I love making all kinds of banana bread versions with different ingredients to turn the classic recipe on its head, like my Almond Banana Bread, Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread, or Chickpea Flour Banana Bread. Making one with pistachio was a fantastic ideas. Pistachio bring a ton of flavor, a light crunch, and keep the bread super moist and delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Mashed Bananas – Choose very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness. If you use relatively green bananas, the bread will be far less sweet. Ground Pistachios – Use roasted or raw, unsalted pistachios. Almonds or walnuts can be substituted for a different flavor profile. Maple Syrup – I like to use pure maple syrup. Agave syrup, coconut nectar, or date syrup are good alternatives. All-Purpose Flour – Use organic all-purpose flour. Whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour should work. I haven’t tried gluten-free flour, but it would typically make the bread a bit drier. Coconut Oil – Choose unrefined coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor. Light olive oil or canola oil can be used as alternatives. Almond Extract – Use pure almond extract. Vanilla extract can be used if almond extract is unavailable. Raw Cane Sugar – Choose organic raw cane sugar. Coconut sugar or regular granulated sugar can be substituted. Vegan Butter – Select a high-quality vegan butter. You can also use margarine.
How to Make Pistachio Banana Bread
This is an easy recipe to make with my recipe card further down. Here are pictures of the key steps.
Expert Tips
Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness. To make ground pistachios, pulse raw pistachios in a food processor until finely ground, but stop before they turn into butter. Don’t overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to avoid a tough texture. For a more pronounced pistachio flavor, add a drop of pistachio extract to the batter if available. To prevent the top from browning too quickly, tent the loaf with aluminum foil halfway through baking. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. For added texture, fold in some chopped pistachios into the batter before baking. Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
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