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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Wholesome Oatmeal Banana Carrot Bread

Wholesome Oatmeal Banana Carrot Bread

By Taesha Butler November 14, 2019 (Updated October 3, 2022) 40 Comments

Servings12 slices
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 16 votes

This banana bread is delicious, easy to make, and loaded with veggies! Banana Carrot bread is made with good-for-you oatmeal and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a little maple syrup or honey. Add in grated carrots, bake up, and it is the perfect breakfast or snack.

Load of Banana Carrot bread cooling

A few weeks ago, a dear friend texted me out of the blue.

“Hold on! You don’t have a banana bread recipe on your blog yet?? Get on that. And throw some veggies in there, too! I’ll be waiting”

Well then. No need to read between the lines there. I have many veggie muffin recipes (including Banana Carrot Muffins)on the blog, but clearly I had dropped the ball in veggie-loading banana bread! Luckily my friends and family take their jobs as being unofficial spokespeople for the TNN community quite seriously and let me know when I need to step it up. And now, I have you covered!

This Banana Carrot Bread is the perfect thing to make during meal prep for a veggie-loaded addition to breakfast or as a tasty little snack. It is delightfully moist from grated carrots, mashed ripe bananas and super filling thanks ground rolled oats. Mix it up in just 10 minutes, pop it into the oven for 45, and enjoy the amazing aromas that will fill your home. Eat it warm from the oven or let it cool and store it in your fridge or freezer for the future. It is naturally gluten free when you use GF oats and can easily be made egg-free and dairy-free. And since carrots and bananas are both something many people can find in their grocery store year round, so this bread can be loved on all. year. long….so be sure to save this recipe. It will be a frequent flyer in your kitchen!

A process shot of how to drain moisture from grated carrots for making banana carrot bread. The first image is of grated carrots arranged in the middle of paper towel. The second image shows the carrots wrapped in paper towel and a hand pressing the wrapped carrots down to draw out the moisture.

Can I make this banana bread egg-free?

You sure can. I find that flax eggs work great in this banana carrot bread in place of chicken eggs.
To make a “flax egg”, I use the ratio of 1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 2.5 tablespoons water = 1 egg.

So, for this recipe, I use 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal + 5 tablespoons water to replace the eggs. Be sure to let the flax/water mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow it to “gel” before adding it to the batter.

How do you grate the carrots for this banana bread?

I use the large holes of a box grater and it works perfectly. You can also use pre-grated carrots to make this carrot banana breads even easier! I often find them in the refrigeration portion of the produce section in a bag. The bagged grated tends to be a bit thicker than home grated, so consider pulsing them in a blender with the wet ingredients if you are serving this bread to carrot-iffy eaters.

Ripe and peeled bananas before and after being mashed in a bowl. The first image shows the bananas broken into pieces in a glass bowl on a white marble surface with a fork rest on the side. The second images shows the bananas mashed into a paste with the fork in the middle.

Tips and tricks

  • Let banana carrot bread cool for at least 15 minutes. Loaves (and all baked goods) continue to bake even after they are removed from the oven and will firm up as they sit. Let this sweet bread sit in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack. And then let it cool there for another 10 minutes before enjoying. TIP: If you are not using parchment paper when baking your bread, let it cool the full 25-20 minutes in the pan….otherwise it might stick or fall apart.
  • Use parchment paper. It makes it super easy to lift this banana carrot bread out of the loaf pan without losing a crumb. Or you can use a little oil in the loaf pan to prevent sticking.
  • Make sure your bananas are ripe. For best results in baked goods, bananas should be brown and spotty. As bananas ripen they get sweeter and softer. Ripe banana also add moisture to is carrot bread. Using bananas that are green or just barely ripe in this recipe may lead to dry, less sweet loaf.
  • Don’t over mix your batter! Oat based baked goods can be dense and heavy when over mixed. So mix your batter until JUST combined. That is the key to fluffy banana bread!
A 4-image process shot of how to make banana carrot bread. The first shows wet ingredients in a glass bowl on a white marble surface with a white spatula in it  The second image shows the dry ingredients in a blender before being processed. the third image shows the dry ingredients after being processed in the blender. The fourth image shows the dry ingredients being combined in the glass bowl with wet ingredients.

How to store this carrot banana bread

This sweet bread can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to to 2 days. After that, I suggest storing it in the fridge or freezer to prevent molding and keep it as fresh as possible for days to come.

To freeze, slice it and transfer to a freezer safe container. Store in your freezer for up to a month and let the slices thaw on your counter overnight to enjoy the next day.

Step-by-step graphic of how to make banana carrot bread. The first image shows batter with grated carrots on top, before being stirred in. The second shows the batter with carrots stirred in. The third shows the banana carrot bread in a loaf pan, topped with sliced bananas, before baking. The fourth image shows baked banana carrot bread after baking, on a cooling rack and sliced.

Suggested adaptations

  • Bake it as muffins. Portion the batter out between 12 lined muffin tins and bake at the same temperature for 20 minutes. Let cool before enjoying.
  • Skip the sweetener! If you are looking for a little less sugar in your life, either reduce the amount of maple syrup/honey you use or let the banana do all the sweetening and leave the honey/syrup all together! I do this often!
  • Sub the carrots with grated zucchini. Just like with the grated carrot, make sure to squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can before adding it to the batter.
  • Mix it all in your blender! Really want to simplify baking? Throw everything into your blender and blend batter until smooth before pouring it into the prepared loaf pan. This works best if you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, otherwise your blender might find the batter too taxing and leave the oats chunky.

Other veggie-loaded banana baked goods you are going to love.

  • Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
  • Banana-Spinach Pancake Pizza
  • Healthy Lunch Box Muffins
  • Cinnamon Zucchini Banana Muffins
  • Sweet Potato Banana Bread

Did you try this banana carrot bread and now you’re hungry for more? 

Sign up so that my newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox. And be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all kinds of veggie-loaded living ideas!

Loaf of banana carrot bread cooling in pan.
Print Recipe
5 from 16 votes

Wholesome Oatmeal Banana Carrot Bread

This banana bread is delicious, easy to make, and loaded with veggies! Banana Carrot bread is made with good-for-you oatmeal and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a little maple syrup or honey. Add in grated carrots, bake up, and it is the perfect breakfast or snack.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: healthy breakfast, hidden vegetables, muffins
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 156kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • Blender
  • loaf pan

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 2 medium bananas, very ripe + extra for topping if desired
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups rolled oats, uncooked Gluten Free option, use gluten free oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside
  • Take grated carrots and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the carrots in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside. 
  • Place very ripe bananas in a medium bowl and mash until smooth.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the mashed bananas and stir to combine. Set aside for just a moment.
  • Combine all dry ingredients in your blender and pulse until oats are finely chopped and resemble flour.
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the well and stir until the batter has a smooth consistency and even color
  • Fold in drained carrots.
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes.
  • Cool in a pan for 30 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
  • Enjoy warm or allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer for up to a month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1840IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Snacks, Vegetarian Tagged With: carrot

Previous Post: « Healthy Meatball Recipes (with veggies!)
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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Darlene

    November 14, 2019 at 5:14 pm

    Can I substitute 2 cups of oat flour instead of blending the rolled oats?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 14, 2019 at 5:28 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  2. Whitney

    November 19, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    Will this work with regular milk if we don’t need a dairy free option?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 19, 2019 at 6:22 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  3. Rachel

    November 21, 2019 at 5:26 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for a work potluck and it was the first thing to disappear! Everyone loved it

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 21, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  4. Lily Allen-Hughes

    January 5, 2020 at 4:36 am

    Hi! Can I sub a “flax egg” for the real eggs? And can I add more veggies, like zucchini with the carrots? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 5, 2020 at 9:53 pm

      I haven’t tried it but I bet it would work!

      Reply
  5. Rebekah

    February 9, 2020 at 12:28 am

    Hi Taesha! Big fan of ALL your recipes 🙂 It feels like I’ve made at least half of your whole blog by now! I keep having trouble with the texture of this one when i make in the blender though. I thought my bananas were just too large last time, but then it happened again. Is it where I’m throwing the carrots in whole in the blender possibly, so i thought either it’s from where 1)I’m not going through the process of shredding and getting excess water out with a paper towel or 2) doing two cups of baby carrots is not = to two cups of shredded and it’s throwing off my consistency? Any tips you can give are appreciated because I LOVE using the blender!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      February 9, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      Is the texture too wet? Because if you aren’t shredding and draining it could totally be that! And I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes!

      Reply
  6. Wynne

    March 15, 2020 at 2:02 am

    5 stars
    Substituted chocolate chips for the honey/maple. So good, we just made it again!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      March 15, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      I am so glad!

      Reply
  7. Heidi

    April 20, 2020 at 11:50 am

    This bread was so delicious! Great banana flavor. Gonna try it in a muffin pan

    Reply
    • Taesha

      April 20, 2020 at 3:50 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  8. Meghan

    April 25, 2020 at 11:12 am

    Hello! Would two cups almond flour sub evenly in this recipe? Can’t wait to bake this with my littles. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      April 27, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Hi Meghan! I haven’t tried this recipe with almond flour instead of oat. However, I know many people report that they find those two flours to swap out well in baked goods. If you try it out, let me know!

      Reply
  9. Annika

    May 20, 2020 at 1:03 am

    5 stars
    Another amazing recipe! We upped the carrots just a bit, and they were amazing. Made them as muffins because around here we make everything into muffins!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 20, 2020 at 1:05 am

      Sounds like my house! Muffins are always on repeat. I love how fats they cook and how easy they are to store. But I also love a good loaf recipe and I am so glad this a success AND with EXTRA veggies! So much winning!

      Reply
  10. Emma Keys

    June 10, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    What a wonderful recipe! We made a loaf last week and we are making a muffin version (with chocolate chips on top!) right now!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 10, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      Yes! I love adding chocolate chips or raisins to this!

      Reply
  11. ปั้มไลค์

    June 28, 2020 at 7:00 am

    5 stars
    Like!! Thank you for publishing this awesome article.

    Reply
  12. Melina

    October 16, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    Hi! Could I substitute the banana for apple purée? Or perhaps add the Apple so it has all 3 like ana ABC loaf?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      October 16, 2020 at 5:13 pm

      I usually find applesauce and banana to be a successful swap in most baking recipes, so I bet it would work!

      Reply
  13. April

    January 19, 2021 at 4:51 am

    5 stars
    This is delicious. My 2 year old and I ate the entire loaf in 3 days. Love that it is a healthier version of traditional banana bread with the oat flour and added carrots. I will add nuts next time though. Otherwise, amazing!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 19, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      Mmmmmm I love nuts in banana bread. Chocolate chips are lovely on top (or mixed in) too. So glad you enjoyed this recipe, April!

      Reply
  14. Brittney Kyser

    January 25, 2021 at 8:34 pm

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Gosh. I made these into muffins and they are AMAZING! I love to make a batch of your muffins on Mondays to set myself up for the week. This was my first time trying these ones and they are perfect!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 25, 2021 at 9:39 pm

      Oh yay! I am so glad, Brittney! I love to make this as muffins too!

      Reply
  15. Larissa

    February 10, 2021 at 2:04 am

    5 stars
    So so so delish! I love that it uses everything I always keep on hand. I doubled the recipe & did half zucchini & half carrot. I made one loaf & one pan of muffins… Everything was gone within a day and a half. 😂🙈🤷🏽‍♀️ I will definitely make this again & double the recipe every time for sure! Do you know if the loaves freeze up well? Would love to have this as a snack when I go into labor.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      February 10, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      Oh yay! I am so glad to hear all of this, Larissa! The loaves freeze great, btw. I like to pre-slice them before freezing so I can take out a piece at a time to enjoy.

      Reply
      • Evelyn b

        June 13, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        Can I do this with frozen carrots? How would I make it work?

        Reply
        • Taesha Butler

          June 15, 2022 at 10:56 am

          Hmmmm. I truthfully have never tried. Are we talking frozen grated carrots? Or bagged frozen carrots? Either way, thaw and drain any water that comes off before adding them to the batter. Frozen grated carrots should be fine to add as normal after that! If it is the bagged carrots, I might try blending them with the banana and other wet ingredients before mixing with the dry! If you give it a go, let us know how it turns out!

          Reply
  16. Melanie

    April 11, 2021 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    I made this using flax eggs and used pumpkin instead of the oil. Made as mini muffins and donuts and they turned out great!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      April 11, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      Oh love all those swaps! So glad to hear it was a success!

      Reply
  17. Adriane

    January 11, 2022 at 3:30 am

    5 stars
    I was a little skeptical to be honest, but this recipe was perfect. I sprinkled a few chocolate chips on top and used only 1/4 cup of maple syrup so I only needed one measuring cup. This will definitely be in our baking rotation.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 11, 2022 at 12:32 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Adriane! And thank you for leaving a review!

      Reply
  18. Lauren

    July 31, 2022 at 10:53 am

    5 stars
    So delicious and our whole family, including our 2-year-old loved it. Will definitely make again and again

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 1, 2022 at 10:48 am

      I am so glad, Lauren! Thanks for taking the time to share!

      Reply
  19. Linda

    October 26, 2022 at 2:37 pm

    5 stars
    YUM!

    Reply
  20. Andrea

    October 28, 2022 at 4:46 pm

    The carrot made the banana bread taste amazing! My kids (6 and 3) love to help me bake and they were so excited to to try something new. It is so moist and has a wonderful flavor. I am so thankful to find this on Instagram because this recipe will now be a staple in our home.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      October 29, 2022 at 10:23 am

      I’m so delighted to hear that, Andrea!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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