Pistachio banana bread a moist banana bread made with ground pistachios. It has pistachio paste swirled throughout for extra flavor! Enjoy this easy recipe for breakfast, a delicious snack or dessert!
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Banana and pistachio bread is a delicious twist on banana bread. It’s warm, moist banana bread with the extra creamy and delicious flavor of pistachios!
I adapted this recipe from my banana Nutella bread. Instead of swirling the bread with Nutella, we’re swirling in some pistachio paste!
For more scrumptious banana bread recipes, try my cinnamon sugar banana bread and ricotta banana bread.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients: You probably already have all most of the ingredients.
- Best flavors: This banana and pistachio bread is my classic banana bread infused with pistachio flavor! You’ll taste both banana and pistachio flavor in every bite! Pistachio fans will also love these chocolate chip and pistachio cookies!
- Super moist: This bread stays moist for days. It’s a great make-ahead recipe just like these chocolate chunk banana muffins.
- Perfect anytime: Enjoy a slice with coffee for breakfast, a snack or for dessert.
Ingredients
Below are useful notes about some of the ingredients.
- 3 very ripe bananas: Overripe bananas are soft, sweet and perfect for baking! If you have more overripe bananas, make this moist banana and blueberry cake and these Pumpkin Banana Muffins!
- Pistachio paste: I use storebought pistachio paste (also known as pistachio spread) such as Pistakio or Pisti brands. If you have some leftover pistachio paste, try my pistachio donuts!
- Pistachios: Use raw or roasted salted or unsalted pistachios. We’re going to add them to the batter. For extra crunch and pretty decoration, add chopped pistachios to the top before baking! Pistachios add flavor and texture just like they do in this pistachio ricotta cake!
- Almond extract: Almond extract helps the pistachio flavor shine through!
If you’re a big fan of almond flavor, you’ll love this almond streusel coffee cake. - Sugar: We’re adding both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Brown sugar adds flavor and moisture.
- Sour cream: Use full fat, room temperature sour cream.
- Butter: Unsalted, room temperature butter. The amount of salt in butter can vary by brand. I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can make sure my bread isn’t too salty.
- 2 large eggs: Use large, room temperature eggs. Eggs help give this banana bread its tender texture.
- Cardamom: Ground cardamom adds a hint of warm flavor. Cardamom isn’t a stand out flavor, but it adds to the overall deliciousness of this banana bread with pistachios.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Reduce the added salt in recipe by 1/4 teaspoon if you’re using salted butter.
- Add 1/2 cup of toasted chopped pistachios (or almonds or walnuts) to the batter for a little crunch! You can also top the bread with 1-2 tablespoons of chopped pistachios before baking.
- Instead of swirling in the pistachio paste, spread a little on top of your slice before eating.
- You can add in more granulated sugar if you don’t have brown sugar.
- Swap in ground cinnamon in place of cardamom.
How to Make Pistachio Banana Bread
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). In a food processor, grind the pistachios til finely ground.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). Beat the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Mix in the mashed bananas until well combined.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above). Fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and ground pistachios) with a spatula til just combined.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Spread half of the batter in the pan. Drop 1/2 of the pistachio paste over the batter. Swirl the pistachio paste into the batter using a skewer or a butter knife.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Spread the rest of the batter on top. Drop rest of the pistachio paste by the spoonful overtop. Swirl the pistachio paste throughout the batter. Top with chopped pistachios (optional).
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Expert Tips
Mashed bananas don’t need to be completely smooth. Lumps will bake into delicious little bits of bananas!
Be careful not to overmix the batter. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can cause bread to be tough and dense.
Warm the pistachio paste in the microwave for 20 seconds then give it a stir. This will make it easier to drop over the batter.
Place aluminum foil loosely on top of the banana bread halfway through baking if you find the top browning too much.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Pistachios elevate the flavor of banana bread. It also gives it a creamy texture and adds a delicious crunch.
Very overripe bananas are best for banana bread. They are soft and sweet. Their peels should have brown spots on them or the peels can even be black.
You can use raw or roasted pistachios for baking. It’s okay if they are salted or unsalted.
Store banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Enjoy at room temperature or reheat slices in the microwave for 10 seconds.
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Pistachio Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Pistachio paste (such as Pistakio or Pisti brands)
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (156.25 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ¾ cup (92.25 g) ground pistachios 3 ounces, roasted or raw, salted or unsalted
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground cardamom optional
- 1½ cups (225 g) mashed overripe bananas about 3 medium to large bananas
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) light brown sugar packed or swap in equal parts granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1¼ teaspoon (1¼ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) almond extract
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (41 g) pistachio paste (optional) I recommend brands such as Pistakio or Pisti
- 3 tablespoons (22.5 g) chopped pistachios for sprinkling on top before baking, optional, or stir up to 1/2 cup into the batter or
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or coat with baking spray. Line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides.
- Pulse the shelled pistachios in a food processor til finely ground.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, cardamom, baking soda, salt and ground pistachios. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, hand held electric mixer, the tip of a whisk or potato masher. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar for about 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs, one at a time followed by the vanilla and almond extract.
- Mix in the sour cream followed by mashed bananas. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients only until well blended. Do not overmix.
- Microwave the pistachio spread in a small microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds. Stir and set aside.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it evenly with an offset spatula. Drop spoonfuls of half of the pistachio paste (if using) over the batter. Run a butter knife or skewer to run swirls from side to side and top to bottom of the pan.
- Spread the rest of the batter over top. Drop the rest of the pistachio paste by spoonfuls over the top of the batter.
- Run a butter knife or skewer to run swirls from side to side and top to bottom of the pan. Turn the pan and swirl the knife through the batter one more time. Sprinkle chopped pistachios evenly on top (if using).
- Pour into the pan and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a thin bladed knife comes out clean when inserted in the center of the bread. Check on bread while it bakes. Loosely tent bread with aluminum foil if you find the top is browning too quickly.
- Once baked, remove bread from oven and set the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove bread from pan and set on wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
amy
I made this yesterday, and we really enjoyed the flavors.
Moist and a very smooth hint of pistachio.
Unfortunately, I did not read the entire recipe and mixed in the pistachio cream instead of swirling..
Needless to say, I would make this again!
*** the pistachio cream is a lifesaver! I made a pistachio latte !
Thank you for your inspiration!
Natalie Ward
Hi Amy! Thank you so much!!! I am so happy that you enjoyed it and great idea to make a pistachio latte too! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂