Wholesome, vibrant, and delicious—these vegan banana spinach muffins are an easy way to pack in nutrients with simple ingredients. Blend, mix, and bake for a healthy treat that’s perfect any time of day!
Just made these for the first time today... they are excellent! I used only ¼ cup sugar (brown granulated sugar) and did not add vanilla. So far my 18 month old is loving them! Thank you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Mona
I use bananas all the time, especially for smoothies like my go-to banana spinach smoothie. When they get overripe, I love turning them into all kinds of baking recipes using banana—from muffins to quick breads.
This time, I had overripe bananas and a big bag of baby spinach but wanted something other than my usual smoothie. When I found a recipe for banana spinach muffins, I was intrigued. I had baked spinach chocolate cupcakes before, but chocolate masks everything—this was different. With nothing to hide the spinach, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I love experimenting with baking, so I had to try it!
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Why You'll Love These Banana Spinach Muffins?
Wholesome and Nutritious – Made with whole wheat pastry flour, oats, flaxseed, and spinach, these muffins are packed with fiber and nutrients. The ripe bananas add natural sweetness and flavor, making them both healthy and delicious.
Light, Fluffy, and Moist – Despite the wholesome ingredients, these muffins have a soft texture and a great rise, thanks to baking powder, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar. The bananas also keep them moist.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Every ingredient in these banana spinach muffins plays a vital role in making them wholesome, flavorful, and perfectly textured. If you need substitutions, there are plenty of easy swaps to suit your preferences or dietary needs!
- Oats, Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, Flaxseed Meal – These ingredients add fiber, nutrients, and a wholesome texture to the muffins. The total 2 ¼ cups of these can be substituted with any flour of your choice, including all-purpose flour or a gluten-free baking mix. I haven’t tested this recipe with other gluten-free flours, so I can’t say how they would work.
- Coconut Palm Sugar – A less refined sweetener with a lower glycemic index, making it a great alternative to regular sugar. You can swap it with brown sugar or granulated white sugar.
- Baby Spinach – Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, spinach adds nutrients without affecting the flavor of the muffins.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – Used to keep the recipe vegan. You can use any milk of your choice, including dairy milk if you don’t need these muffins to be vegan. If baking for someone with nut allergies, be sure to choose a nut-free milk alternative.
- Bananas – The riper, the sweeter! Overripe bananas not only add natural sweetness, allowing for less added sugar, but also help keep the muffins moist.
- Avocado Oil – I like using avocado oil for its high smoke point and neutral taste, and I stock up when it’s on sale. Any neutral oil, such as sunflower oil, works just as well.
- Vinegar – One of the best egg substitutes in eggless baking, vinegar reacts with baking soda to create a light, airy texture. White vinegar works fine, or you can use lemon juice—just double the amount.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are the step-by-step procedure to make yummy vegan banana spinach muffins.
Step 1. Powder oats to make flour.
Step 2. Add all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3. Mix dry ingredients well.
Step 4. Blend spinach and milk together.
Step 5. Add banana, vanilla, and vinegar and blend them until smooth.
Step 6. The banana spinach wet mixture is ready.
Step 7. Pour wet mix into dry mix and mix them well. Do not overmix.
Step 8. The vegan spinach banana muffin batter is ready for baking. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease or line a muffin tin.
Step 9. Fill each well in your muffin tin with ⅓rd cup of batter. Bake for about 13-15 minutes.
Step 10. Reduce the oven to 375F and bake it for another 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.
Recipe Tip
How to Get Bakery-Style Domed Muffins?
Muffins are usually baked at 350°F (175°C) for about 22-25 minutes, but if you want that beautiful, bakery-style dome, a little trick makes all the difference. Start by baking at 400°F (200°C) for the first 13-15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The initial high heat helps the muffins rise quickly, creating that perfect domed top!
This timing works for regular-sized muffins. If you're making mini muffins, you can still follow this two-temperature method, but the baking times will be much shorter. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbaking!
How to Store Vegan Banana Spinach Muffins
To keep your muffins fresh and maintain their texture, follow these simple storage tips:
- At Room Temperature – Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Placing a paper towel at the bottom of the container helps absorb excess moisture.
- In the Refrigerator – Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring them to room temperature or warm them slightly before eating for the best texture.
- In the Freezer – For the best results, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap before placing them in a sealed bag or container. This prevents freezer burn and keeps them fresh for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Recipe FAQs
Not at all! The ripe bananas provide natural sweetness and a mild flavor that balances out the spinach. Once blended and baked, the spinach mostly adds color and nutrients without an overpowering taste.
I have only made these muffins with fresh baby spinach, as it blends smoothly with the wet ingredients for a seamless texture. If using frozen spinach, you would need to thaw it completely and squeeze out excess moisture to avoid making the batter too wet. Since frozen spinach has a more concentrated flavor, the taste might be slightly stronger, but I haven’t tested it myself.
In my opinion blending alone gives a smooth wet mix. While bananas can be easily mashed by hand, finely chopping spinach or using a food processor won’t yield the best taste and texture. The muffins may turn out slightly grainy, and bits of spinach might be noticeable. A high-speed blender is the best option for an even, well-incorporated.
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Recipe
Vegan Banana Spinach Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Flour Mix:
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Mix Ingredients:
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 count large bananas ripened, approx. 1.25 cups mashed
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Grease or line a muffin tin.
- In a blender (I used my Vitamix) powder 1 cup of oats to the texture of flour and add it to a bowl with rest of the dry ingredients (from whole wheat pastry flour to salt), and set aside.
- Blend together the almond milk and spinach until creamy and smooth.
- Add bananas, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients to dry mixture and stir to combine. Do not overmix.
- Fill each well in your muffin tin with ⅓rd cup of batter. Bake for about 13-15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375F and bake it for another 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.
My Notes
- I came across a few banana spinach muffin recipes that used only oats instead of flour, but without eggs, I wasn’t sure how the texture would turn out. To prevent the muffins from becoming too dense or resembling baked oatmeal, I added whole wheat pastry flour for a better structure.
- If you prefer sweeter muffins, increase the sugar to at least ¾ cup. Our family prefers milder sweetness, so ½ cup was enough for us. If I were baking these for friends, I would definitely add more sugar for a sweeter taste.
Carrol Lindsay says
I just found your web page by accident, well maybe by no accident at all. I want to make a vegan pumpkin pie and the receipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour Yesterday I looked at several store only to find no one sells it. So this morning I google is substitute for wow and there is which brought me to your blog. I see you list several recipe which I would love to me. In fact the spinach pumpkin muffin I am making for my church Thanksgiving Dinner with a pumpkin white bean soup. I will share a picture of my foods. I want to join your blog. Just next door to my apt is a new Ethnic shop that sell red lentils and other food items I have not heard of before. The lady is very friendly and always wearing a beautiful . Thanks for listening.
Madhuram says
Hi Carol, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. It's interesting to know how cooking/baking connects so many people from different walks of life. I would be thrilled to see the pictures of the things you bake. Join my Facebook page to stay up to date about recipes I post in the blog. http://www.facebook.com/egglesscooking
Mona says
Just made these for the first time today... they are excellent! I used only 1/4 cup sugar (brown granulated sugar) and did not add vanilla. So far my 18month old is loving them! Thank you!
Madhuram says
Wow! Thank you very much for trying the recipe, Mona.
Alex H says
These turned out great! Thank youu!
Madhuram says
You're welcome, Alex.
Santosh says
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