By Meghan 2 Comments
This classic bread recipe can be made same day or fermented overnight. Light and fluffy, this sourdough discard banana bread is a great way to use up some of your discard. This easy recipe has a great flavor and is sure to delight any banana lover, while leaving your home smelling delicious!
Banana bread is one of those breads I love to make because it can be eaten as a dessert, breakfast, or snack. I tend to have a lot of discard whenever I pull my starter out of the fridge and I try to not pitch it. Making sourdough discard recipes is the perfect way to use up excess starter (besides gifting your discard to a friend of course!)
why make a sourdough recipe?
One of the most popular reasons to make sourdough recipes (and to have a sourdough starter around!) is for the health benefits. Your starter is made of naturally occurring wild yeast that is in your whole wheat flour it is started with. This yeast not only makes your bread rise, but an active sourdough starter will also digests the grains.
When your sourdough starter is active and bubbly, you can make a recipe that does not call for commercial yeast. But, this instant yeast does not digest the phytic acid and grains like a true sourdough bread.
Whole grains have phytic acid, which can be nutrient stealers. When you allow a long fermentation of your sourdough products, you are allowing your starter to digest some of this phytic acid to decrease the amounts in your bread products.
long fermentation vs quick bread sourdough
Long fermentation allows your sourdough starter to digest some of the phytic acid. It is thought that this makes your grains easier to digest. If you plan to do this, it does take a little more preparation and time. This is what most mean when they are talking about a traditional sourdough bread.
To make this as a quick bread recipe, you will simply follow the directions and bake as normal. This gives your bread that slight sourdough tang flavor, depending on how “sour” your starter is (usually based off of how long it has been since you last fed your starter).
other quick bread recipes on the blog
- sourdough discard flatbread
- sourdough discard crepes
- sourdough discard waffles
- sourdough discard tortillas
- sourdough discard gingerbread cookies
ingredients to make this easy sourdough discard bread recipe
- coconut oil – I used this in the recipe and a little bit to grease my bread pan. You can substitute with melted butter if you would like.
- sucanat – This is unrefined cane sugar that has a brown sugar taste. You can use brown sugar if you do not have sucanat on hand
- bananas – Overripe bananas that were about to be pitched but made their way to the freezer is what I use! If you are not using a stand mixer, mash your bananas up in a large bowl.
- all purpose flour – I split my flour between half freshly milled soft wheat and all purpose flour. Feel free to use only white flour!
- eggs
- baking soda – I preferBob’s Red Mill
- baking powder – Again, I opt forBob’s Red Mill
- salt –Redmond’s Real Saltis my favorite.
- unfed starter (AKA discard) – If you want to start your own starter, you can findmy directions here.
- chocolate chips and chopped walnuts – optional but in my opinion this is the best way to enjoy this bread!
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how to make sourdough banana bread with your discard
- Preheat your oven to 350*f
- Mix your melted coconut and sucanat together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- If you aren’t using a stand mixer, mash your banana before adding it to your large mixing bowl. If you are using a stand mixer, just add your bananas in and allow the mixer to mash it up for you.
- Once your first 3 ingredients are well mixed, all the rest of your ingredients excluding the chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts.
- Mix well until most of the lumps are out.
- Fold in your chocolate chips or chopped walnuts.
- Grease a bread pan with coconut oil.
- Pour in your bread mixture.
- Bake at 350*f for 50-60 minutes. It is done when the top of the loaf has a golden brown crispy crust and your tooth pick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
- For best results, use a 9×5 bread pan. Your bake time will depend on the size of your pan.
- To make it easier to get your bread out of your pan, you may want to cut a piece of parchment paper to put in your pan.
long fermentation directions
You may find that your long fermented dough is a little clumpy compared to making it as a quick bread. Get out as many clumps as you can, but I do not feel like this is a huge deal and my bread still comes out delicious!
- Mix your ½ cup of discard with the flour, melted coconut oil, and eggs.
- Cover your bread dough with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for 6-8 hours.
- Place covered in your fridge for the next 4-16 hours so it does not over proof.
- The next day after your time has gone by, sit on the counter at room temperature.
- Allow enough time for your dough to become pliable so you can mix the rest of your ingredients in.
- Use a hand or stand mixer to mix in the rest of your wet and dry ingredients. The dough will be stiff, so a wooden spoon may not work.
- Pour in a greased pan and bake at 350*f for 50-60 minutes.
how to store this sourdough bread recipe
- Place in a plastic bag or an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Not slicing the bread will keep it more moist.
- If freezing, allow to completely cool. Then wrap your loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Plastic in a freezer bag and push out all the air. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Quick & Easy Sourdough Banana Bread (Discard Recipe)
Yield: 8-1 in bread slices
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This light and fluffy quick sourdough discard banana bread is flavorful but not overly sweet thanks to the sucanat.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all flour
- 1 cup sucanat
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 bananas
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sourdough discard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350*f
- Mix the sucanat and coconut oil in a mixer or by hand.
- Once it is will incorporated, mash banana into and mix into the mixture.
- Add the rest of your ingredients, excluding your chocolate chips or chopped walnuts, and mix until most of the lumps are out.
- Add your chocolate chips or walnuts and fold in.
- Grease your pan with butter or oil.
- Pour mixture into your bread pan.
- Bake at 350*f for 50-60 minutes. It is done when the top of the loaf has a golden brown and a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- I used 1 cup, freshly milled flour made from soft wheat berries.
- Your cooking time will be based off of how deep your bread pan is.
Did you make this recipe?
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Did you make this sourdough banana bread recipe? Tag me @holsiticnursemomma and let me know how it went!
