Sourdough Banana Bread recipe is an easy and delicious way to use up sourdough starter in a not too sweet banana bread. Topped with cinnamon sugar, this just may be the most perfect breakfast idea!
We make a banana bread at least once a week here. Our banana bread passion goes way back. For example, this is the very first one shared here. I usually make two and end up giving one to my neighbor or to my brother’s family. It’s a classic recipe and I use mom’s recipe that she taught me some years ago. It actually was one of the first recipes I learned how to bake. It could all be mixed together by hand.
If you happen to have a sourdough starter and aren’t sure what to make with the discard, this is the recipe! No more guilt every week when it’s time to toss out the discard…you could make an easy banana bread.
There was a time when I had a sourdough starter in my fridge. I made a sourdough pizza and sourdough pie (so GOOD!). But of course, a hurricane happened and we lost power and I lost my starter. My sweet husband brought me some of his sourdough starter from work a couple weeks ago and it has been sourdough everything here since then. Now to find the time to share all the recipes!
There is something so comforting and relaxing about the scent of a cinnamon-sugar topped quick bread baking in the oven. The best part is it makes the whole house smell divine and is so easy to put together.
This bread is not too sweet (you could even use less sugar if you prefer) and is a cross between a classic banana bread and a sourdough loaf. Most importantly, it is not too sweet and with just a touch of sourdough flavor. A really great grab and go breakfast in the morning. Just slice up your loaf and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. So perfect for those busy school mornings.
HOW TO MAKE EASY SOURDOUGH BANANA BREAD RECIPE?
It all starts out with the bananas! First thing you have to do is make sure you have set aside some really ripe bananas. The more ripe, the more naturally sweet and moist your bread will be! Even if they seem they’ve gotten a little dark, don’t throw them out! Use them for this recipe!
Secondly, gather the rest of your ingredients. It’s classic banana bread ingredients, like flour, baking powder and soda, salt, sugar, oil (you could use vegetable or coconut oil), eggs (use flax eggs to make it vegan). I used my sourdough starter (unfed…it’s the portion I was discarding this week) and a little bit of coconut yogurt. You could use a dairy yogurt or more sourdough starter.
Here is my new love: my sourdough starter!
Once you stir together the dry ingredients and in another bowl stir together the wet ingredients, the final thing to do is combine them all together. I like to use a spatula to make sure I’m folding it all together and getting all the ingredients from the side of the bowl. It is all mixed together by hand. If you prefer to use a mixer, you could do it all with your electric mixer.
CAN YOU MAKE MUFFINS WITH THIS BANANA BREAD RECIPE?
Yes! You could easily make this recipe into muffins! Simply prep your muffin pan with baking spray (or butter)and fill a tin 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, or your tester comes out clean. The muffins do freeze great and the kids just love them!
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If you’ve tried this Sourdough Banana Bread or any other recipe on Savoring Italy, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below. It makes my day hearing from my readers and I do respond to every comment!
More sourdough recipes:
Sourdough Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas (will yield 1 cup mashed bananas about 3 small, 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sourdough starter stirred down
- 1/4 cup plain coconut yogurt you could use more unfed sourdough starter instead of the yogurt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 Tbsp cinnamon-sugar for top
Instructions
- Butter a 9x5 loaf pan. You could also line with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add in the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and stir together until combined. Fold in unfed sourdough starter (you are using the discard, the starter is not fed) and coconut milk yogurt (if you’re using).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until combined.
- Transfer batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then gently remove onto a wire rack to thoroughly cool.
The whole family could not get enough of this amazing recipe!
This is brilliant! Two of my favorite breads in one!
I have the perfect bananas for this bread. I can’t wait to have a warm slice!
I know for sure this bread would be a huge hit in my house!
This is such a fantastic idea!! I can’t wait to make it!!
I am in heaven! I would like to wake up with this banana bread!
I don’t see the eggs in the ingredients list but am going to make it with two eggs (as in the photo). The Pumpkin Sourdough bread was amazing, so I have to try the banana version!
Hi Donna…sorry it was omitted on the list! Just added them on! I make the banana one often…the kids love it! And I love the texture. I also want to try the version where you leave it leavening overnight!! Happy Baking!
Yumm. The banana taste really comes through . . . and just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!
awww, thank you so much, Donna! Your sweet comments made my day today! I’m happy it worked out great for you! XXX
Mines in the oven now ! I’ll update how it comes out. Can’t wait!
Fantastic, Angie-Happy Baking! XX
Hello, thank you for the recipe. I’m new to sour dough and am not sure what you mean by “stirred down”. Is that a ratio of water to straight starter? Thank you
Hi Tegyn-how cool you’re exploring sourdough baking! “Stirred down” is just stirring the starter in its jar and then after stirring it, removing the portion for the recipe (as opposed to removing portion of starter from jar without stirring it). Hope that clarifies! Happy baking! XX
I read the post and didn’t see the answer to this question but sorry if it is redundant. I have a starter I am currently feeding so could I use this recipe as well, though it’s not my unfed discards? Not sure what the outcome would be, I am new to the starter game
I’ve made this always with the the discard of the starter (the unfed part I was going to toss). It’s really the best way to use what you’re going to get rid of, so no waste. If you want to use your fed starter instead, it will still turn out great! Happy Baking! XX
Are you using freshly fed starter or are you using discarded starter.?
I do mention at the very beginning of the post that it is a recipe using the discard and it’s noted in the recipe…a great way to use up what you were going to get rid of for the week! Happy Baking!
This was so delicious! I think I prefer it to regular banana bread. I like the texture and the fact that it was not super sweet. Will definitely be making us again. I liked that I was able to use up some of my discard plus my sad bananas.
I always have sad bananas that aren’t even right for a smoothie:) Yes, so lovely to use up discard and also, not overly sweet. Really happy you enjoyed it, Michelle! Happy Baking! XX
Hi, I can’t wait to try this soon! I’m fairly new to sourdough baking and getting a feel for it. Just want to clarify that you don’t need to let the loaf rise (proof?) immediately before baking? This would be the first time I’ve baked a sourdough straight away. Thanks 🙂
Hi Karla-Yes…this is a bread that does not need to wait to proof…bake it as soon as you put it together. It’s a quick bread using the discard and is really great! Happy Baking! XX
What volume of bananas did you use? “3 bananas” can yield a variety of banana mush amounts!
Hi Lydia-Yes, you’re right! And I adjusted recipe to show that it is 1 cup of mashed bananas ( about 3 small, 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas). Happy Baking!
I made this with three big bananas, no sugar, and used 1/2 buckwheat and 1/2 white flour. It came out amazingly, so spongey, moist and puffy.
That’s great to know that it turned out so nice with addition of buckwheat flour (and no sugar!!). Happy Baking, Grace! XX
Lovely. Turned out really well.
Hi Alisa-Thanks for letting me know and that you enjoyed! Happy Baking! XX
I thought I had already found my favorite sourdough banana bread recipe but then yours came along. I love the ingredient choices (I did sub coconut oil). This recipe beats the other one I was using because it is moister, which is something I look for in banana bread. So, so good!
Hi Emily-Thank you! That’s so nice to hear! It is very moist! I have to bake one a week or I just miss it!Happy Baking! XX
I’ve now shared this recipe with lots of friends after we’ve all become lockdown sourdough bakers! It’s so good, and I can’t wait to experiment with choc chips and nutella in future bakes of this recipe.
Hi Samantha-Awwww…how kind of you to share my recipe with friends…so happy you like it! ohhhh, Nutellaaaaa!! I do have a Nutella Cake https://www.savoringitaly.com/nutella-cake_05/ (such bad photos in a very old post, but to give you inspiration!). And you could use that method do use this one w/Nutella! Happy Baking! XX thank you!