Einkorn sourdough banana bread is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. With notes of sweet banana and maple, this will become a favorite. Long ferment this for more nutritional benefits, or make it quick with your sourdough discard. Read on to learn how!
This einkorn sourdough banana bread is moist and delicious! Easy to make and packed with nutritious einkorn flour and gut-healthy sourdough discard, this is a great snack or breakfast for the whole family.
Why We Love It
There are two foods I always need to use up in our homestead kitchen: sourdough discard and overripe bananas. If you are active in the kitchen, I’m sure you can relate.
For a long time, I would use these leftover ingredients in sourdough discard banana pancakes. Those are still a favorite, but I wanted to add another recipe to my lineup!
This easy einkorn banana bread is the perfect way to use up those bananas and sourdough discard. It is a delicious bread that everyone in my family loves!
It’s also very versatile. We can serve it up with some fried eggs for an easy breakfast or enjoy it with homemade butter or a dollop of peanut butter for a quick snack. I always try to have some sort of baked good on hand to make life easier. Sometimes it’s protein pumpkin muffins or cheesy sourdough biscuits; other times it’s this tasty bread.
Most of all, I love that this recipe is made with einkorn flour! Making our favorite baked goods with this ancient grain makes them more nutritious and easy for me to digest. The addition of sourdough discard makes this bread the perfect sweet treat for those with a sensitivity to gluten or anyone trying to eat a little healthier.
Health Benefits of Einkorn Flour
Einkorn is an ancient grain that hasn’t been hybridized like most of today’s highly processed grain.
Hybridization is the process of breeding different types of grain to create a grain that can withstand weather ailments and produce a higher yield crop. This modern process allows people to get grain who may not be able to otherwise, but it also jeopardizes some of the original qualities of non-hybridized wheat.
Einkorn has 50% more manganese, riboflavin, and zinc, and 20% more magnesium, thiamin, niacin, iron, and vitamin B. Ironically these are same nutrients that are synthetically added back to enriched wheat flour to compensate for what we’ve lost in making wheat a high-yield crop (source).
Einkorn is also higher in protein, making it a much better source of energy for your body.
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More Einkorn Recipes for the Homestead
Einkorn Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Can this be long fermented?
I like to get all the benefits of long fermentation when it comes to sourdough. To do this, mix the dough the day before with fed, active sourdough starter. Then, let it sit on your countertop and ferment overnight before continuing on with the recipe.
Why? Because einkorn, like all flour, comes from grain. Grain contains what is called “phytic acid”, an anti-nutrient that can hold on to important minerals in our bodies and actually make it harder for us to digest certain foods.
Similar to why you should always soak beans and oats before making them.
So, when you ferment the grain with sourdough starter, the fermentation process actually strips away some of this phytic acid. This makes your bread dough easier to digest, higher in nutrients and minerals, and also full of good gut bacteria.
Learn more about phytic acid and the benefits of fermentation here.
New to Sourdough?
If you are new to sourdough, you are going to love all of the gut-healthy baked goods you can make!
You can learn how to make your own sourdough starter from scratch to make homemade bread, sourdough pizza, bagels, and more.
Put all your sourdough recipes in one spot!
Download and print off this NEW sourdough recipes ebook and keep your favorite sourdough recipes on your counter for easy, every day cooking.
Einkorn Sourdough Banana Bread Ingredients
Dough:
1/2 cup sourdough starter (fed or unfed)
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups einkorn flour
Remaining ingredients:
2-3 overripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups total)
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
Can I use regular all purpose flour for banana bread?
You can use about 2 cups of regular all purpose flour in this recipe instead of einkorn flour.
How to Make Einkorn Sourdough Banana Bread
Begin by making the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, butter, olive oil, salt, and einkorn flour. The dough should be thick but not dense and wet but not runny. You can also use a stand up mixer with a dough hook for this.
Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb all of the liquid. Note: if you would like to long ferment this recipe, leave the dough covered on the countertop overnight and proceed to the next step the following day.
Add the remaining ingredients and use a wooden spoon to combine. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into a greased 9” x 5” bread loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes, then gently remove it from the bread pan. Slice and enjoy!
FAQ
Can I freeze this banana bread?
Yes, banana bread freezes very well. Once the loaf is completely cool, put it in an airtight container such as a plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months and allow it to thaw before serving.
Is sourdough discard good for you?
Long-fermenting sourdough baked goods gives you the maximum gut-healthy benefits. However, using sourdough discard still makes this recipe better for you than regular baked goods! Sourdough discard is full of probiotics, vitamins, and minerals, making it more nutritious and easier to digest.
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard?
Yes, you can use fed or unfed sourdough starter in this recipe. To long ferment this recipe, simply make the dough first and let it sit on the countertop, covered, overnight. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe the next day.
What is einkorn flour?
Einkorn flour is made from einkorn wheat, a nonhybridized ancient grain. It has a distinct, nutty flavor, less gluten, and more nutrients than other modern wheat varieties.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes from the Homestead
Einkorn Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Sourdough Discard Banana Pancakes
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Pancakes
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough Discard
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Einkorn Sourdough Banana Bread
Einkorn sourdough banana bread is moist and delicious. Packed full of nutrients, this recipe uses einkorn flour and sourdough starter. You can long ferment the bread or make it all in one day with sourdough discard.
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter (fed or unfed)
- 6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups einkorn flour
- Remaining ingredients:
- 2-3 overripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups total)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Begin by making the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, butter, olive oil, salt, and einkorn flour. The dough should be thick but not dense and wet but not runny. You can also use a stand up mixer with a dough hook for this.
- Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb all of the liquid. Note: if you would like to long ferment this recipe, leave the dough covered on the countertop overnight and proceed to the next step the following day.
- Add the remaining ingredients and use a wooden spoon to combine. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9” x 5” bread loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes, then gently remove it from the bread pan. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Can this be long fermented?
I like to get all the benefits of long fermentation when it comes to sourdough. To do this, mix the dough the day before with fed, active sourdough starter. Then, let it sit on your countertop and ferment overnight before continuing on with the recipe.
Can I use regular all purpose flour for banana bread?
You can use about 2 cups of regular all purpose flour in this recipe instead of einkorn flour.
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