Protein Banana Bread Recipe
Greek yogurt and vanilla protein powder add substantial protein without drying out the crumb, while ripe bananas and honey keep the loaf naturally sweet and moist despite the extra protein absorbing more liquid than flour alone.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 10
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 202
- Protein
- 10g
- Carbs
- 27g
- Fat
- 7g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
- 2In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Whisk in the eggs, Greek yogurt, honey, and melted coconut oil until evenly combined.
- 3In a separate bowl, whisk together the protein powder, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, breaking up any clumps of protein powder with the whisk.
- 4Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; the batter will be noticeably thick.
- 5Fold in the chopped walnuts if using.
- 6Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
- 7Bake for 45-55 minutes, tenting loosely with foil after about 30 minutes if the top is browning quickly, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- 8Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips & variations
- Whey protein keeps the crumb lighter, while casein protein powder bakes into a denser, more cake-like loaf; either works, but expect a different texture.
- If the batter looks too stiff to pour and spread, mix in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the texture of thick muffin batter.
- Swap the Greek yogurt for blended cottage cheese for another protein boost without changing the flavor much.
- Stick with vanilla or unflavored protein powder; chocolate or dessert-flavored powders can taste bitter or artificial once baked, since they make up a bigger share of the dry ingredients than in a shake.
Storage & reheating
Because of the yogurt content, store the cooled loaf wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to a week rather than at room temperature. Individual slices freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or toast straight from frozen.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Weigh the protein powder instead of scooping it by volume; scoops pack down differently between brands and can throw off the ratio of dry to wet ingredients.
- Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Warm protein bread crumbles more easily than a standard banana bread because it has less gluten holding it together.
FAQ
Why is my protein banana bread dry or crumbly?
Usually too much protein powder relative to liquid, or slight overbaking. Protein powder absorbs more moisture than flour, so check for doneness at the low end of the bake time and add a splash of milk to the batter if it looks stiff.
Can I use any flavor of protein powder?
Vanilla or unflavored is the most reliable choice. Strongly flavored powders like chocolate or cookies-and-cream come through much more intensely in baked bread than in a shake, since they make up a large share of the dry ingredients.
How much protein does each slice have?
With whey protein and Greek yogurt, each of the 10 slices has roughly 8 to 9 grams of protein, depending on the exact protein powder used.
Can I make this without protein powder?
Yes, replace it with an equal weight of oat flour, but the loaf will no longer be a high-protein version and the crumb will be slightly more tender.