This lightened-up Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread is made without butter or oil, but it’s so soft and tender that you’d never be able to tell! Naturally sweetened and loaded with strawberry and banana flavor in each bite, it makes for the perfect summer quick bread recipe!

slices of Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread with butter

This post was originally published on June 4, 2015 and was updated June 24, 2019 with new content.

I love making this healthy strawberry bread because it is so easy to whip up and it makes our house smell amazing, you can’t beat the smell of freshly baked bread.

This strawberry quick bread is made with Greek yogurt, ripe bananas, and two eggs so it is super moist and has the perfect tender crumb. The juicy strawberries inside the loaf add the perfect amount of sweetness and a nice pop of color too!

a sliced loaf of strawberry banana bread

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY STRAWBERRY BREAD

  1. First things first, mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine and to remove any lumps. Whole wheat pastry flour works best, but if you don’t happen to have that on-hand, try using a combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I recommend 1 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour.
  2. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, mashed banana and honey.
  3. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine without overmixing. Overmixing the batter can lead to a tough bread that doesn’t have that wonderful tender crumble. Gently fold in strawberries.
  4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the bread batter to the pan.
  5. Bake uncovered at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Check bread and possibly cover with tin foil, if you feel that it is browning too quickly. Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until completely cooked on the inside. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Then, let it cool completely before slicing or freezing.

mixing strawberries with dough in a large mixing bowl

TIPS FOR PERFECT STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD

  1. Use bright red ripe strawberries for maximum flavor. Cut them into small pieces so they won’t sink to the bottom of the bread. I also like to toss the strawberry pieces into a little flour to prevent sinkage as well. I don’t suggest using frozen strawberries – I find they turn the bread purple if you aren’t careful when mixing. Add a few chunks to the top, before baking, for an extra pop of color.
  2. I recommend very ripe bananas for this recipe. In fact, the riper the better! I will often take overripe bananas, peel them and store them in my freezer, then thaw them out later to use for banana bread. Why do overripe bananas make the best banana bread? There are 3 basic reasons: they’re moist, they’re sweet, and they’re easy to mash. So even if you need to wait a few days to let your bananas ripen, it will be worth the wait!
  3. Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup, then leveling off the top. Do NOT scoop it using your measuring cup or you will end up with too much flour in the batter.
  4. Bake until the top is a rich golden brown and the center is completely set. Because all bread pans are different sizes and shapes, the baking time will vary. So rely less on the time listed and more on whether the bread looks and feels done. I use an 8×4″ loaf pan for best results.
  5. This bread freezes very well for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, place bread in refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then place the bread on your kitchen counter top for about 30-60 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature before slicing and enjoying.

Slices of strawberry bread served with butter

LOOKING FOR OTHER HEALTHY QUICK BREAD RECIPES? TRY THESE OTHER FAVORITES:

Cranberry Pecan Banana Bread

Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Healthy Rhubarb Banana Bread

I’d love to know if you make this (or any) recipe! Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

sliced loaf of strawberry bread

slices of Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread with butter
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Whole Grain Strawberry Banana Bread

Yield: 12 slices
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Super moist and super scrumptious, you'll never miss the oil or refined sugar in this delicious strawberry banana quick bread!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups (210g) whole wheat pastry flour*, (spoon in and level with knife for best measurements)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (118g) plain Greek yogurt**
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (200g) mashed ripe banana, about 2 medium bananas
  • ⅓ cup (106g) honey
  • 1 cup (158g) diced strawberries + a couple more for topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. and prepare an 8x4" loaf pan* with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Whisk all dry ingredients, flour through cinnamon, in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate smaller bowl, beat and whisk eggs. Add Greek yogurt, vanilla, banana and honey in with the egg and stir well to combine.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently. Do not overmix. Gently fold in strawberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top starts to get too brown, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil at around 35 mins.
  • Cool bread in pan for at least 10 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife and remove from pan. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refridgerator for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

* You can also use a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. I recommend 1 cup AP and 3/4 cup WW.
** If you want a slightly sweeter banana bread, you can sub out the plain yogurt for a flavored variety like vanilla or strawberry.
LOAF PAN: An 8x4" loaf pan is slightly smaller than the typical 9x5" loaf pan. Either will work, but using an 8x4" loaf pan will yield a prettier bread with more rise.
MUFFINS: Alternatively, this recipe could be used to make muffins. I'm not sure how many it would make and cook time should be shortened to about 20-25 minutes. A reader commented on FB to share that this recipe made delicious muffins and their cook time was 28 minutes.
Author: Kim
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 130kcal, Carbohydrates: 27.8g, Protein: 4.1g, Fat: 1.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 31.5mg, Sodium: 192.4mg, Potassium: 101.3mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13.1g, Vitamin A: 80IU, Vitamin C: 7.6mg, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 0.6mg

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