Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (2024)

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Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (1)

Cheryl MalikPosted: 05/06/21Updated: 05/26/23

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This vegan banana pudding is a sweet, creamy, dairy-free take on a classic Southern treat. Vegan vanilla pudding layered with bananas and vegan vanilla cookies, with a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping to round it off. Dress it up in individual servings or make a big bowl for yourself.

Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (2)

🍌 What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • This homemade, Southern-style vegan banana pudding is so simple to make, and you don’t need any instant pudding packets to do it!
  • It’s a fantastic make-ahead dessert option. The pudding needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to set up, but you can make it as many as 3 days before you need it!
  • This can be a beautiful, elegant, neatly-layered dessert, or it can be a fun, casual, eat-it-straight-out-of-the-bowl dessert. It’s up to you! Trust me, it’s delicious either way.

Key Ingredients

Whipped Topping – Any kind of store-bought dairy-free whipped topping will work here! I used a container of Cocowhip I found in the freezer section at my grocery store. Alternately, you can chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, then use the thick coconut cream that forms on top as your whipped topping.

Maple Syrup – This is my sweetener of choice for vegan pudding, but you can use any liquid or granulated sweetener you like! For a vegan sugar-free sweetener, try erythritol.

Bananas – Since this is a Southern-style vegan banana pudding, the pudding itself isn’t banana-flavored – it’s vanilla! That’s why fresh bananas are super important. Without them you’ve just got vegan vanilla pudding. Use bananas that aren’t overripe. You don’t want them to be mushy!

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

  • Instead of serving this pudding layered like a trifle, you can make it a chilled vegan banana pudding pie! Take a vegan pie crust, layer slices of bananas on the bottom, then top it off with the banana pudding.
  • Wait until you’re ready to assemble your pudding layers before you peel and slice the bananas. They’ll start to brown when they’re exposed to air, so slicing them too early will affect the texture and the presentation.
  • Traditional Southern-style banana pudding is made with Nilla wafers. If you have trouble finding vegan vanilla wafers, though, use any vegan vanilla cookies you like. You can also make this with vegan graham crackers instead.
Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (3)

🌱 Other Vegan Recipes You Should Try

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For more delicious, nutritious recipes, head over to our sister site, 40 Aprons.

Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (4)

4.50 from 2 votes

Vegan Banana Pudding

Prep:10 minutes minutes

Cook:30 minutes minutes

Chill:3 hours hours

Total:3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

This vegan banana pudding is a sweet, creamy, dairy-free take on a classic Southern treat. Vegan pudding layered with bananas and vegan vanilla cookies, with a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping to round it off.

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8 servings

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch turmeric optional, for color
  • 1 9-ounce container vegan whipped topping divided, see Notes
  • 4-5 medium bananas peeled, sliced into discs
  • vegan vanilla cookies to taste

Equipment

  • 2 small bowls

  • whisk

  • Small saucepan

  • Refrigerator

  • Serving dishes

Instructions

  • In small bowl, whisk together almond milk and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

    Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (5)

  • In small saucepan, heat coconut milk over medium heat. When hot, slowly whisk in almond milk/cornstarch mixture.

  • Simmer until thickened, approximately 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (6)

  • Stir in vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. If adding turmeric for color, stir in here.

  • Transfer mixture to bowl and let cool at room temperature 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover bowl and move it to refrigerator. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until set and thickened.

  • Remove pudding from refrigerator. Stir in 1 cup of vegan whipped topping. Combine thoroughly.

    Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (7)

  • In dish(es) of choice, layer wafers, then bananas, then pudding. Repeat layers as needed. Top with remaining whipped topping and serve.

Notes

  • Whipped Topping: I used So Delicious Dairy Free Original Cocowhip.
  • Cookies: If you have trouble finding vegan vanilla wafers, you can use any vegan vanilla cookies you like. You can also make this with vegan graham crackers instead.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 283kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0g | Total Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Net Carbs: 34g | Vitamin C: 6mg | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 352mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed,notincluding any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (8)

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  1. Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (9)Cassie says

    Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (10)
    Very good! I think next time I would let it sit over night. Otherwise very easy to make and delicious

    Reply

    • Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (11)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So glad you enjoyed it, Cassie!

      Reply

  2. Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (12)Rosa says

    Hello, on the coconut cream do I use all of it or am I skimming the top layer off and throw away the water?

    Reply

    • Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (13)Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      Hi! This recipe doesn’t use coconut cream – you’ll need a can of coconut milk, and yes, you’ll use the entire can. It’s heated on the stovetop in step 2.

      Reply

  3. Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (14)kennedy says

    hi, can i remove the whipped topping ? i temporarily live in a foreign country and can’t find that ingredient. i’m actually making it now and will try withou for.. maybe add xanthan gum for thickening. let me know, thanks !!

    Reply

    • Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (15)Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      Of course! If you’re able to find coconut cream (or coconut milk) you could whip the coconut cream with a hand mixer (or handheld whisk) for a quick dairy-free whipped cream.

      Reply

  4. Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (16)Savannah says

    This looks so good! Do you think I could substitute oat milk for the almond milk?

    Reply

    • Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (17)Anna Claire | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (18)
      Sure thing!

      Reply

Vegan Banana Pudding (Southern Style) - Easy Healthy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is banana pudding a southern thing? ›

It's no secret that Southerners love banana pudding, but bananas hail from the tropics, and the first mention of the layered dessert came not from the South but from the New York Times in 1878, according to food historian Robert Moss for Serious Eats.

Can you eat banana pudding the same day? ›

***The reason the recipe says to serve within 8 hours is that the bananas will turn brown as they oxidize. There are a couple of things you can do to make not brown as fast: 1) Squeeze a half lemon (juice) over the cut bananas. 2) Try to keep them airtight.

How long will lemon juice keep bananas from turning brown? ›

However, if you sprinkle them with a little lemon juice, it lowers the pH levels and will keep browning at bay. Following the lemon trick, put them in the fridge, either wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight food storage container or bag. Stored this way, sliced bananas can stay fresh for three to four days.

Does pineapple juice keep bananas from turning brown? ›

Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

What country invented banana pudding? ›

United States

What can you put on bananas to keep them from turning black in banana pudding? ›

While lemon juice is possibly the most commonly used ingredient to slow the browning of bananas, other acidic juices work well too. Consider using another citrus fruit juice like orange, or try pineapple juice instead.

How do you know banana pudding has gone bad? ›

At the end of the third day, you may notice changes in color, but it's all good till now and ready to be eaten. But storing it for more days is no good; the desert will get watery, and you won't enjoy eating it.

Should you refrigerate banana pudding? ›

Spoon the whipped cream over the cooled pudding and spread to cover completely. Top with any remaining soaked cookies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Should banana pudding be served warm or cold? ›

What Is the Best Way to Serve Banana Pudding? This dessert is up to personal preference and can be served warm or cool. Keep in mind that the pudding with thicken as it cools, so serving it warm will result in a softer dessert, and serving it chilled will result in a thicker consistency.

How do you keep bananas from turning dark in banana cream pie? ›

Lemon Juice: Toss the sliced bananas in a mixture of lemon juice and water. The citric acid in the lemon juice will help to slow down the oxidation process and keep the bananas from turning brown. Vinegar: Dip the sliced bananas in a mixture of water and vinegar.

How to stop bananas from turning brown once cut? ›

To prevent your banana slices from browning, you can use the same trick you've seen for apples: acid! Just toss your banana slices in some lemon juice to inhibit enzymatic browning. Full coverage, particularly on the cut sides, will help prevent the slices from turning brown.

What keeps the banana from browning too much? ›

As with apple slices, adding lemon or lime juice to peeled bananas can help preserve their freshness. Basically, the citrus slows down the oxidation process. You can also use lime orange juice or pineapple juice. If you've already sliced the banana, toss it with a teaspoon or two of citrus juice.

What powder keeps bananas from turning brown? ›

Sprinkle citric acid over the slices to preserve freshness.

These powders are specifically designed to keep your sliced banana from turning brown.

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