Easy Buckwheat Banana Bread

🔍 Quick Look: Buckwheat Banana Bread

• ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
• 🎛️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
• 👥 Servings: Makes 4 servings
• 📊 Calories: ~365 kcal
• 💪🏼 Nutrition: 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber
• 👩🏽‍🍳 Flavor Profile: Nutty, warmly spiced, and banana-forward with a lightly sweet finish. Buckwheat has a deeper, earthier flavor than wheat or oat flour, which pairs especially well with ripe bananas, cinnamon, vanilla, and creamy tahini.
• ⭐ Difficulty: Easy. Mix the flax egg, combine the wet and dry ingredients, fold everything together, and bake. The most important tip is not to overmix the batter.

👩🏽‍⚕️ Dietitian's Note

Buckwheat is technically a seed rather than a grain, and it's naturally gluten-free. It's also a nutrient-dense flour that provides protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and other minerals.

This recipe combines buckwheat with ground flaxseed and tahini, adding additional fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein.

One serving provides approximately 10 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber, and 3 mg of iron.

I also like that ripe bananas do most of the sweetening here. The entire recipe uses only 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, so the flavor is lightly sweet rather than dessert-like.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

This Buckwheat Banana Bread is delicious and easy to make. Plus, it's:

• Moist and tender with a hearty, satisfying texture
• Warm, with a nutty flavor from buckwheat, tahini, cinnamon, and banana
• Made with 100% buckwheat flour
• Naturally gluten-free and vegan
• Made without oil
• Naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a small amount of maple syrup
• Provides 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber per serving
• Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.

• Buckwheat flour - Gives the bread its hearty texture and distinctive nutty flavor. Because buckwheat is a seed rather than wheat, it is naturally gluten-free.
• Very ripe bananas - Use bananas with plenty of brown spots. They provide natural sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor.
• Ground flaxseed - Mixed with water to form flax eggs that help bind the loaf. Flaxseed also adds fiber and plant-based omega-3 fats.
• Tahini - Adds richness and a subtle toasted sesame flavor without needing oil.
• Maple syrup - Just 2 tablespoons enhance the natural sweetness of the ripe bananas without making the loaf overly sweet.
• Cinnamon - Adds warmth and complements both banana and buckwheat.
• Vanilla extract - Rounds out the earthy buckwheat and brings out the sweetness of the bananas.
• Lemon juice - Adds brightness while providing acidity to react with the baking soda and help the bread rise.
• Nondairy milk - Adds just enough moisture to create the right batter consistency. I prefer unsweetened soy milk for its creamy texture and higher protein content.
• Baking powder + baking soda - Give this 100% buckwheat loaf lift and a lighter texture.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🍌 Substitutions

This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.

• Nondairy milk - Use soy, oat, almond, cashew, or your choice of milk. I prefer soy for its high protein content and creamy texture.
• Flaxseed meal - use golden flaxseed meal or regular ground flaxseed.
• Sweetener - Add vegan chocolate chips, extra maple syrup, or date paste to the batter if you prefer a sweeter banana bread.

✔️ Storage & Expert Tips

Storage

Place the remaining Buckwheat Banana Bread in an airtight container and store it on the kitchen countertop for up to 3 days.

To freeze, let the bread cool completely, slice it, and freeze the individual slices in an airtight freezer-safe container. Place parchment between the slices so you can easily remove one at a time.

Expert Tips

Follow this recipe as written for the best result. I guarantee your Gluten-Free Buckwheat Banana Bread will be perfectly moist and delicious if follow these tips:

• Use very ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
• Do not overmix the batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and then fold in the milk.
• Don't make the batter too deep. Keep it to about 2½ inches deep so the center cooks through evenly.
• 30 minutes at 380ºF should be the perfect baking time.
• Let it cool before slicing. Gluten-free quick breads continue to set as they cool.
• For serving: Enjoy as is, or warm your slice in the microwave or oven.
• For a sweeter Buckwheat Banana Bread, mix a little maple syrup or agave with some warm water and drizzle over the warm banana bread. Or add vegan chocolate chips plus more maple syrup or date paste to the batter.

🍌 More Banana Recipes

The best Banana Chia Pudding recipe you will ever make, and it takes just 5 minutes!

This Protein Banana Bread is a complete, healthy, and naturally sweetened breakfast.

My Banana Loaf with Yogurt is flour-free, naturally sweetened with bananas and dates, boosted with plant protein, and made extra tender with yogurt instead of oil. 

This Chia Seed Porridge is thick, creamy, and naturally sweetened with dates and banana. 

⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)

Use these AI tools to do this: