Easy One-Bowl Sourdough Banana Bread

This banana bread has a slight tang of sourdough and isn’t overly sweet. All of the ingredients are mixed in one bowl, which means a nice healthy snack with fewer dishes to wash.

Be sure to try these easy pumpkin banana muffins, too!

sourdough banana bread loaf from above

Sourdough banana bread recipe

Not only will you use a cup of discarded starter in this recipe, this banana bread is a perfect way to use up overripe bananas. The ones that are too soft to slice for dehydrated bananas, but still full of flavor.

This simple recipe for a sourdough banana bread is a great example of using up a bit of sourdough starter. It is truly a quick-bread in that there is no rise time and it utilizes baking soda as a leavening agent.

The flavor is not cloyingly sweet, as some quick breads can be, and the sourdough tang is just light enough to give it a lovely depth of flavor without being overwhelming.

Using discarded sourdough starter

One of the most common questions and confusions in the realm of sourdough baking is “Why do I need to discard some sourdough starter before feeding?” Subsequent to that is the question “And how can I use that “discarded” starter so as not to be wasteful?”

The answer to the former question is a bit complicated, but in short you discard a bit of starter before feeding it in order to enhance the yeast activity of your starter. And there is great news concerning the second question: that “discarded” starter, whether wheat, rye, or gluten-free, has all sorts of uses.

This discarded cup or so of starter is best used in recipes that utilize other leavening agents, such as baking powder and baking soda. I like it in a simple Sourdough Crepe or Vegan Sourdough Pancakes but you can find a whole list of ways to incorporate it into your cooking and baking in my book.

sourdough starter, egg, in front of blue pyrex bowl

Making the batter

Start by peeling overripe bananas and smashing them in a large mixing bowl. Add the sourdough starter, egg, and oil or butter. 

Once combined, cream in the sugar. This easy recipe calls for coconut sugar, but if you don’t have that on hand, you can use cane sugar instead.

process photos, making banana bread

Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in nuts. Here’s where you can get creative — the recipe calls for walnuts, but you could also use another kind of nut. Or raisins. Or chocolate chips. 

Use a spatula to transfer dough to a greased loaf pan, and you’re ready to cook!

banana bread loaf, close up, vertical

★ Did you make this sourdough banana bread? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

sourdough banana bread loaf from above

Easy One Bowl Sourdough Banana Bread

Yield: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This simple recipe for a sourdough banana bread is a great example of using up a bit of sourdough starter. It is truly a quick-bread in that there is no rise time and it utilizes baking soda as a leavening agent. The flavor is not cloyingly sweet, as some quick breads can be, and the sourdough tang is just light enough to give it a lovely depth of flavor without being overwhelming.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x5" bread pan. girl in blue dress holding overripe bananas
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork. Mix in the sourdough starter, egg, and softened oil or butter. Add sugar and mix well to combine. Create a well in the middle of the wet ingredients. adding salt to sourdough banana bread batter
  3. Into the center of the well, add the flour, salt, and baking soda in that order. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until nearly combined. Add the walnut pieces and fold in until all of the batter is combined. adding walnuts to sourdough banana bread dough
  4. Scrape batter into your prepared bread pan and place in preheated oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

If you don't have coconut sugar on hand, you can use cane sugar instead. 

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 338Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 331mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

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buttered sourdough banana bread slice

Originally published February 2019; this post has been updated.

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About the author: Shannon Stonger is the founder of the blog Nourishing Days, where she shares her family’s journey towards sustainability. She is the author of The Doable Off-Grid Homestead, Traditionally Fermented Foods, and the sourdough baking book 100% Rye. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and lives with her husband, five children, and various farm animals on their five-acre homestead in Texas.

30 comments… add one
  • mary headley Feb 29, 2024 @ 9:30

    can you use sour dough starter throw away in this ?

    • Kris Bordessa, National Geographic author/certified master food preserver Mar 14, 2024 @ 14:09

      As long as it’s fairly active.

  • Christy Feb 26, 2024 @ 15:08

    I know the sourdough bread has less gluten after a long proofing, I would imagine this still has a significant amount of gluten in the banana bread? I’m really confused about gluten in sourdough. I have developed a gluten sensitivity and the sourdough bread doesn’t give me any issues.

    • Kris Bordessa, National Geographic author/certified master food preserver Mar 14, 2024 @ 14:13

      As I understand it, it’s the fermentation time that allows gluten to be more easily digested.

  • maggie Feb 24, 2024 @ 11:13

    Hi, I follow some of your recipes Kris, they’re great,I sometimes adjust after I try one. I make all own mixes, salad and what ever. I make my own bread and now favouring pumpernickel , so each loaf is getting better, and eating all the results with enjoyment, (HATE store bred uck) any way I`am into now sourdough mmm , so attempting at the Banana bread recipe here, I already make with our Organic Sunflower /Buckwheat honey from our hives ( I`am a Beekeeper in Ontario). I do have some cane sugar , but I think I’ll use less and add this rich layered winning raw Honey we have. see what happens..:) Maggie, busyBee.

    • Kris Bordessa, National Geographic author/certified master food preserver Feb 25, 2024 @ 7:39

      Bread making is such an adventure! Glad you’re experimenting and enjoying it!

  • Alexandra Pitts Feb 24, 2024 @ 6:35

    Love this recipe and it turned out beautifully. Would you consider adding weight ( gram) measurements to your recipes? Many of us sourdough people already weigh everything and there’s even less clean up with a scale!

    • Kris Bordessa, National Geographic author/certified master food preserver Feb 25, 2024 @ 7:39

      It’s on my radar!

  • Angelia Dec 14, 2023 @ 15:57

    I usually make my banana bread without sourdough or eggs. I wonder if I could just not use eggs with your recipe. I’m going to try this recipe.

    • AttainableSustainable Dec 21, 2023 @ 8:26

      I’m not sure, try it!

  • Sonya Koyle Jul 4, 2023 @ 4:48

    This is our absolute favorite banana bread recipe!!! I was wondering if it’s possible to add zucchini to it? If so how much would you add and do you have to adjust any of the other measurements?

    • AttainableSustainable Jul 5, 2023 @ 5:15

      I’m sure you could add zucchini to it, but I haven’t tried that with this recipe so I don’t know the amounts. Try it and see what works!

  • Laura May 31, 2022 @ 7:19

    I wanted a no added sugar version so I replaced the coconut sugar with 3 more bananas and it turned out AWESOME. It was plenty sweet and very moist. It probably needs 65 min to cook. The bottom could have cooked a touch more from 60 minutes.

    • AttainableSustainable Jun 2, 2022 @ 4:22

      That’s great! 🙂

  • SarahJane Aug 2, 2020 @ 10:10

    Please, clarify starter as Introduction indicates discard, recipe lists active. Thanks so much!
    SJ

    • Kris Bordessa Aug 6, 2020 @ 15:25

      Discard from an active starter.

  • Susie Jun 11, 2020 @ 16:04

    Question. In your commentary leading up to the recipe you talk about how the recipe uses discard starter but your recipe says active. Can you use either?
    Thanks, Susie

  • Rachel May 27, 2020 @ 6:43

    Have you tried this recipe for muffins? If so, how long did they bake?

    • Kris Bordessa May 29, 2020 @ 14:00

      I’ve had a couple people tell me they used it for muffins. I’d start with 20 minutes.

      • Megan Dec 23, 2020 @ 5:58

        I did it as muffins. Baked at 400 for about 18 minutes.

        • Kris Bordessa Jan 1, 2021 @ 15:47

          Excellent!

  • Susie May 9, 2020 @ 1:30

    This is my new favorite banana bread recipe! I’ve made it at least 3 times and I double the recipe! Instead of doubling the walnuts, I add 1 c walnuts and 1 cup of dark chocolate chips! Love the density and heartiness of this yummy bread!
    Thanks!
    Susie

    • Kris Bordessa May 14, 2020 @ 17:44

      Good call on the chocolate chips!

  • carole Mar 7, 2020 @ 13:44

    I followed the recipe and my bread didn’t turn out at all. Bubbled up and spilled all over. Looks nothing like yours??? I’ve tried it twice and had same results each time.

    • Kris Bordessa Mar 10, 2020 @ 17:39

      Did it bubble up due to a really active sourdough starter?

  • Echo Jan 10, 2020 @ 11:49

    Delicious!

  • Mary Cretella-Rey Nov 24, 2019 @ 19:53

    Hello I made this bread using bananas that I used for my banana vinegar. Also used black walnuts i harvest from out tree. Which i turned it to walnut butter and used that. It came out wonderful. Moist sweet nutty.. Thanks for sharing this…

  • Maryanne Jul 13, 2019 @ 16:31

    Made this with my gluten free starter and a gluten free flour blend. It came out super moist and yummy!

  • Lemongrass Mar 3, 2019 @ 11:42

    I had about a cup of sour dough and wanted to make the banana bread, but I was out of ripe bananas. Instead I used some ripe plantains. I love the texture and taste of the bread. and will have to try it with very ripe bananas. Thanks for the recipe.

    • Kris Bordessa Mar 3, 2019 @ 12:25

      Clever!

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