Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

This moist Greek Yogurt Banana Bread has rich banana flavor, crunchy walnuts and melt in your mouth texture. It’s perfect for healthy breakfast or snack!

We also love switching it up with almond flour banana bread or cottage cheese banana bread.

I have been making this banana bread with applesauce for a decade now, but I often get questions from readers about whether Greek yogurt can be used instead of the applesauce.

And while I know the answer is a resounding “yes” after all my experiments with Greek yogurt bread, I do believe you need a bit more sweetener and bananas for a Greek yogurt banana bread.

So, I decided to test a version of a banana bread with Greek yogurt and all-purpose flour. But don’t worry, I explain below in the Variations how much whole wheat flour you can use instead.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Moist and flavorful: The mix of bananas and Greek yogurt creates the moistest, sweetest banana bread you’ll ever taste!
• Easy to make: This recipe uses just one bowl, no mixer, all the baking essentials you likely have, and those ripe bananas waiting to be used.
• Protein-packed goodness: Thanks to Greek yogurt and maple syrup, this quick bread gets a boost without piling on extra fats and sugars.
• Super versatile: Mix things up by swapping in different flours, tossing in some chocolate chips, or baking it as Greek yogurt banana muffins.

Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

You can make this banana bread recipe anytime using simple, everyday ingredients.

• Ripe bananas: Use ripe yellow bananas. The ones with more brown spots will make the bread sweeter. I used just ripe yellow bananas, and it turned out great! You can also use previously frozen bananas, just remember to include all their liquids. If you need to, here’s how to ripen bananas faster.
• Eggs: You’ll need 2 large eggs to bind ingredients and achieve a dense, fluffy bread. Chia eggs or flax eggs will also work.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Any fat percentage of Greek yogurt will work for this recipe, I used 2%. You can also use dairy-free Greek yogurt.
• Maple syrup or honey: I personally love the rich flavor of maple syrup, but honey is a delicious option as well. You could also try other liquid sweeteners like agave syrup or brown rice syrup.
• Oil: We don’t need it for moisture here, but a little helps with the texture. I used avocado oil, but you can also melt some coconut oil.
• All-purpose flour: Gives the bread a lighter, fluffier texture. You can swap it for whole wheat flour, pastry flour, or white whole wheat flour, but be sure to check out my variations below for some important notes!
• Baking essentials: Pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt enhance the flavor, baking powder and baking soda act as leavening agents.

How to Make Banana Bread with Greek Yogurt

Just mix the dry and wet ingredients in one bowl, then transfer to your loaf pan. Super easy and clean up is a breeze!

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.

• Mix wet ingredients and essentials: In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas, then mix in the eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined.
• Add flour and nuts: Add the flour and stir gently until just combined. Then fold in the walnuts.
• Bake: Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan, then add some banana slices on top, pressing them in a bit (optional step). Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool and slice: Once it’s out of the oven, let it cool for 15 minutes. After that, transfer it to a wire rack to cool off completely. Slice and enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tried-and true baking tips for this Greek yogurt banana bread recipe.

• Follow the recipe: Baking is a science, and most baking fails happen when you stray from the original recipe.
• Measure flour correctly: Spoon it into your measuring cup without packing it down, then level it off with a knife for spot-on texture every time!
• Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can develop gluten and make your banana bread tough. Just mix until the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
• Don’t over bake: As soon as the toothpick comes out clean, pull the bread from the oven. It’ll keep cooking a bit from the residual heat, so watch out for overbaking, it can lead to dry bread.

Variations

• Whole wheat flour: Start with 2 cups. If you see the batter is too thin, add a few more tablespoons.
• Other flours: You can use 1:1 ratio pastry flour or white whole wheat flour but for alternative flours please see banana bread with coconut flour, banana bread with oat flour or banana bread with almond flour recipes.
• Chocolate chips: Add up to 1 cup. I love to use mini chocolate chips because then I can add only 1/2 cup.
• Berries: Feel free to mix in up to 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. If you’re using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them.
• Dried fruit: You can also add dried fruit for texture and flavor. Fold in 1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, or dried mango pieces.
• Coconut flakes: Mix in 1/2 cup for a tropical touch. I love chewy coconut flakes with crunchy walnuts!
• Other nuts and seeds: Swap or mix and match pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
• Egg-free: Use chia eggs or flax eggs as a substitute.

How to Store

Store: Transfer the bread to a glass airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

FAQs

More Greek Yogurt Recipes to Try

• Greek yogurt cake

More Banana Bread Recipes to Try

• Healthy zucchini banana bread
• Oat flour banana bread
• Protein banana bread
• Coconut flour banana bread