If there is one thing I can bake every weekend and never get sick of it’s a slice of really good vegan banana bread. This Vegan Tahini Banana Bread isn’t just any banana bread though! In addition to being absolutely delicious it’s also refined-sugar free, filled with healthy tahini, and the absolute perfect breakfast treat. If you’re on the hunt for a new banana bread recipe, let this Vegan Tahini Banana Bread be it!
I’m sold, now I just need brown bananas: Jump to Recipe
The Key to a Great Vegan Banana Bread
There is one key ingredient that will make any vegan banana bread turn from good to great and that is really really ripe bananas! I’m not talking spotty brown bananas, I’m talking bananas that are only one shade of black on the outside. They may look rotten because of the color, but if you eat black bananas within 1-2 days of them turning this color they are actually super soft and sweet inside.
Once your bananas get spotty there’s two things you can do.
One- let them sit on the counter about 3-4 more days to get to the perfect dark brown/black color.
Two- put them into the fridge and let them sit for about a week to get black.
I usually put mine right into the fridge so they don’t go bad or attract any bugs! I find black bananas can stay good on the counter 1-2 days, in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, and can even be frozen to last up to 1 month.
What is Tahini Anyways?!
If you’ve never had tahini in dessert before, let me tell you it is a game changer. Tahini is a smooth paste made out of ground hulled sesame. You can either buy it raw or toasted (and either works for this recipe!). It’s in a lot of middle eastern food and you likely recognize the taste from hummus. Essentially, it’s similar to almond butter or peanut butter but it is made with sesame seeds.
Unlike nut butter, it’s actually not very sweet and some brands are even a bit bitter. For that reason, it adds a savory element when mixed with sweet bananas, maple syrup, and coconut sugar.
If you’re looking for a few good brands to use in this Vegan Tahini Banana Bread I would recommend Artisana Organics Raw Tahini or Soom Foods Tahini.
How to Make Vegan Banana Bread Healthier.
Since I seriously eat vegan banana bread weekly, I wanted to make this Vegan Tahini Banana Bread refined sugar and a bit healthier. Here are the ingredients I used and what you can substitute them with if you don’t have the exact ingredient on hand:
Maple Syrup: I used Coombs Farms Maple Syrup for this recipe. I recommend using high-quality maple syrup (aka no Aunt Jemima). You can also replace any maple syrup with honey (though not vegan) or molasses (not blackstrap but light molasses). This would change the texture/taste a bit but should give similar results! I don’t recommend replacing maple syrup with sugar.
Coconut Sugar: I used Wholesome Organics Coconut Sugar but any brand works! While coconut sugar tends to be a healthier option because it doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much if you don’t have any on hand brown sugar or raw turbinado sugar works just as well.
No-sugar-added Chocolate Chips: To keep this recipe healthier I used my favorite chocolate that has no sugar added from Pascha Organic. There are definitely other good brands out there, but these chips are by far my favorite to bake with as they really hold their shape!
While I used Tahini to make this vegan banana bread, it just so happens that this recipe is just as good with any other nut or seed butter. I’ve made this recipe with almond butter and even sunflower butter (though it changed color!) and it was just as delicious. If you do choose to replace the tahini I recommend using a thinner more natural brand that doesn’t have any emulsifiers holding the nut/seed butter together. Trader Joe’s almond butter is my favorite to bake with for this recipe.
To make this Vegan Tahini Banana Bread even better I highly recommend grabbing your tahini and drizzling a little on top. Then, serve yourself a slice with a glass of oat milk or a warm cup of coffee. If a slice of vegan banana bread isn’t the perfect way to start your morning, I’m not sure what is! Enjoy 🙂
-TSG
If you’re looking for other Vegan Brunch Ideas, check out these recipes on the blog:
Vegan Blueberry Vanilla Scones
Vegan Matcha Black Sesame Sticky Buns
Vegan Gingerbread Cranberry Scones
Chai Spice Pecan Granola (Vegan & GF)
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50-60 minutes |
| Servings |
slices
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- 3 medium bananas *ideally black or brown
- 1/3 cup raw tahini *make sure fresh and not dried out
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract
- 1 1/4 cup spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips *optional
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Remove the peel from your bananas, add the banana flesh to a large mixing bowl, and mash until soft with some chunks.
- Next, add your liquid ingredients to the bowl containing the bananas including the tahini, maple syrup, coconut sugar, flax seed, almond milk, and vanilla bean paste/extract. Mix together until well combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, sift together your spelt flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the other bowl containing the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms. If adding chocolate chips pour in about 1/2 cup and use a spatula to stir these into the batter as a final step.
- Grease a small loaf pan and then pour the batter into the pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the batter. If using chocolate chips sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup on top.
- Add the tahini banana bread to the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes until cooked throughout and browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool. When ready to eat slice into 8 pieces and enjoy!
Looks like a great recipe but can i replace the bananas with something else such as applesauce? i tend to not use them due to the environmental impact and social justice issues associated with producing them. Thanks so much.
I’m honestly not sure- I only made the recipes with bananas in mind, but if you try with applesauce and it works let me know!
WOW this banana bread looks and sounds so unique and delicious! Perfect for weekend brunch!
Thank you! Hope you try it and love it!