Banana Bread With Greek Yogurt
A moist banana bread made with ripe bananas and Greek yogurt for a tender loaf that works for breakfast, snacks, or using up spotted bananas.
Cook This Meal
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas very spotted, mashed
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain
- 2 eggs room temperature if possible
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter cooled if melted
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda fresh
- 1/2 tsp salt fine
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
- 1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips optional
Steps
- Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment if available.
- Whisk mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, sugar, and oil until mostly smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Fold dry ingredients into the banana mixture just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips if using. Scrape batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then move to a rack before slicing.
Watch Videos
Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition estimates are for general cooking guidance only and are not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or condition-specific diet guidance. If you have allergies, dietary restrictions, medications, or a medical condition, check ingredient labels and consult a qualified professional.
Reviewed cooking notes
Why this recipe works
Greek yogurt keeps it moist
Greek yogurt adds moisture and a gentle tang, helping the loaf stay soft without needing too much oil or butter.
Very ripe bananas bring sweetness
Brown-spotted bananas mash smoothly and give stronger banana flavor with natural sweetness.
Gentle mixing protects the crumb
Mixing just until the flour disappears keeps the banana bread tender instead of dense.
Cooling helps clean slices
Letting the loaf cool before slicing gives the crumb time to set so it does not crumble apart.
Cook with what you have
Simple swaps
| Missing | Try instead |
|---|---|
| Greek yogurt | Use plain yogurt or sour cream. If thinner, reduce any added milk slightly. |
| Very ripe bananas | Use ripe bananas and add a small spoon of honey or maple syrup for sweetness. |
| Butter | Use neutral oil or melted coconut oil. |
| Walnuts | Use pecans, chocolate chips, or skip the mix-ins. |
| All-purpose flour | Use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour for a heartier loaf. |
Cook by sight, smell, and texture
Cooking checkpoints
Banana mash
- Bananas are soft and mostly smooth
- Small banana lumps are fine
- Mixture smells sweet and fruity
Batter
- No dry flour streaks remain
- Batter is thick but spoonable
- Do not keep beating once mixed
Baking
- Top is golden brown
- Center springs back lightly
- Toothpick has a few moist crumbs, not wet batter
Cooling
- Loaf rests in pan briefly
- Edges release cleanly
- Slices hold together after cooling
Fix it while cooking
Went wrong, confused, or need help?
Use these quick fixes first. If the issue is still unclear, open Rescue and describe what happened, what step you are on, and what ingredients you already added.
Loaf is browning too fast
Tent the top loosely with foil and keep baking until the center tests done.
Center is still wet
Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer and check again. If the top is dark, cover with foil.
Banana bread feels dense
Next time, mix the batter less after adding flour. For this loaf, toast slices before serving to improve texture.
Not sweet enough
Serve slices with honey, maple syrup, jam, or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Choose your cooking mood
Restaurant version vs home-style version
Bakery-style banana bread
A taller, richer loaf with deeper banana flavor and a soft, sliceable crumb.
- Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking if you have time.
- Add walnuts or chocolate chips for a bakery-style finish.
- Cool fully before slicing so the crumb sets cleanly.
Home-style banana bread
Simple, forgiving, and lighter, built around ripe bananas, Greek yogurt, and pantry staples.
- Use plain Greek yogurt for moisture and light tang.
- Mix just until the flour disappears to avoid a tough loaf.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Toast leftover slices and serve with a little butter or peanut butter.
Keep exploring
Explore more recipes
Your note will stay private and will only be used to improve TryCookMate.