Vegan Gluten-Free Sourdough Banana Bread
A moist, hearty vegan sourdough banana bread made without added sugar, eggs, dairy, butter, oil, psyllium or gums. Ripe bananas and dried fruit provide natural sweetness, while flax and a combination of oat, tigernut and cassava flours give the egg-free loaf structure.
Servings 1 loaf (12 slices)
Calories 159.5kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free sourdough starter activated or discard
- ½ cup oat flour or buckwheat four
- ½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
- ¼ cassava flour
- ⅓ cup flax seeds ground
- 1 cup plant milk dairy free
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp sea salt
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Optional Toppings
- 1 tsp sesame seeds or other
- 1 tsp shredded coconut or other
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a 10 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper; I used an extendable tin. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the bananas with plant milk, vanilla extract and cranberries. Set aside.
- Meanwhile in another bowl, combine the starter, the flours, cinnamon, flax seeds and salt.
- Whisk together the banana mixture with the dry ingredients. Gently stir until evenly combined.
- Add the baking soda and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) last. Mix gently just until incorporated.
- Transfer to the pan. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Add cinnamon, seeds or unsweetened coconut if desired.
- Let the batter rest for about 15–20 minutes to allow the flax and gluten-free flours to hydrate.
- Bake. Cover loosely with foil and bake for the first 30 minutes. Remove the foil and reduce the temperature to 370°F. Continue baking until cooked through, about 70 minutes total. If desired, carefully remove the loaf from the tin (see video) toward the end of baking so the sides can bake more evenly.
- Check for doneness. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean and the center should feel set.
- Cool completely. Allow the bread to cool before removing it from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
- I keep it frozen (pre-sliced) and whenever I need I just throw a few slices in the toaster, the smell is extraordinary and it tastes like it was just baked.
- For extra details, see video.
Naturally Fermented Option
- Use an active gluten-free sourdough starter and omit the baking soda and vinegar.Mix the remaining ingredients, transfer the batter to the loaf pan, cover and allow it to ferment for approximately 4–6 hours, or until you see visible aeration and some rise.Bake according to the instructions above.
Notes
No-added-sugar version: Make sure your plant milk and dried fruit are unsweetened. Many packaged dried cranberries contain added sweeteners.
Flour choice: Oat flour produces a milder loaf; buckwheat gives it a darker color and more earthy flavor.
Tigernut vs. almond: Tigernut keeps the recipe nut-free and adds subtle natural sweetness. Almond flour also works if nuts aren't a concern.
Flax: Don't omit the ground flax. It's an important binder in this egg-free recipe.
Cooling: Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Gluten-free, egg-free breads continue setting as they cool.
Storage: Store covered for 2–3 days at room temperature or refrigerate for longer storage. For freezing, cool completely, slice and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Individual slices can be toasted directly from frozen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 159.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.5g | Fiber: 2g
