Quinoa Banana Bread (5g Protein, 3g Fiber)

This Quinoa Banana Bread is a healthier banana bread with more protein and a lot of micronutrients from the quinoa, but made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Quinoa Banana Bread

This Quinoa Banana Bread is a healthier banana bread with more protein and a lot of micronutrients from the quinoa, but made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 284.7 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 ½ cups Mashed Banana - (note 1)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Maple Syrup
• ▢ 1 ½ cups Cooked Quinoa - cooled (note 2)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 3)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 2 cups All-Purpose Flour - (note 4)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Optional

• ▢ ½ cup Walnuts - chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper and pan with oil spray or coconut oil. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork. Mash until almost no lumps show, it must be very runny for an ultra-moist texture. Measure 1 cup + 1/2 cup of mashed bananas – if extra, freeze for later.
• Stir the maple syrup, cooked, cooled quinoa, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
• Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is consistent.
• Fold in chopped nuts if desired, and stir to evenly incorporate.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake the bread on the center rack of the oven at 350°F (180°C) until a pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean – about 50 to 55 minutes. You can add a piece of foil on top of the pan after 40 minutes to prevent the banana bread from browning too fast.
• Let the bread cool down for 10 minute in the pan, then on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Note 1: Equivalent to 3 large ripe bananas, black spots on the skin.

Note 2: Make sure you cool the quinoa before adding in the batter. Any quinoa color works, white, red etc.

Note 3: You can also use cooled, melted coconut oil, canola oil, or any oil you like in baking.

Note 4: You can use the same amount of white spelt flour or white wholewheat flour. Use my gluten-free conversion guide to make it gluten-free. Oat flour or almond flour doesn’t work.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or up to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It can be frozen and thaw the day before at room temperature.

Equipment

9-inch x 5-inch Loaf Pan

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice (from 10, with walnuts) | Calories: 284.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 41.4g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 11.9g | Saturated Fat: 6.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 198.2mg | Potassium: 247.7mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 11.1g | Vitamin A: 25.3IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 78.7mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 44.4mg | Phosphorus: 114.7mg | Zinc: 0.8mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Mashed Banana – This is the primary sweetener and provides essential moisture, binding the ingredients and giving the bread its characteristic flavor. Make sure your bananas are very ripe, with plenty of black spots, for the best sweetness and texture.
• Maple Syrup – This natural liquid sweetener adds an extra touch of sweetness and helps with the overall moisture of the bread.
• Cooked Quinoa – This superfood adds a boost of protein and micronutrients, contributing to the bread’s unique texture without overpowering the banana flavor. It’s crucial that it’s cooked and cooled before adding to the batter.
• Light Olive Oil – This fat contributes to the bread’s moist and tender crumb. You can also use other neutral-flavored oils for baking, such as melted and cooled coconut oil or canola oil.
• Vanilla Extract – This enhances all the other flavors in the bread, adding a warm, comforting aroma.
• All-Purpose Flour – This provides the main structure for your banana bread, giving it a familiar, tender texture. You can also use white spelt flour or white wholewheat flour.
• Baking Powder – This is a leavening agent that helps the bread rise, creating a light and airy texture.
• Baking Soda – This also acts as a leavening agent, reacting with the acidic ingredients (like banana) to help the bread rise and achieve a tender crumb.
• Cinnamon – This warm spice adds a nice flavor that perfectly complements the banana.
• Walnuts – These optional chopped nuts add a lovely crunch and earthy flavor to the bread.

How to Make Quinoa Banana Bread

This banana bread is super simple to make. Here’s how in pictures.

Mash the bananas while cooking the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa and let it cool down.

Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the batter in a loaf pan and bake it on the center rack of the oven at 350°F (180°C).

Let the bread cool down before slicing it.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect banana bread.

• Ripe Bananas are Best – Always use very ripe bananas for banana bread. The blacker the spots on the skin, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be, and the easier they are to mash smoothly.
• Mash Thoroughly – Mash your bananas very well, aiming for an almost runny consistency with minimal lumps. This helps create an ultra-moist bread and ensures even distribution throughout the batter.
• Cooled Quinoa is Crucial – Ensure your cooked quinoa is completely cooled before adding it to the wet ingredients. Adding warm quinoa can affect the batter’s consistency and how the bread bakes.
• Don’t Overmix – When folding in the dry ingredients, stir just until the batter is consistent and no dry streaks remain. Overmixing can lead to a tougher bread texture.
• Prevent Over-Browning – If you notice the top of your banana bread browning too quickly during baking, loosely tent the pan with a piece of foil after about 40 minutes. This will allow the inside to finish cooking without the crust becoming too dark.
• Check for Doneness – Because this is a thick loaf, it takes a while to bake through. Always test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, your bread is ready. If it’s wet or has crumbs, continue baking in 5-minute increments.
• Cooling Patience – Resist the urge to slice into your banana bread too soon! Letting it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then for 2 hours on a wire rack allows it to set properly, ensuring clean slices and a better texture.

More Recipes to Use Quinoa

Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

Quinoa Crackers

Quinoa Muffins

Quinoa Biscuits