Buckwheat Banana Bread
Gluten-free banana bread with buckwheat flour is a brilliant way to get that classic, cosy banana bread experience without any gluten, and this version is so soft and moist that no one will guess it’s gluten-free. Buckwheat might sound a bit scary if you need to avoid wheat, but despite the name, it’s naturally gluten-free. In this recipe, it gives a gorgeous, slightly nutty depth that works beautifully with banana and walnuts.
Our easy gluten-free banana bread is designed for everyday baking. Simple ingredients, one bowl (or one Thermomix bowl), and a beautifully tender crumb. Buckwheat flour and ground flaxseeds bring extra flavour, fibre and staying power, so a slice actually keeps you going, not just satisfies a sweet tooth.
A quick note on buckwheat: Even though it has “wheat” in the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat at all, and does not contain gluten. It’s a naturally gluten-free pseudocereal seed that’s often used in gluten-free cooking. As always, if you are coeliac or highly sensitive, choose buckwheat flour that’s labelled gluten-free to avoid any risk of cross-contamination in processing. Overall, we thinks its a pretty healthy choice for a banana bread.
Because there’s no gluten to provide structure, the combination of buckwheat, flaxseeds and eggs helps hold everything together while still giving you that soft, cake-like crumb. This is why the loaf is very moist and tender, and why it’s worth waiting until it’s completely cool before slicing.
Banana Bread ingredient list
Why does each ingredient earn its place, and some tips on substitutions.
- Flaxseeds (linseeds): Flaxseeds and linseeds are the same seed; the different names are mostly regional. Whole seeds store better, and grinding them fresh right before baking helps protect their healthy fats and keeps the flavour and nutrients at their best. If you purchase ground, once the pack is open you should store them in the fridge to keep them at their freshest.
- Buckwheat flour: Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, high in fibre and a good source of minerals like magnesium and manganese, which makes it a lovely, more nourishing alternative to refined flours. It also brings a gentle nutty note that pairs beautifully with banana and walnuts.
Pinch of flaked salt: Just enough salt to balance the sweetness and lift all the flavours. - Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar adds sweetness, a hint of molasses depth, and extra moisture, though this isn’t a super-sweet loaf you can replace with light brown if you like.
- Baking powder: Helps the gluten-free loaf rise and stay light. Note – always check your baking powder is labelled gluten-free (if you are after GF).
- Ripe banana: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more banana-forward the loaf; spotting and softness are perfect. Freeze them when they’re like this, so they’re ready to go at anytime.
- Yoghurt: Yoghurt adds moisture and a touch of tang, helping balance the sweetness and keep the crumb tender. I use plain homemade yoghurt; you can use Greek yoghurt or any plain supermarket yoghurt. You can even choose a dairy-free one, make sure it’s unsweetened, or your loaf may be too sweet.
- Vanilla: Vanilla rounds out the flavour and gives that classic banana bread aroma.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the batter, provide structure, and add lift.
- Light olive oil or neutral oil: Oil keeps the banana bread extra moist and soft, even after a day or two. Any light-tasting oil works; avoid strongly flavoured oils that could overpower the banana
- Chopped walnuts: Walnuts add crunch, flavour, and some extra healthy fats and fibre, making the loaf more satisfying. Swap for pecans, toasted almonds, or leave them out entirely if you need a nut-free version.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, pure buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and not related to wheat, barley or rye. It comes from a flowering plant and is classed as a pseudocereal. If you are baking for someone with coeliac disease or a strong gluten sensitivity, look for buckwheat flour that is clearly labelled gluten-free to reduce the risk of cross-contact during milling and packaging.
The base recipe is already gluten-free when made with certified gluten-free buckwheat flour and baking powder. To make it nut-free, leave out the walnuts or replace them with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Yes, this banana bread freezes well because it’s pretty moist. Slice it once, when completely cool, wrap the slices individually or in small stacks, then freeze in an airtight container or bag for up to a couple of months.
For the most reliable result, use a digital thermometer. Gluten-free quick breads, like banana bread, are usually cooked when the centre reaches around 96–99 °C (this recipe is designed to be baked to about 97 °C). If you don’t have a thermometer, the usual skewer test works – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging.
Buckwheat Banana bread
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becs-table.com.auEquipment
- 1 Thermomix or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 15 g flaxseeds
- 150 g buckwheat flour
- Pinch flaked salt
- 120 g dark brown sugar
- 10 g baking powder
- 250 g banana ripe
- 70 g yoghurt
- 5 g vanilla
- 90 g eggs 2 ex large
- 100 g light olive oil or non flavoured oil of your choice
- 80 g chopped walnuts
Instructions
Want this as a Thermomix® guided recipe?
- If you have an Australian Subscription, click here to send the recipe to Cookidoo. After clicking the link, log in to Cookidoo and select "Make today", pop it in your calendar or "Save" the recipe. We also have video instructions for adding this recipe to Cookidoo.
Thermomix method
- Preheat your oven to 170 °C and prepare a sweet loaf tin (I used a USA sweet loaf tin) by greasing and lining it if it's not non-stick.
- Weigh the flaxseeds into the Thermomix bowl and mill for 8 seconds / speed 10, until finely ground.
- Add the buckwheat flour, salt, dark brown sugar and baking powder to the bowl, then mix 10 seconds / speed 8.
- Tip this dry mix into a separate bowl and set aside. Without cleaning the bowl, weigh in the banana, yoghurt, vanilla, eggs and oil, then blend 10 seconds / speed 6 until smooth.
- Return the dry mix to the bowl and mix 6–8 seconds / speed 4, or until just combined, scraping down if needed.
- Add the chopped walnuts and fold through with a spatula as you pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin.
- Bake for around 35–45 minutes at 170 °C, depending on the depth of your pan. The loaf is ready when a thermometer in the centre reads about 97 °C or a skewer comes out clean; gluten-free quick breads are usually fully baked between about 96–99 °C in the centre.
- Leave the banana bread in the tin until completely cold before slicing, as this is a very soft, moist gluten-free loaf and needs time to set.
Conventional / food processor method
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C and prepare your sweet loaf tin as above.
- Grind the flaxseeds: or purchase ground, but make sure they're fresh. If you have a spice grinder, small blender or food processor, blitz the flaxseeds until they form a fine meal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseeds, buckwheat flour, salt, dark brown sugar and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl (or in a food processor jug), combine the banana, yoghurt, vanilla, eggs and oil; mash really well with a fork or whisk, or blitz in the processor until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts, then scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin and level the top.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or a thermometer reads around 97 °C in the middle.
- Cool completely in the tin before turning out and slicing. If you try to slice this loaf before it has cooled it won't be neat.
Video
Tell us what you think!
Have you tried baking gluten-free banana bread with buckwheat flour yet? This version is so soft and flavourful that most people won’t even realise it’s gluten-free unless you tell them, and it’s such a handy recipe to have up your sleeve for morning tea, lunchboxes or that last-minute coffee catch-up.
Once you’ve baked it, pop back and leave a comment sharing how it turned out, especially if you tried any variations like different nuts or a dairy-free yoghurt. If you enjoy this style of baking, you might also like some of the other gluten-free and Thermomix-friendly recipes on the Bec’s Table blog at https://becs-table.com.au/
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This was absolutely delicious, and I loved the crunch of the walnuts in it.
Thanks Bec for another amazing recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it Julie. I really think most people wouldn’t know it was GF. We’re loving it too.
OK, so this is pretty good. I generally eat slightly green bananas, so my question is that if I make it with bananas that are not super ripe (ie. I want to make it now!), can I add something to boost the sweetness to compensate?
I understand your point about slightly green bananas, but in this recipe, using ripe bananas enhances flavor and sweetness. I recommend letting a couple of bananas ripen, or even just one, to achieve the desired sweetness in your banana bread. You can experiment by removing 50g of banana and replacing it with brown sugar, though I haven’t tested this variation myself. If you get around to trying it, let me know the results.