Easy Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
on May 20, 2026
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This is my favorite easy banana bread! Packed with Greek yogurt and sweetened with honey and just a small amount of brown sugar, the yogurt keeps it moist and it’s a treat that’s on the lighter side. Greek yogurt banana bread is healthier than an average banana loaf, but it really doesn’t taste that way!
A lighter banana bread
If you think you’ve already found your favorite banana bread recipe, wait until you’ve tried this lighter version made with protein-packed Greek yogurt!
I’ve been making baked goods with Greek yogurt for years. This blueberry muffin recipe never fails me (and many many others judging by the hundreds of 5-star reviews!). I also have a recipe for Greek yogurt banana muffins, which I like to put into my son’s lunch box.
It’s this recipe that I’ve based this banana bread with Greek yogurt on, with a few little tweaks to make sure it fits a loaf pan really well. It’s extremely easy – just mix together the dry ingredients, mix together the wet ingredients, stir the wet into the dry, smooth into a lined loaf pan, and bake for about 50 minutes.
The result is a very good banana bread, in my humble opinion! It’s nice and moist with a rich banana flavor and lightly crunchy top, but not too sweet. I definitely get that smug feeling when I bite into it, since it’s rich and flavorsome, but it’s made with oil not butter and plenty of Greek yogurt, and sweetened with honey and just a little bit of brown sugar.
I really hope you like this as much as I do, and it becomes your favorite banana bread recipe, too!
📌Recipe snapshot
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Serves: 8 to 10
- Key ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder & baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg, ripe bananas, eggs, brown sugar, honey, oil, Greek yogurt
- Why you’ll love this: simple recipe, moist inside, lightly crunchy on top, healthier than an average banana bread but doesn’t taste like it!
About the ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But here’s a summary of what you need to know.
- All-purpose flour: Feel free to use white whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer.
- Baking powder, baking soda and salt: Don’t skip the salt – it really helps to bring out the flavor in the banana bread.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices go perfectly with the banana flavor in the muffins. Feel free to add a little more than I suggest.
- Ripe bananas: The riper the better, for more intense banana flavor and more natural sweetness. You’ll need around 3 medium-sized bananas.
- Brown sugar and honey: Just a little of each. The brown sugar adds a subtle caramel flavor, and the honey keeps the recipe very low in refined sugar.
- Eggs: 2 large.
- Oil: Just half a cup. I often use a light olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and canola, to keep the recipe fairly economical. Melted coconut oil or even melted butter work, too.
- Greek yogurt: This adds protein, moisture, and tang that balances the sweetness nicely. My favorite kind is authentic Greek yogurt made of just milk with yogurt cultures.
How to make Greek yogurt banana bread
Start by whisking together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl — the flour, baking powder and baking soda, salt, and spices.
Next, combine all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl or large jug – the mashed banana, eggs, brown sugar, honey, oil, and Greek yogurt.
From here, it’s very easy to get your Greek yogurt banana bread into the oven! Simply stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until everything is just combined.
Now scrape the batter into a loaf pan lined with baking paper and smooth down the top.
Bake until the top is golden brown, the loaf springs back when you push lightly on the top, and a skewer or small knife comes out of the center clean. I find this takes about 50 minutes.
Helen’s Top Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter, which can result in dense, chewy banana loaf.
- Start checking for doneness after 40 minutes. A skewer or small knife poked into the center should come out clean or with a few sticky crumbs on. If you see raw batter, it isn’t done yet.
- If the top starts to brown a bit too much, simply tuck some aluminium foil loosely over the top.
- I’ve started keeping all my overripe bananas in a large freezer bag. Then whenever I feel like baking banana bread, I just defrost a few and they’re ready to use! Just drain off any excess liquid before mashing.
- Always have Greek yogurt on hand? Check out this list of 25+ easy Greek yogurt recipes you’ll actually want to make!
Variations
- Feel free to add a handful or two of milk, dark or caramel chocolate chips to the batter for extra sweetness (and yum factor!).
- Alternatively, add a handful or two of chopped walnuts into the batter.
- Decorate the top of the banana bread with dried banana chips.
- A teaspoon or two of vanilla essence is nice stirred into the batter.
- Add a little extra spice such as cardamom, ginger, or pumpkin spice.
- Swirl a few tablespoons of slightly warmed peanut butter through the batter before baking.
Recipe FAQs
Store the banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days. It’s usually at its best within the first couple of days when it’s extra soft and moist.
If you’d like it to last longer, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week. Just note that the texture can become slightly firmer when chilled, so you may want to bring it back to room temperature or warm it slightly before serving.
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 2–3 months. Wrap it tightly (or store slices in a freezer-safe container), then thaw at room temperature or gently warm individual slices as needed.
Yes, you can. In fact, I’ve already adapted the recipe. Just click over to this Greek yogurt banana muffin recipe.
More healthier baking recipes
- Readers have been raving about these Greek yogurt blueberry muffins and similar Greek yogurt chocolate chip muffins for years! Try them to find out why.
- It’s hard to believe that this healthy pumpkin bread is made with nothing but goodness.
- This healthy chocolate cake is gooey and delicious and made with not one but two vegetables. No one can believe it’s a healthy cake!
Easy Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, also known as plain flour or baking flour
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 1⅓ cups mashed banana, Use overripe (spotty and brown!) bananas. 1⅓ cups is usually around 3 medium bananas or 2 to 3 larger.
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey, If thick, warm slightly in the microwave so it combines easily with the other wet ingredients. Alternatively, use maple syrup or another liquid sweetener.
- ⅓ cup oil, I usually use all olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and canola oil. Melted butter or melted coconut oil also work.
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt, I use authentic strained Greek yogurt (full fat or reduced fat both work).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C (regular oven) / 340F/170C (fan oven) and line a regular sized (9×5 inches) loaf pan with baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder & soda, salt, spices).2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2¼ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon salt
- In a separate medium sized bowl or jug, combine all the wet ingredients (mashed banana, whisked eggs, sugar, honey, oil, Greek yogurt).1⅓ cups mashed banana, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup honey, ⅓ cup oil, ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. With a wooden spoon or silicon spatula, stir just until everything is well combined (a few lumps are OK – don't overmix).
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for around 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (a few sticky bits are OK but no raw batter!). Check from 40 minutes. If the top starts to brown too much, simply loosely tent aluminium foil over the top.
- Transfer to a wire cooking rack. Slice and enjoy warm or cold, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days (or freeze for up to 2 months).
