This sourdough discard banana bread is my go-to whenever I have extra discard in the fridge and ripe bananas on the counter.
Sourdough Banana Bread
Any time I have ripe bananas on the counter, I make banana bread. It’s one of those feel-good bakes I come back to again and again. My daughter Madison loves it, and I love having something ready for her to pack in her lunchbox or enjoy as a quick snack after school. Since I bake sourdough bread every week and am always looking for ways to use up my discard, I adapted my go-to banana bread recipe with a sourdough twist.
The Best Way to Use Up Ripe Bananas and Sourdough Discard
If you bake sourdough at home, you probably know the feeling: that container of discard in the fridge that’s too good to waste. I’ve been experimenting with more ways to use it, and this banana bread turned out better than I hoped!
- Moisture + Tang: It adds a subtle tang while also keeping the crumb soft and tender.
- Less Waste: It puts that extra sourdough starter to good use—no tossing required.
- Use Up Ripe Bananas: A delicious solution for those overripe bananas sitting on your counter.
- Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, vegetarian; dairy-free (if substituting the butter)
Another sourdough discard recipe you might like is these sourdough waffles.
Ingredients You’ll Need and Helpful Tips
Here’s what you need to make this healthy sourdough discard banana bread. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Bananas become sweeter as they ripen, so be sure to use ones with lots of brown spots.
- Sourdough Discard is the portion of the starter that’s removed when feeding your sourdough starter. It provides a subtle tangy flavor, adds moisture, and tenderizes the batter.
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour gives it a tender crumb, but I gave instructions for using some whole wheat flour below for extra fiber.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: I found using both leavening agents helped get the best rise.
- Salt balances the sweetness and improves the texture.
- Butter: This is pretty low-fat, I use just a couple of tablespoons, which keeps it moist. Make sure it’s at room temperature before beating it with the sugar.
- Light Brown Sugar adds sweetness, but you can also use brown monk fruit sweetener. It’s one of my favorite baking tricks to decrease carbs and added sugar.
- Eggs: Adding an egg white with a whole egg was the trick to getting the bread to rise better.
- Vanilla Extract for flavor
Testing Tips from My Kitchen
I tested this sourdough discard banana bread recipe at least four times to perfect it. At first, the loaf didn’t rise well—it was a little too flat and moist. The sourdough discard added extra liquid, so I had to tweak the flour ratio and reduce some of the moisture. I also found that adding baking powder (in addition to baking soda) helped give it the lift it needed. A little egg white added just the right amount of structure.
Now, it’s everything I want in banana bread: moist, tender, just sweet enough, and with a subtle tang from the sourdough discard that deepens the flavor in the best way. If you’ve got ripe bananas and sourdough discard to use up, this recipe is a win- win.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Banana Bread
Making sourdough discard banana bread is just as easy as making a regular loaf. Mix the wet and dry ingredients, then bake! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Mash the bananas and mix them with the sourdough discard.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to the wet to ensure everything’s evenly mixed.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: Beat the brown sugar and butter with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in the egg, egg white, and vanilla, followed by the banana mixture.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until they’re just combined.
- Bake Banana Bread: Pour the batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready.
Variations
This moist sourdough discard banana bread is super versatile. Here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in 1/3 cup of mini or regular chocolate chips. It’s my daughter’s favorite way to eat it!Â
- Swirl chocolate on top: Melt 1/3 cup chocolate and pour it over the batter, use a toothpick to swirl it in.
- Make it nutty: Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans (about ⅓ to ½ cup) for crunch and healthy fats.
- Spice it up: Warm up the bread with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg.
- Dairy-free: Use a plant-based butter alternative or coconut oil (melted and cooled) in place of the butter.
- Try whole wheat flour: Replace up to half the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat for a heartier loaf. (If you substitute all of it, the bread will be too tough.)
- Make muffins: Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Yield: 13 servings
Serving Size: 1 slice
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a metal loaf pan with baking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
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Mash the bananas in a medium bowl until mostly smooth with some chunks. Stir in the sourdough discard.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the egg, egg white, and vanilla; mix until smooth. Stir in the banana mixture.
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Gradually fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix.
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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Lift the loaf out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Last Step:
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- For a higher rise, don’t skip the baking powder or the extra egg white.
- Use ripe bananas for best flavor and sweetness.
Storage
- Room Temp: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: You can also freeze individual slices! Wrap each slice in parchment or plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 110 kcal, Carbohydrates: 20.5 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 19 mg, Sodium: 149 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 8.5 g
Storage Tips
This banana bread keeps beautifully! Just make sure to let it cool to room temperature before wrapping it up.
- Room Temp: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Just bring it to room temp or warm it slightly in the microwave before serving.
- Freeze: You can also freeze individual slices! Wrap each slice in parchment or plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Great for quick grab-and-go school snacks.
FAQ
More Banana Bread Recipes You’ll Love
For more breakfast and brunch ideas, check out my Baked Breads and Cakes collection, plus these five delicious banana bread recipes, for more inspiration!
If you make this healthy sourdough discard banana bread recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook! And be sure to join the Skinnytaste Community to see what everyone’s cooking!
