When I'm looking for a quick bread is that's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert, I make this Olive Oil Banana Bread. Bananas and blueberries give it a natural sweetness. The olive oil and poppy seeds add delicious rich flavor to make it irresistible.
Recipe review
A quick look at this recipe
- Recipe Name: Olive Oil Banana Bread
- Ready In: 15 minutes prep, 60 minutes cook time, 75 minutes total time
- Serves: 8
- Calories: 350 per serving
- Main Ingredients: Flour, sugar, bananas, blueberries, olive oil, eggs
- Difficulty: Easy, one bowl recipe
I'm a sucker for homemade baked goods. My Mom always had a pound cake or apple pie slices for snacking on the kitchen counter. I think it's in my DNA to have a Pumpkin Spice Cookie, Coffee Cake Muffin or Fudgy Brownie always on hand. This Olive Oil Banana Bread is my latest baking obsession.
Jump to:
What's to love about this recipe
This is one of those easy quick bread recipes that is a welcome sight whenever it's served. It's delicious anytime of the day. You'll love this for so many reasons.
- Easy to make ~ The recipe uses only a couple bowls and a spatula to mix the batter. It's so easy to mix up the batter by hand. No special equipment is needed for this banana bread recipe.
- Exploding with flavor ~ The easy recipe has intense flavor. Bananas always add lots of flavor to quick breads. Blueberries sprinkled throughout the bread to add a burst of fresh flavor. The poppy seeds add a nutty crunch while the olive oil imparts a savory richness.
- Serve in many ways ~ This fresh banana bread is delicious toasted and smeared with butter, nut butter or cream cheese. Crumble a slice of the bread over yogurt for a tasty breakfast or snack. Try it in your favorite French toast recipe too. This is the BEST banana bread recipe.
Ingredients for olive oil banana bread
Pantry ingredients along with a handful of fresh ingredients are included in this banana bread loaf recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Salted butter
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Poppy seeds
- Blueberries
- Light brown sugar
- Olive oil
- Large eggs
- Bananas
- Vanilla extract
- Turbinado or sanding sugar
Substitutions
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter is also an option.
- All purpose flour: Try white whole wheat flour too.
- Blueberries: Fresh berries are my first choice for this quick bread recipe. Frozen ones work too. Substitute raspberries too.
- Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar is an alternative.
- Olive oil: A mild olive is my recommendation for for this recipe. Avocado oil, canola oil or melted coconut oil.
Recipe Hint
The riper the bananas are the better! Grab those black bananas in your fridge or freezer. They have loads of intense banana flavor and add extra moisture.
How to make banana bread
Quick breads like this olive oil banana bread are some of my favorites to bake. They use only a couple bowls and utensils and most times they can be mixed by hand. Scroll to the recipe card for the full directions of this simple banana bread recipe.
- Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl and combine all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds. Toss in the blueberries. A little coating of flour keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
- Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients. In another bowl, combine the light brown sugar, olive oil, large eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla extract. Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture.
- Step 3: Transfer the batter to a pan. Butter a metal loaf pan and line it lengthwise with parchment paper. The bread will be so easy to unmold. Pour the banana bread batter in the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle with sanding sugar, some poppy seeds and a few more blueberries.
- Step 4: Bake the bread. Bake for about an hour. For the best results, let the bread cool in the pan about 15 minutes before unmolding it.
Amy's recipe tips
- Use a metal loaf pan for baking this banana bread. It conducts the heat quickly and more evenly than a glass baking pan.
- Use an instant read digital thermometer to check the doneness of the banana bread. It should have an internal temperature of about 200 to 205 degrees F when baked to perfection.
- To ensure that the moist banana bread holds it shape, let the bread cool before unmolding. About 15 minutes is all that's needed.
Variations for banana blueberry bread
There so many fun add-ins to make this banana bread one of your favorites. Here are some new variations to try.
- Add nuts ~ Stir in ½ cup of your nut of choice. Try chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. For even for flavor, toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium low heat for 4-6 minutes.
- Add chocolate ~ Skip the blueberries and add ½ cup dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
- Add fruit ~ Instead of blueberries mix in 1 cup of fresh raspberries, dried cranberries or raisins.
Frequently asked questions
Most definitely! Frozen bananas are my first choice for a delicious banana bread as they have the most intense banana flavor. I always toss overripe bananas into a resealable bag and store it in the freezer. Thaw the bananas either in the refrigerator, at room temperature, or in the microwave before mashing and adding to the recipe.
When olive oil is used in a baking banana bread, it makes the bread incredibly moist. Also, the oil also helps the bread stay moist for 4-5 days.
I recommend a light colored metal bread pan or loaf pan for quick breads. The bread will bake and brown more evenly in a metal pan as compared to a glass or ceramic one.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Olive Oil Banana Bread with Blueberries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds plus more for the top
- 1 cup blueberries plus more for the top
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas about 3 bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons turbinado or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so it hangs about 2 inches over the length of the pan. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and poppy seeds. Add the blueberries and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine the light brown sugar, olive oil, eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined.
- Transfer the batter: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar, poppy seeds and some blueberries.
- Bake the bread: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The center will be set and the internal temperature will be about 200 to 205 degrees F when the bread is completely baked.
- Cool the bread: Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the ends of the loaf and unmold.
Video
Notes
- Use a metal loaf pan for baking this banana bread. It conducts the heat quickly and more evenly than a glass baking pan.
- If you are a fan of nuts, add about a cup of chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans along with the dry ingredients.
- Use an instant read digital thermometer to check the doneness of the banana bread. It should have an internal temperature of about 200 to 205 degrees F when baked to perfection.
- Let the bread cool about 15 minutes in the pan after baking before unmolding.
Nutrition
Amy Hasso says
Ok, yum!!! I made this bread the other day when I was trying to use up some old bananas and it is so good! The blueberries, cinnamon and avocado oil (I substituted) made all the difference. My husband and I have been eating it for dessert! Thanks, Amy, for another successful recipe!
Amy Casey says
I couldn't agree more that this is a great recipe for old bananas. I'm so glad it's a hit in your house.
Lea Marcoleta says
I crave for blueberry muffin last night and stumble to your recipe. And I made one today. I posted it on my fb account saying “i hope it tastes as good as it looks”? . And my number one food critic (hubby of course) says its PERFECT!!! I didn’t put nutmeg,cinnamon,poppy seeds and vanilla extract as I don’t have any in the pantry. I substituted maple syrup in place of the extract. And I chopped some walnuts. Will definitely make one again. And this recipe will surely stay in my lists?
Thanks for sharing your recipe,and God bless.
Amy Casey says
Lea ~ Thank you for such a wonderful comment. I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed my recipe. It's a favorite in my house and with my personal chef clients. 🙂
Debbie says
This olive oil banana blueberry bread is amazing! It is tender and melt in your mouth good. My husband as already requested it again.
Amy Casey says
Thanks Debbie! I'm so glad it's a hit with your husband 🙂
Anna says
The texture of this loaf was fantastic, so moist and so delicious! It's also great that frozen bananas work in this recipe too!
Amy Casey says
Great idea to use frozen banana Anna. Thanks for sharing.
Enri Lemoine says
I love baking with olive oil but would never imagine baking banana bread with EVOO. Because of your recipe, I made my delicious so moist blueberry banana bread. We all love it at home. Thanks for the recipe.
Amy Casey says
You are so welcome Enri!
Dennis says
Your recipe came out so good! I loved the idea of adding blueberries to the banana bread
Tristin says
I have been baking a lot with olive oil lately so was excited to try your banana bread! It was moist and yummy!!
Amy Casey says
That's great Tristin!
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
What a lovely crumb this olive oil banana blueberry bread has! And the flavor! Absolutely delicious!
Amy Casey says
Thank you so much!
Amanda says
This banana bread came out so good! The olive oil added some extra moisture, and I love how every bite was bursting with blueberries. This will go on my regular baking rotation list.
Amy Casey says
The blueberries are a gamechanger! Thanks Amanda 🙂
Bernice says
I'm always looking for new ways to use up all those bananas in my freezer and this recipe was perfect! We both loved the blueberries and light texture from the olive oil.
Amy Casey says
Awesome! I'm so happy you enjoyed my recipe Bernice.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I love bread made with olive oil and it especially works great with bananas. I have never baked banana bread with poppy seeds and I tried it this time and we loved the subtle flavor.
Amy Casey says
I'm so happy you enjoyed my recipe Sandhya 🙂