Moist, fragrant banana bread studded with crunchy walnuts — perfect for using up overripe bananas. Takes about 1 hour 15 minutes total (15 min prep, 60 min baking). Great for beginners and makes your kitchen smell amazing!
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, then dust lightly with flour (tap out excess). This prevents sticking.
Peel your overripe bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. You should have about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
Add the melted butter to the mashed bananas and stir to combine. Then mix in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until well blended and smooth.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures the leavening is evenly distributed throughout your bread.
Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula just until the flour disappears — don't overmix! A few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing makes tough bread.
Add the chopped walnuts to the batter and gently fold them in until evenly distributed throughout. Reserve a small handful if you want to sprinkle some on top.
Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle reserved walnuts on top for a nice presentation.
Place the pan in the center of your preheated oven and bake for 60-65 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This helps it set and makes it easier to remove.
Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread. Turn the pan upside down and gently tap to release the loaf onto the cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing (about 30 minutes) for the cleanest slices.
Once completely cool, use a serrated knife to slice the bread into thick slices. Serve as is, or toast slices and spread with butter. Store leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.