergies, so I was so excited to find a dessert we could all enjoy. I used applesauce and ended up using 4 smaller bananas. Also, I used honey in place of the agave (didn’t have any) and it worked great. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Natalie
I just made this and it was FABULOUS! I am pregnant and wanted some banana bread, but no sugar and healthy…this turned out so delicious! Thank you so much!
I used agave in place of sugar. AMAZING
Alexis
I made these for Mother’s Day, but in muffin format instead if loaf, and used bananas and blueberries from the freezer (thawed of course). Baked for about 20 minutes, and they’re just perfect! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
debra
My husband loves desserts and cannot, due to medical reasons, have any flour except Almond or Coconut flour. He cannot have any sugar, no agave. He can only have Stevia. He can have unsweetend chocolate/cocoa. No additives…He can have EVOO, Coconut and Palm Oil, Butter, Cream
I grill fruit with homemade whip cream/stevia…Raw milk fruit shakes with stevia
Any other suggestions, thoughts, recipes???
Thanks!
Charlievegan
Delicious except a tad soggy in the middle and my blueberries bled so it looked a lot bluer compared to your picture think I stuffed it up cos I only had 2 bananas and I mixed the berries in too early but I’ll know for next time 🙂 next recipe on my list is your date slice 🙂
Kelsey @ Clean Teen Kelsey
I just made this recipe and was very happy with the results! I reduced the agave by over half, so to compensate I added a little extra almond milk. I probably added a tad too much, since the loaf is a very moist, but it is still great! I also added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, a good shake of cinnamon and some vanilla. 🙂 Thanks for this awesome recipe!
sowji
can i use honey instead of Agve Nectar? If so how much?
SusanV
You should use the same amount of honey as agave nectar.
Chris Hertel
I just made a traditional banana bread, but stumbled across your blog by looking for vegan banana cookies. (I have A LOT of very ripe bananas!). I was so excited to see this recipe with the Agave. We use that because it lowers your glycemic index, and I cut out all sugar from my diet. I can’t wait to make this!!
Laura
I only have two bananas, do you think I could substitute applesauce for the
one I am missing? I will be using the vanilla soy milk…
julie
iv cooked many banana cakes but never one with blueberries. this looks delish,cant wait to try this one 🙂
Jordan
Best banana bread I’ve ever made! I swapped out blueberries for diced strawberries, used 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup golden milled flaxseed, and poured the batter into a muffin tin. These are SO GOOD. Thank you for the recipe. I’ve never had such a successful baking endeavor!
Lattegirl
I’m a 21 yr old vegan with an insatiable hunger for sweets. I ran into your blog a while back but just now had the time to try this recipe. I made it last night and boy oh boy – it was delish! I bake it for 40 min, and I don’t think it came out as moist as yours in the picture, but still yummy nonetheless. I plan to make two loaves next week as a gift to my high school teacher, and hoping that she’ll like it. Thanks for this recipe, looking forward to trying your other recipes in the near future! 🙂
Susan
I made this yesterday, and it was very good, but unfortunately a little mushy in the middle. I am at a high altitude, so perhaps I need to make some adjustments. I’ll certainly cook it for longer next time.
Nicolette
Love it! Thank you!
I am a newbie vegan and leaning in to fat-free.
Your website is of great help. If all will taste as good as this blueberry-banana bread I will be in quilt-free heaven.
Thanks again,
Nicolette
The Netherlands
Julie & Marty
I made this last weekend and substituted the blueberries and agave nectar for cherries and maple syrup. This is an excellent recipe. Even my husband really enjoyed it and kept going back for more. I think I may try it with sugar next time because I am sweet freak and I felt it should be a tiny bit sweeter. Yum.
Shelley
This is my first post on your website but I wanted to let you know how much I’ve enjoyed sifting through your recipes with all of those mouthwatering photographs. I’ve been living with gallstones and have had to switch to a very low-fat (mostly vegan) diet to prevent further painful attacks.
Your amazing recipes have been a godsend to me! I realized that low-fat food doesn’t have to be boring. I made the blueberry banana bread last night for my husband’s birthday and he loved it! Couldn’t even tell it was vegan. Keep up the great work – my whole family appreciates it ; )
Julie & Marty
I made this again last Sunday. I used a few more cherries this time, apple sauce instead of soy milk, and I only had half the maple syrup so for the other half I used good old fashioned white sugar. This turned out even better than the first attempt, which was great. This weekend I may try it with blueberries I got the from the farmer’s market today. This is an excellent recipe!
Laina
In case anyone else is diabetic, (my dh is) I made this using Splenda instead of the agave nectar. So to make up for the liquid, I used 4 oz of applesauce in addition to the soymilk. It came out perfectly, but I did have to bake it 10 minutes more. So maybe next time I’ll use 1/4 cup soy milk and see if that works out better.
Susan, great flavor! What a wonderful aroma as it bakes. It’s a keeper!!! 🙂
Maia
I just tried this recipe and it turned out lovely. The inside is nice an moist and I as well used maple syrup instead of Agave. I couldn’t find any whole wheat white flour here, which is a shame, but the cake taste great nonetheless. Thank you for the wonderful recipes on your blog, I hope to try many more.
Julie & Marty
Made this today with blueberries, apple sauce instead of soy milk, 1/2 maple syrup. 1/2 sugar. It turned out nice, but the vote is in and adding cherries over blueberries win! A sweet old lady told me to try chocolate chips in banana bread. She said she won’t make it without them now. I believe I will use this recipe and give it a try next week!
Elaine
This is a wonderful recipe. I use applesauce instead of the soy milk and the bread is moist and yummy. I have also made it into muffins which work out nicely for camping or sack lunching.