Tahini Banana Bread is a MUST try! You’ll love this Healthy Vegan and Gluten-free Banana Bread made with applesauce and tahini, maple syrup and a combination of oat flour and almond flour. This easy healthy banana bread recipe is moist and delicious with perfect texture and just the right amount of sweetness.
This post has been updated from the original posted on May 7, 2018.
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Have you tried vegan banana bread made with applesauce and tahini? OMG…it’s addictively good. This 3 banana banana bread is soft and moist…just the comfort food you’re looking for, and healthy to boot!
Yeah, I know you have a friend who makes incredible banana chocolate chip bread….but I bet it’s also loaded with sugar, processed white flour and refined vegetable oil too. Amiright? Yes, I know because I have a friend with a recipe like that too…and I indulge…and then I feel crappy afterwards. You too?
I’ve been making healthy vegan banana bread for years…so I know a thing or two about how to make a tasty, eggless, dairy-free loaf. Trust me, this is The Best homemade banana bread recipe out there! Plus, it’s gluten-free and easy to make…so everyone can enjoy it, including YOU.
How to make Banana Bread Healthy
- Skip the sugar: Refined white sugar and brown sugar cause inflammation. Make banana bread sweetened with applesauce and maple syrup instead.
- Instead of refined oils, use whole foods like tahini and unsweetened applesauce for a moist banana bread.
- Regular wheat flour is stripped of nutrients (that is why it is fortified with supplements). Whole grain oats provide dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- This gluten-free loaf of banana bread uses a combination of oats and almond flour for awesome texture and added nutrition.
- Make sure your banana bread has plenty of protein, fiber and healthy fats so it doesn’t cause a blood sugar spike. (hello tahini, flax, almond flour and oats…we are looking at you!)
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bananas: Ah…the star of the show! I recommend 3 ripe bananas. You can see in the photo, I didn’t have any ripe bananas and I used the oven method to quickly ripen mine….they may look black on the outside, but they were PERFECT banana bread bananas on the inside.
- Applesauce: The most popular vegan baking substitute! I buy unsweetened applesauce in individual servings to make it super convenient for baking.
- Tahini: Rich sesame paste adds moisture without the need for refined oils.
- Oats: Old fashioned oats work best in this recipe. They add great texture to this gluten-free loaf of banana bread. I like to use Thrive Market Organic Oats or One Degree Organic Sprouted Oats. Whatever brand you use, be sure they are non-GMO and glyphosate free.
- Almond flour: low in carbs and packed with healthy nutrients, almond flour is a healthy choice for gluten-free baking.
- Maple syrup: A little goes a long way when paired with bananas and applesauce..and a great choice when trying to avoid artificial sweeteners or processed sugars.
- Ground flax: Helps to bind this eggless banana bread together while adding a nutty flavor and some Omega 3s, fiber and plant based protein.
- Optional: Totally up to you….I like some chopped walnuts or pecans, hubby likes added dark chocolate chips in his banana bread…you can see in the photos who that one!
How to make Tahini Banana Bread
It’s super easy to make this recipe in a blender or food processor. Preheat your oven to 350 because you’ll have this loaf in there in under 5 minutes.
Step 1: Thickly slice bananas and add them to the bowl of a food processor along with the applesauce, tahini, maple syrup and vanilla.
Step 2: Process. Scrape down sides. Process again until wet ingredients are fully combined. Make sure there aren’t any chunks of banana.
Step 3: Now add the almond flour and oats to the bowl with the banana batter.
Step 4: Process for about 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and process again until the dry ingredients have broken down. The batter will be thick and creamy.
Step 5: Sprinkle on the ground flax, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and process until barely mixed, about 15 seconds.
Step 6: Scrape down the sides and then pulse until everything is JUST combined. Do not over-mix this last addition.
Step 7: Here’s the fun part where you can customize your homemade banana bread! Stir in some chocolate chips or chopped nuts…or both! You’ll want to stir them in by hand before pouring the batter into a loaf pan lined with unbleached parchment paper.
Step 8: Line a loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and spread batter evenly into the corners with an offset spatula.
Step 9: Bake in preheated 350 oven for 50-55 minutes. Top will be golden and toothpick inserted into center should come back clean (or maybe with a bit of melted chocolate!).
Let banana bread cool for 10 minutes inside loaf pan. Then, use the ends of the parchment to gently lift onto a cooling rack that has been placed on top of a kitchen towel.
Allow banana bread to cool before slicing.
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE
- SERVE: Sugar free banana bread is perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.
- PREP AHEAD: Ok to make batter and pour into pan and store in the fridge covered tightly overnight. Bring to room temperature and bake as directed.
- STORE: In covered container at room temp for 2 days, in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for 3 months.
- FREEZE: Make sure banana bread is COMPLETELY cool before freezing. Wrap entire loaf in aluminum foil or freezer safe zip-top bag. To freeze individual servings of banana bread, cut into slices, place parchment paper between slices and then into a freezer safe zip-top bag .
Debra’s Pro Tips
- The riper your bananas, the sweeter your banana bread will be. Go for spotty, almost black bananas.
- If your bananas aren’t soft yet: Quickly ripen bananas by placing them in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes.
- For a drippy tahini, that’s perfect to use in recipes, it MUST BE thoroughly mixed when it’s first opened.
- Place a dish towel underneath the wire rack while cooling to absorb moisture and prevent a soggy bottom.
- Use mini chocolate chips! Trust me on this one.
- For best results cutting banana bread so it doesn’t fall apart, cool completely and use a serrated knife.
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-free and vegan banana bread
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas*
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup drippy tahini*
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 2 cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup ground flax
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.
- In bowl of food processor, add bananas, applesauce, tahini, maple syrup and vanilla. Process until smooth.
- Add in oats and almond flour. Process 30 seconds, scrape down sides and process again until oats have broken down and batter is smooth.
- Add flax, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Process 15 seconds, scrape down sides and process again, until just mixed.
- If using chocolate chips or chopped nuts, stir them in by hand now.
- Pour into prepared pan and use spatula to evenly disperse.
- Bake 50-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out dry and top is golden.
- Leave in pan for 10 minutes to begin cooling process.
- Place a kitchen towel underneath a cooling rack to absorb any moisture from cooling process. Use ends of parchment paper to facilitate transfer to cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and allow banana bread to thoroughly before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Anna Hettick
This looks SO GOOD!!! I’ve recently been looking for gluten-free recipes but I don’t want to get rid of bread!!!
Debra Klein
Oh, then you will LOVE this recipe….tastes just like you’d expect a banana bread to taste….but totally clean ingredients. Enjoy!
Andrea White
Love this banana bread so much! It comes out so moist and delicious!
Luna
What a unique banana bread, and so worth the effort! The cinnamon and vanilla really accentuate the flavors.
Debra Klein
Thanks Luna…it’s definitely a keeper.
Jerika
Wow! This Sugar-free Vegan Banana Bread looks so yummy!:) It’s like crunchy on the outside and super moist on the inside.:) Can’t wait to try it over the weekend. Thanks much!:)
Debra Klein
Oh Jerika…you’ve accurately described it…enjoy!
Nora
This banana bread turned out perfectly! Made it for a friend of mine who has celiac disease. She was so happy with this treat! Thank you!
Debra Klein
What a great friend you are! Homemade Banana Bread is like a warm hug!
Freya
I love banana loaf but often find it a bit too sweet so this recipe looks amazing perfect!
Debra Klein
Just the way I always felt about Banana bread too…until this recipe.
Agnieszka
Wonderful recipe! I love how healthy it is and my kids really liked it. This banana bread recipe is definitely a keeper!
Debra Klein
Yay!
Lori
Just made this today and love it!! The tahini really helps to provide a depth of flavor. Crusty on the outside and moist inside. Keeper!!
Debra Klein
You’ve nailed the description! Thanks Lori.
Kathy
Using soaked, chopped dates will add to the sweetness. Question: Any way to substitute the sodium to make it sodium free (or very low)?
Debra Klein
You could skip the salt. Personally, I like the way the salt enhances the chocolate…but the banana bread will come out great if you omit the salt.
Cathy McElroy
Can you make this recipe without a food processor? Concerned about “ processing until the oats have broken down”. I’ve made regular banana bread but not with rolled oats. Would love to try this. Thanks!
Debra Klein
Do you have a spice grinder/coffee grinder? You can break down the oats into oat flour first and then mix the batter by hand. Or, if you have a blender you can use that instead of a food processor. Otherwise, I would substitute the oats for any type of flour that you regularly use.