Sourdough Banana Bread (Made With Sourdough Discard)

There's a particular kind of kitchen chaos that leads here: three black bananas nobody will eat, a jar of sourdough discard you keep meaning to deal with, and half a bag of dark chocolate at the back of the cupboard. This sourdough banana bread is what happens when you stop treating discard as a problem and start treating it as an ingredient. No fermentation and no waiting around, just a proper moist, tangy-sweet loaf you can have in the oven within fifteen minutes.

Jump to:

• Recipe Highlights
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• A Little Bit Extra
• Step-By-Step Method
• Recipe FAQs
• Reader Review
• How To Store Sourdough Banana Bread?
• Serving Suggestions
• Christmas Sourdough ebook
• Our Best Sourdough Discard Recipes
• Have More Ripe Bananas To Use Up?
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Made With Sourdough Discard)

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Why Sourdough Discard Works So Well Here

Sourdough discard isn't just a way to avoid waste, it changes the bread. The acidity in it reacts with the baking powder for a better rise, and it holds onto moisture in a way plain flour and water can't. That's why this loaf keeps well for days rather than drying out by day two.

You can use active starter instead of discard if that's what you've got on the go. Because the batter isn't left to ferment or prove, both work the same way structurally, active starter will just give you a touch less tang, since discard has had longer to sour. Neither is more "correct" here, it comes down to what's sitting in your fridge.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Here are the simple ingredients that you will need to make this recipe and some suggestions for substitutes (you can find the exact amounts of the following ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the page): 

• overripe bananas: soft and slightly brown bananas will work best. Have too many? Try our Sourdough Banana Pancakes too!
• sourdough starter discard: can be replaced with active sourdough starter - it will not make much difference, as we are using another leavening agent (baking powder) to help the bread rise. 
• flour: we used all purpose flour (plain white flour), but you may substitute ⅓ of it with whole wheat flour if you wish. 
• baking powder: not to be confused with baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). 
• unsalted butter: if you are using salted butter, however, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ of a tsp. 
• light brown sugar: can be replaced with white sugar, however, your banana bread will not be as moist. Brown sugar is the one ingredient that contributes to moist banana bread the most. 
• egg: use a large egg in the UK, or extra-large in the US. 
• salt. 
• dark chocolate: or chocolate chips. You may replace dark chocolate with milk or white chocolate, but I would recommend using 20g less sugar. Have chocolate left? Try our Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies next!

Step-By-Step Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C Fan. 

2. Grease a 2 lbs loaf tin with butter or vegetable oil. If your pan isn't non-stick, you may consider lining it with parchment paper to help your turn the banana bread out after baking. 

3. Place the bananas into a large mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the bananas into a puree. 

4. In a separate small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Then add it to the mashed banana and mix. 

5. Add the melted butter (make sure it's cooled down slightly) and sourdough starter, and mix well. Set the wet ingredients aside. 

6. In a separate large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 

7. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture. Then tip in the chopped chocolate bits (or chocolate chips) and mix just enough to combine. 

8. Spoon the mixture into a prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top of the batter with a spatula.  

9. Place the bread onto the middle shelf of a preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. The top should be golden brown, and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. 

10. Leave the Sourdough Banana Bread in the tin for 20 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Tips For Success

🍌 Use properly overripe bananas. Yellow with a few brown spots isn't ripe enough. You want mostly black skin for real banana flavour and natural sweetness.

🥣 Don't overmix the batter. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tougher, more rubbery crumb.

🌡️ A thermometer beats guessing. A skewer can look clean before the centre is actually done. An internal temperature of around 95°C is the more reliable check.

🧊 Cover with foil if it's browning too fast. The middle of a loaf this size needs the full bake time, so protect the top rather than pulling it early.

Recipe FAQs

How To Store Sourdough Banana Bread?

Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, it stays moist thanks to the discard. In a warmer kitchen, move it to the fridge and it'll keep for about a week, though the texture firms up slightly.

To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in cling film, then a layer of foil or a freezer bag, and it'll keep for up to 3 months. Slices go straight from freezer to toaster.

Serving Suggestions

Toast a thick slice under the grill and it turns into something else entirely. A spoonful of sour cream or a slick of salted butter both work well against the sweetness. For pudding, warm a slice through and serve with vanilla ice cream and toasted pecans.

Our Best Sourdough Discard Recipes

If you are looking for more sourdough recipes, whether sweet or savoury, head straight to our Best Sourdough Discard Recipe To Try. Some of the delicious things include: 

• Extra Fudgy Sourdough Discard Brownies
• Sourdough Cherry Scones With White Chocolate Chips
• Sourdough Rhubarb Cake (With Discard or Not)
• Sourdough Lemon Muffins (Sourdough Discard Recipe) or Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Sourdough Sugar Cookies (Sourdough Discard Recipe)
• Lime Drizzle Cake 
• Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
• Sourdough Biscotti With Hazelnuts and Cocoa
• Herby Sourdough Crackers 

Have More Ripe Bananas To Use Up?

Sad-looking bananas that are too brown and mushy to eat on their own make the best sweet desserts. Here are some of our favourites:

• Frozen Banana Parfait With Pecan Praline
• Indian Banana Doughnuts (Gulgula)
• Banana Porridge