Soft, rich slices of sweet ricotta banana bread made with creamy butter, ripe bananas, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and ricotta cheese makes for one of the all time BEST baked good.

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We’ve now been here a little over two weeks and have more or less moved in. A few boxes remain unpacked and will probably stay that way.

Hiro has learned to ride a bike and Louisa is mastering the art of the jump rope.

She will turn eight years old next week and I feel a great sense of gratitude that we are once again throwing her birthday parties on her home turf.

I know it’s a bit cliché but I remember that cold and foggy San Francisco afternoon when she was born like yesterday and now she strides into eight like nobody’s business.

It makes me not want to celebrate her birthday at all as if that would stop time, but celebrate we will, once again with our friends who have missed the past seven celebrations.

The new house is starting to feel more like home, but baking some banana bread never hurts the effort.

how to make ricotta banana bread

This is such a simple one bowl recipe, it takes 20 minutes max to stir together. Here’s how to make it:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange an oven rack in the middle. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or you can also use a long bread loaf pan like I did which is 13.5 x 5.5 inches.
2. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl then add bananas and mash along with the egg.
3. Mix in the ricotta, sugar, and vanilla then the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dry ingredients are combined.
4. If you’d like to add chocolate chips, stir in anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups of them at this point.
5. Spread batter evenly in the pan and place in the preheated oven.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about an hour.

what’s different about this banana bread recipe with ricotta cheese

I made this ricotta banana bread recipe for the first time a few months ago when I had some ricotta cheese lingering in the refrigerator.

I took my favorite banana bread recipe and adjusted it here and there to make up for the moisture and fat from the cheese.

I love the way the ricotta adds a richness without being overpowering.

The banana flavor still rings true and is prominent but the cheese adds a tenderness and delicate soft texture that makes this bread extra special.

how to freeze ripe bananas for banana bread

This banana and ricotta bread is for brown bananas. The riper they are the more banana flavor there will be.

If I have some bananas that are too ripe to eat sitting on the counter, I will peel them and slice them then lay the slices in a single layer on a large plate or tray and freeze them.

Once frozen, they can be scooped up and placed in a Ziplock until you are ready to bake bread.

I always write how many bananas are in the bag on the outside because I know I’ll never remember.

tips for success

This banana bread with ricotta cheese is best when made with whole milk ricotta.

If all you can find is low-fat or part-skim that’ll work but the flavor won’t be as rich.

Also, I lined the loaf pan with parchment paper which makes it a snap to pull out of the pan, but sliding a knife around the outside and popping it out of an un-lined pan works well too.

Just make sure to grease the pan well with baking spray first, especially if you aren’t going to use parchment paper.

This banana bread toasted the next day, smeared with melty butter and a tall glass of frosty Mexican green juice is a perfect breakfast.

variations

Does ricotta chocolate banana bread also sound good? If you are a nut or chocolate fan, here’s how to make this Ricotta Banana Bread with a few different additions. Add 1 cup of any of the following:

• Chopped toasted walnuts
• Chocolate Chips
• Chopped toasted pecans
• Chopped bittersweet chocolate

wanna spend the weekend baking?

Because, I do! I really can’t think of a better way to relax. Here are some of my favorite joy-inducing sweet treats:

• Polvorones Cookies
• The Ultimate Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Key Lime Pie with Sour Cream Topping
• Meyer Lemon Tres Leches Strawberry Shortcake
• Molasses Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Coffee Bean Cookies
• Pineapple and Pecan Capirotada

this is one of my most loved recipes! here’s what you’re saying:

“@holajalapeno I’ve made this twice now!” – Rachel

“Made this, it was great. Excellent recipe!” -Layla

“It turned out delicious.” -Hana

clean up tips

Need help with the clean up? Check out these 6 Kitchen Cleaning Hacks that really work, and take less than 5 minutes.

bored at home? bake some banana bread!

When you do please let me know by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) !

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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