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Home » Vegan Cakes and Pies

4-Ingredient Banana Nut Bread (No Sugar, Vegan)

Published: May 15, 2025 by jessica · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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This simple 4-ingredient banana nut bread is an amazing way to use your overripe bananas! Makes for an oil-free and sugar-free healthy banana bread perfect for breakfast. It is not too sweet with a tender and soft texture, plus you can include chocolate chips for a treat! Egg-free, dairy-free and vegan.

A sliced vegan 4-ingredient banana nut bread on a cutting board.

Here is the simplest and most delicious 4-Ingredient banana nut bread recipe!

It truly is made using 4 ingredients: bananas, self-rising flour, nut butter and walnuts. It makes for a banana bread recipe that's wholesome, not too sweet and versatile, plus you can add on chocolate chips, swap the nuts and use regular all-purpose flour if you prefer (as long as you can add some baking powder + salt). And serve with a quick olive oil caramel sauce for a treat!

It makes for the perfect bread to enjoy at breakfast as it has a mild flavor and is made so healthy and nutrient-dense, without oil or white sugar. We love it with a little vegan butter and a drizzle of maple syrup with a cup of coffee, the perfect treat to make ahead of a busy week. Also, this banana bread recipe is completely eggless and dairy-free, so it fits many diets.

Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️

Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you will love this recipe
  • 🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
  • 📝 Variations
  • 🍽 How to make 4-Ingredient Banana Nut Bread
  • 💡 Baking tips
  • ❗️ Storage tips
  • ❓ FAQs
  • 🌱 More vegan recipes to use your bananas!
  • 📖 Recipe

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

  • Very quick and easy banana bread recipe
  • Uses only 4 simple ingredients!
  • Makes for a wholesome breakfast recipe
  • Oil-free or refined white sugar-free
  • Makes for a basic banana bread recipe to add your favorite flavoring ingredients, such as chocolate chips or vanilla.
  • Made without cake mix!
  • High-protein banana bread (thanks to the walnuts and nut butter!)
  • Fully vegan, eggless and dairy-free

🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)

Showing are the ingredients needed to make a 4-ingredient banana nut bread.
  • Ripe bananas: for best results, you will need OVERRIPE bananas (even black spotty bananas). The sweeter, the better! Remember, there is no additional sugar or moisture, so you need bananas that are super sweet and soft.
  • Self-rising flour: self-rising flour is a mix of all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt. If you do not have self-rising flour, then swap for the same amount of white flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder + ½ teaspoon of salt. I haven't tried it yet using whole wheat flour, but you might be able to swap about 25% of the total amount for it, although I would add a little milk.
  • Almond butter: adds more nutrients, but also some healthy fats to make the loaf more tender and filling. Make sure to use natural almond butter (look for almonds and salt ingredients), smooth and pourable almond butter and avoid the thick and solid kind. You can use peanut butter instead, as long as it has a pourable consistency.
  • Walnuts: or use chopped almonds or peanuts.

⭐️ Full list of ingredients down below in the recipe card!

📝 Variations

Our favorite flavoring ingredients to add:

  • vegan chocolate chips (we love these mega chunks from Enjoy Life)
  • a dash or two of cinnamon or nutmeg
  • vanilla extract or almond extract
  • raisins

➡️ This banana bread is naturally sweetened with the sugar from the bananas (there is no added sugar!). This makes for a bread that's not very sweet. For a sweeter loaf, garnish the bread with:

  • extra slices of banana
  • top with mini vegan chocolate chips
  • sprinkle some coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • or serve with a peanut butter caramel sauce!

🍽 How to make 4-Ingredient Banana Nut Bread

A bowl with mashed bananas and almond butter.

Step 1: To a large mixing bowl, add the mashed bananas and almond butter.

A bowl with a creamy banana mixture with a whisk stirring.

Step 2: And whisk until smooth and creamy.

A spatula stirring in a bowl with a loaf batter.

Step 3: Add the flour and stir until mostly uniform.

A bowl with a banana bread batter topped with walnuts.

Step 4: Incorporate the walnuts and keep mixing until there are no dry clumps of flour anymore (Do not overmix).

A spatula spreading banana bread batter in a loaf pan.

Step 5: Transfer the batter to a parchment-covered loaf pan and use the back of a spoon or a spatula to even out the surface.

A banana bread on parchment paper.

Step 6: Bake at 350ºF for 35 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and let it cool down before slicing.

⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!

💡 Baking tips

  • For the best result, I recommend using a small kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients or using the spoon and level method to measure the flour. Avoid packing the cup as you might end up with a dry loaf!
  • Make sure to use a smooth, thin and pourable almond butter. I love the almond butter from the brand 365, but any brand is fine as long as it does not have a thick consistency. If you use almond butter that's a little too thick or dry, then add some oat milk to compensate.
  • Do not overmix for a fluffier and lighter loaf! I recommend using a spatula as the flour tends to stick to the bottom of the bowl, so you can scrape all the dry ingredients. 
  • You will need to cover your loaf pan with parchment paper, otherwise the bread might stick and you won't be able to take it out easily.
  • Let the bread completely cool down before slicing.
  • Check the expiration date on your baking powder for the best rising action.
Halved banana nut bread on a cutting board.

❗️ Storage tips

This 4-ingredient banana nut loaf can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. For longer storage, then you can transfer to the fridge.

You can also pre-slice the whole loaf, then store it in a container to freeze. Divide each slice with a small piece of parchment paper so they don't stick together.

❓ FAQs

Can I use frozen bananas to make banana nut bread?

Yes! Thaw the frozen bananas until they are at room temperature before mashing them.

Can I make this banana nut bread gluten-free?

Yes, you can! Use a 1:1 GF flour to make it completely GF. I do not recommend using other kinds of naturally GF flour to make it, such as almond flour or oat flour, since they absorb moisture very differently.

Can I make banana bread without ripe bananas?

If your bananas aren't ripe enough, then you can bake them at 300ºF for 10-15 minutes with the peels on. They will turn soft enough to be mashed and sweet enough for flavor!

A sliced vegan 4-ingredient banana nut bread on a cutting board.

🌱 More vegan recipes to use your bananas!

  • A few blackberry banana muffins piled over each other on a cooling rack.
    Blackberry Banana Muffins (Healthy Vegan Recipe)
  • Vegan 4-ingredient banana oat cookie with chocolate chips on a counter.
    4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan & Healthy Recipe)
  • Banana chia muffins on a white plate.
    Banana Chia Seed Muffins (Vegan & Healthy)
  • Pile of vegan pumpkin banana muffins on a plate.
    Banana and Pumpkin Muffins (Healthy Vegan Recipe)

I hope you enjoyed this 4-ingredient Banana Nut Bread recipe! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!

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📖 Recipe

A sliced vegan 4-ingredient banana nut bread on a cutting board.

4-Ingredient Banana Nut Bread (No Sugar, Vegan)

This simple 4-ingredient banana nut bread is an amazing way to use your overripe bananas! Makes for an oil-free and sugar-free healthy banana bread perfect for breakfast. It is not too sweet with a tender and soft texture, plus you can include chocolate chips for a treat! Egg-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Author Jessica Laroche
Servings 10 slices

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Loaf pan (+ parchment paper)
  • Mixing spoon/spatula
  • Small kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
  • Measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

  • 450 g mashed bananas about 4 medium bananas
  • 250 g self-rising flour (250 g = 2 lightly packed cups). You can also use the same amount of all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder + ½ teaspoon salt
  • 125 g almond butter (125 g = ½ cup)
  • 115 g chopped walnuts (115 g = 1 cup)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed bananas and almond butter. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Add the self-rising flour and keep mixing using a spatula until mostly combined. Fold in the walnuts and keep mixing until there are no dry clumps of flour anymore (but do not overmix!).
  • Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the pan and let it cool down completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

  • For the best result, I recommend using a small kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients or using the spoon and level method to measure the flour. Avoid packing the cup as you might end up with a dry loaf!
  • Make sure to use a smooth, thin and pourable almond butter. I love the almond butter from the brand 365, but any brand is fine as long as it does not have a thick consistency. If you think your almond butter is too thick or dry, then add a little oat milk to compensate.
  • Do not overmix for a fluffier and lighter loaf! I recommend using a spatula as the flour tends to stick to the bottom of the bowl, so you can scrape all the dry ingredients. 
  • You will need to cover your loaf pan with parchment paper, otherwise the bread might stick and you won't be able to take it out easily.
  • Let the bread completely cool down before slicing.
  • Check the expiration date on your baking powder for the best rising action.
  • Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 330mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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