Fluffy Sesame Banana Bread with Tahini

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This Sesame Banana Bread is moist and fluffy with a nutty flavor from tahini, and great texture from toasted black and white sesame seeds.

Straight on view of a loaf of sliced banana bread on a cutting board with a knife and dish towel and a jar of honey in the background.

Why You Should Try This Banana Bread

If you love banana bread but want to try something unique, this sesame banana bread is the way to go. Tahini provides moisture and a subtle nutty flavor to the bread. The sesame seeds run throughout, as well as, on top of the bread, giving a crispy, crunchy texture.

My inspiration for this recipe was Bon Appetit’s Sesame Banana Bread. I found their version a bit too sweet, so I drastically cut back on the amount of brown sugar. I also use sour cream in my version for moisture and tanginess to further balance out the sweetness. The result is a moist and fluffy banana bread, which one of my fiancé’s friends proclaimed was the “best banana bread” he ever had (thanks, Eric :)).

Ingredient Notes

Bananas- As you likely already know, it’s important that the bananas you use for banana bread are very ripe. The skin should definitely have some black spots on it for the best results.
Sesame seeds- You can use either black or white sesame seeds or a combination of both.
Tahini- I prefer to use tahini (white sesame seed paste) for this recipe, but almond butter may also work well.
Sour cream- If you don’t want to use sour cream, plain, full fat, Greek yogurt is a good substitute.

Banana Bread Ingredients including bananas, black and white sesame seeds, tahini, flour, brown sugar and eggs.

Recipe Steps

To start, grease, flour and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan (1). Then, toast a portion of the sesame seeds in a pan over the stove until the white seeds turn golden (2). Next, whisk together the dry ingredients (3). Then whisk together the eggs and brown sugar thoroughly (4).

Banana bread steads including prepping the pan, toasting sesame seeds and combining dry ingredients.

Whisk in the oil, vanilla and sour cream into the eggs and sugar (5). Next, combine the wet and dry ingredients, and fold in the toasted sesame seeds (6). Then, transfer the batter to your prepared pan and top with untoasted sesame seeds (7). Bake on the center rack of the oven at 350F for approximately 45-55 minutes (8).

To serve, I love to spread the bread with softened butter, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of flakey salt. Maple syrup works great too!

Banana bread steps including combining the wet and dry ingredients and baking the loaf.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. The sour cream and eggs will blend much more smoothly with all of the other ingredients if they sit at room temperature for a few hours before baking. To speed the process, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. You can warm the sour cream on a very low power setting in the microwave for a few seconds.
Do not substitute white sugar for brown sugar. Either light or dark brown sugar work well in this recipe, but you cannot use white sugar instead. Brown sugar is an acidic ingredient. The brown sugar and sour cream both react with the baking soda to help leaven the bread. Using white sugar would not yield as moist and fluffy of an end result.

Is banana bread a type of bread?

Banana bread is referred to as a quick bread. It’s leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda, rather than yeast. The composition of the batter is similar to that of a muffin.

What do you eat with banana bread?

Banana bread is good to eat on it’s on. You can also spread a slice with butter and add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup on top.

Should you refrigerate banana bread?

After slicing into the banana bread, you can store it in an airtight container and leave it on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you get bananas to ripen quickly?

In order to make bananas ripen more quickly, place them in a brown bag and seal it shut. The carbon dioxide will build up in this enclosed environment, causing the bananas to ripen more quickly.

Angled view of a loaf of banana bread on a cutting board with a slice in front of it topped with butter and honey on a light surface.

If you make this recipe, please post a comment and rating down below. If you want to be notified every time I post a new recipe, subscribe to my blog and give me a follow on my social accounts: instagram, pinterest, twitter, youtube. See you next time!