Making granola at home is so much easier than it may seem! Plus, this banana buckwheat granola gives you another way to use up those SUPER ripe bananas (that’s not bread).

Making homemade granola for the first time about 6 years ago was a revelation, for me. So, so easy, and really, you can make it with whatever you have in your pantry, most of the time! And while many granola recipes call for oats, I’ve found that buckwheat is my favorite base grain.

I’ve had people ask me in the past if the buckwheat ends up as crunchy in the end product as it is when eaten raw, and I’d say no. It softens a tad from the binding mixture, but stays firm enough for a nice crunchiness that many grains don’t offer.

Of course, a lot of the other ingredients here can be switched out with whatever seeds or sweeteners that you have on hand, so let’s get to those substitutions and tips!

Ingredient Substitutions + Tips

• Overripe banana – Make sure to use a REALLY ripe banana for this granola, as it imparts the best flavor and helps rely less on the agave nectar to sweeten the mixture.
• Almond butter – If you have a nut allergy, you can use sunflower butter in place of the almond butter. No nut allergy? Peanut butter also works great!
• Agave nectar – basically any similar liquid sweetener will work here, ie. maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc.
• Raw buckwheat groats – as mentioned before, these are my favorite texture-wise in granola, but if you can’t find them near you, rolled oats will also work. BUT, you will have to extend the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes, to get a better texture.
• Raw pepitas – raw sunflower seeds will also work here, or any whole, raw seed. I don’t suggest toasted seeds as they may burn.
• Quick cooking oats – for a completely gluten-free version you can use quinoa flakes (found in most natural foods stores).
• Diced dates – I love the caramel-like flavor these bring to this recipe, but you can use pretty much any other dried fruit in place of them, like raisins, dried cranberries, or diced dried apples.
• Ground flaxseed – chia seeds will also work, as this is for binding.

Granola Serving Suggestions

While you can eat this granola on its own, as a snack – I do it all the time – but I thought I’d share some other ideas in case you’re in need! My favorite way to enjoy granola is on top of plain, non-dairy yogurt, with chopped fresh fruit (or fresh berries) and a drizzle of agave or maple syrup.

Other delightful ways are over Tangerine Chia Pudding, or on top of a Chocolate Sesame Smoothie or PB&J Oatmeal! Otherwise, it does make a good snack for a meal plan.