7 Banana Bread Recipes for Every Dietary Style

March 4, 2024

Courtesy of Love & Lemons

Banana bread is high on our list of comfort foods. Though we grew up eating it the way our grandmas made it – with white flour and sugar – nowadays, we like it with better-for-us ingredients. Since that means different things to different people, we found banana bread recipes that work for different eating styles. Whether you’re gluten free, vegan, eating more protein, or something else, you’ll find a banana bread you’ll love right here.

1. Protein Banana Bread

Banana bread isn’t likely to become your primary protein source – but with 13 grams per slice, this one can certainly be a help toward reaching your daily goal. Vanilla protein powder and Greek yogurt in this bread help you get there. Each slice also has 5 grams of fiber for a happy gut.

Try this recipe from Eating Bird Food

2. Hearty Paleo Banana Bread

Free of grains, sugar, and dairy, this banana bread is rich in banana flavor, with a hint of cinnamon. It has an almond flour base, with a little tapioca flour to lighten the texture. Chop up some dark chocolate to fold in, or add chopped walnuts, or any other mix-ins, if you like – though we love it as is, nice and simple.

Try this recipe from Paleo Running Momma

3. Gluten Free Banana Bread

We love olive oil in sweet recipes, and it works beautifully in this banana bread recipe. Gluten-free flour and a little almond flour make up the base, and it’s lightly sweetened with coconut sugar and, of course, ripe bananas. The dash of nutmeg makes this one extra cozy.

Try this recipe from Love & Lemons

4. Vegan Banana Bread

If you’re looking for a moist, flavorful banana bread that’s purely plant based, this one will be your jam. It has plenty of banana flavor, and you can leave out the sugar and opt for dates instead, if you like. With or without the mix-ins, this is a delicious treat.

Try this recipe from The Simple Veganista

5. Healthy Dairy-Free Banana Bread

You don’t need butter, yogurt, or dairy milk to make a moist, luscious banana bread, and this recipe proves it (along with the zillion 5-star reviews). Plus, this recipe offers options to make it gluten free, egg free, lower in fat, and more.

Try this recipe from Cookie and Kate

6. Low-Carb Banana Bread

You don’t see “low carb” and “bananas” together that often, but this recipe manages to pull it off. With less banana than most other recipes (only ½ cup, one medium or two small bananas), granulated sugar free sweetener, and an almond-flour base, each slice has just over 6 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber. So you can have your banana bread and eat it, too, even if you’re watching carbs.

Try this recipe from Sugar Free Londoner

7. Whole Wheat Banana Bread

With whole wheat, applesauce in place of butter or oil, and just a few other simple ingredients, this is a wholesome loaf you’ll love. It freezes well, so bake two, and freeze one (we like to slice it first).

Try this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction