Banana Bread with Cottage Cheese

This banana bread with cottage cheese has ripe bananas, toasted pecans, and a tender texture that stays that way for days. The cottage cheese is my favorite part of the recipe, and you'd never know it was in there.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword banana bread with cottage cheese, banana bread with pecans, banana bread without butter, banana bread without oil, cottage cheese banana bread, easy banana bread recipe, full-fat cottage cheese, homemade banana bread, moist banana bread, quick bread recipe, ripe banana bread, toasted pecans

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Total Time 55

Servings slices

Calories 260kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

8½ x 4½-inch (21.6 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan For baking the banana bread.
mixing bowls (large and medium).One for the banana mixture and one for the dry ingredients.
whisk For combining the dry ingredients.
rubber spatula For folding the batter without overmixing.
parchment paper Makes removing the loaf from the pan easier.
cooling rack Allows air to circulate around the loaf as it cools.
instant-read thermometer For checking the internal temperature of the banana bread.

Ingredients

3 large ripe bananas mashed
2 large eggs
½ cup (113 g) full-fat small curd cottage cheese
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) table salt
½ cup (55 g) chopped toasted pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8½ x 4½-inch (21.6 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan with butter and line it with a strip of parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on both sides to lift the banana bread out after baking.
Mash the ripe bananas thoroughly with a fork in a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, and vanilla extract, stirring until well combined.
3 large ripe bananas, 2 large eggs, ½ cup (113 g) full-fat small curd cottage cheese, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt in a separate large mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped, toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
1¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt, ½ cup (55 g) chopped toasted pecans
Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing, which can make the banana bread dense and tough.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 45–50 minutes, checking for doneness around 45 minutes since oven temperatures vary. The top should be deeply golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 200–205°F (93–96°C). Alternatively, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few damp crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns too quickly before the center finishes baking, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf out of the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

If using frozen bananas, thaw them completely and drain the excess liquid before mashing and measuring.
I prefer Good Culture full-fat cottage cheese for its flavor, but any full-fat small-curd cottage cheese works. There's no need to blend it before adding it to the batter.
Toast the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Allow them to cool before adding them to the dry ingredients.
For muffins, divide the batter among lined muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 18–22 minutes, checking the centers for doneness.
Store the cooled banana bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. For longer storage, wrap individual slices and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition