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Freshly baked sourdough banana bread loaf sliced on a wooden board with ripe bananas and sourdough starter

Easy Sourdough Banana Bread

A moist, tender sourdough banana bread made with sourdough discard and ripe bananas. This easy one-bowl recipe delivers a subtle tang, rich banana flavor, and a soft crumb that stays fresh for days. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup sourdough discard 240g, unfed starter
  • 3-4 ripe bananas mashed, the riper the better
  • 1/3 cup melted butter 75g, or neutral oil
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar 150g, white or light brown
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 180g, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional

Equipment

  • 1 9×5 inch loaf pan Metal or glass
  • 2 Mixing Bowls One large, one medium
  • 1 Whisk, For wet ingredients
  • 1 Rubber spatula For folding batter
  • 1 Parchment paper To line the pan
  • 1 Wire cooling rack For proper cooling

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Leave a few small chunks if you prefer a rustic texture.
  3. Add the melted butter, egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard to the mashed bananas. Whisk until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled — that's completely normal due to the acidity of the discard.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
  5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until just combined. Do not overmix, or the loaf will turn out dense.
  6. If using add-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, or cinnamon), gently fold them into the batter at this stage, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips or nuts on top if desired.
  8. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs). If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.
  9. Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, using the parchment overhang, lift it out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
  10. Slice, serve, and enjoy! Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Banana Ripeness: For maximum flavor and sweetness, use bananas with lots of brown spots or even completely black skins.
• Sourdough Discard: Use unfed starter straight from the fridge. Active/fed starter also works — the loaf may rise slightly more.
• Don't Overmix: Stop folding as soon as the flour streaks disappear to keep the crumb tender.
• Flour Measurement: Always spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly packs in too much flour and dries out the bread.
• Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 4 days, refrigerate for 1 week, or freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
• Make it Gluten-Free: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (preferably one that contains xanthan gum).
• Streusel Topping: For extra crunch, sprinkle a homemade streusel topping over the batter before baking.