Walnut Zucchini Bread

Finding a good use for all that zucchini from your garden can feel like an impossible task. After all, there’s only so much zucchini you can grill or toss into salads before your family starts giving you those looks, and things get even trickier when you have bags of the stuff piling up on your kitchen counter.

Thankfully, this zucchini bread solves that problem perfectly: it’s moist and flavorful, easy to make with basic ingredients, and a great way to sneak some vegetables into a treat that everyone will actually want to eat.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Any fresh zucchini will work great for this bread, but smaller to medium-sized zucchini tend to have fewer seeds and more tender flesh. You don’t need to peel the zucchini – just give it a good wash and grate it with the skin on, which actually adds nice flecks of green color to your bread. If you’re using larger zucchini, you might want to scoop out some of the seeds if they’re really big and watery. After grating, there’s no need to squeeze out the moisture like some recipes suggest – that liquid actually helps keep your bread moist and tender.

Options for Substitutions

This zucchini bread recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• All-purpose flour: You can substitute up to half the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture, though the bread will be a bit denser. For gluten-free options, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
• Granulated sugar: Brown sugar works great and adds a nice molasses flavor – use the same amount. You can also reduce the sugar to 1 ¼ cups if you prefer less sweetness.
• Vegetable oil: Melted butter, coconut oil, or even applesauce can replace the oil. If using applesauce, use ½ cup and expect a slightly more dense, moist bread.
• Eggs: For each egg, you can substitute ¼ cup applesauce, mashed banana, or use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg).
• Walnuts or pecans: Feel free to swap with any nuts you like – almonds, hazelnuts, or even chocolate chips work well. You can also leave them out completely if you prefer nut-free bread.
• Zucchini: Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the grated zucchini with a clean kitchen towel. Yellow squash can work as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making zucchini bread is not draining the grated zucchini properly, which can lead to a dense, soggy loaf – after grating, let the zucchini sit in a colander for 10-15 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, so stir just until the ingredients are combined to keep your bread tender rather than tough.

Don’t skip testing for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center – zucchini bread often looks done on the outside while still being wet inside, and it typically needs the full baking time.

For extra flavor, try toasting your nuts lightly before adding them to the batter, and remember that room temperature eggs mix more easily than cold ones straight from the fridge.

What to Serve With Zucchini Bread?

Zucchini bread is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with a pat of butter or a smear of cream cheese for extra richness. It makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea – the warm spices really complement both drinks. You can also toast slices and serve them with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for a special weekend breakfast treat. For something a bit more indulgent, try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a simple dessert that feels fancy but takes zero effort.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Zucchini bread actually gets better after a day or two! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The moisture from the zucchini keeps it nice and tender, so don’t worry about it drying out quickly.

Freeze: This bread freezes like a dream for up to 3 months. You can freeze the whole loaf wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, or slice it first and freeze individual pieces with parchment paper between them. I love having slices ready to grab for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Thaw: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or pop them in the toaster straight from the freezer for a warm treat. If you froze a whole loaf, just leave it on the counter for a few hours until it’s completely thawed through.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	50-60 minutes
Total Time	65-80 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 140-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-320 g

Ingredients

For the dry mix:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

For the batter:

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Loaf Pans

Preheat your oven to 350˚F (175˚C).

Grease two 8×4-inch loaf pans thoroughly to prevent sticking, or line them with parchment paper for easier removal.

This step ensures your zucchini bread will come out of the pans easily once baked.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until everything is well combined.

Whisking helps to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices, ensuring a uniform flavor and texture throughout your bread.

Step 3: Prepare the Wet Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until well mixed.

Add the shredded zucchini, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the eggs.

Stir everything together until the mixture is well combined.

I always make sure to squeeze out any excess moisture from the zucchini before mixing it in—this helps prevent a soggy loaf.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures with Nuts

• dry ingredients from Step 2
• wet ingredients from Step 3
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Add the dry ingredients from Step 2 and the chopped walnuts or pecans to the zucchini mixture from Step 3.

Gently stir everything together just until combined; be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bread dense rather than tender.

Step 5: Bake the Zucchini Bread

• batter from Step 4

Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans from Step 1.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

If the tops of the loaves start to brown too quickly, you can tent them lightly with aluminum foil for the last part of baking.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Once baked, let the loaves cool in the pans for 5 minutes.

Then, remove them from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

I like to give the bread plenty of time to cool to help the texture set and make slicing easier.