Irresistible Zucchini Bread

If you ask me, zucchini bread is one of the best ways to use up those giant zucchini from your garden.

This moist, tender quick bread turns plain zucchini into something sweet and satisfying. The shredded zucchini disappears into the batter, adding moisture without any strong vegetable taste.

It’s made with simple ingredients you probably have on hand – flour, sugar, eggs, and oil. A touch of cinnamon and vanilla give it that homey, comforting flavor that makes your kitchen smell amazing.

It’s the kind of recipe that works for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even dessert. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to get some vegetables into your day.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Any type of zucchini will work great for this bread, but smaller to medium-sized zucchini tend to have fewer seeds and a more tender texture. You don’t need to peel the zucchini – the skin adds nice flecks of color and extra nutrients to your bread. When grating, use the large holes on your box grater for the best texture, and don’t worry about squeezing out the moisture since that liquid actually helps keep your bread moist. If you have a garden full of those giant zucchini that seem to appear overnight, they’ll work too, just remove any large seeds first.

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 nuttier flavor, though the bread will be a bit denser. For gluten-free baking, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
• Granulated sugar: Brown sugar works great here and adds a nice molasses flavor – just use the same amount. You can also reduce the sugar by ¼ cup if you prefer less sweetness.
• Vegetable oil: Melted butter, canola oil, or even applesauce (use ½ cup) can replace the vegetable oil. With applesauce, your bread will be slightly less moist but still tasty.
• Eggs: For each egg, you can use ¼ cup applesauce, mashed banana, or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes).
• Walnuts: Pecans, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries work wonderfully. You can also leave the nuts out completely if you prefer a plain loaf.
• Zucchini: Yellow squash or even finely grated carrots can work in place of zucchini, though the flavor will be slightly different. Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture regardless of what you use.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making zucchini bread is not draining the excess moisture from your grated zucchini, which can lead to a dense, soggy loaf – simply squeeze the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible before adding it to your batter.

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 can look done on the outside while still being raw in the middle, and it typically needs the full baking time.

For even better results, let your bread cool completely in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out, as this prevents it from falling apart and makes slicing much cleaner.

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 breakfast or an afternoon snack. It pairs really well with a hot cup of coffee or tea, making it ideal for those cozy morning moments or when friends stop by. You can also slice it thick and serve it alongside fresh fruit like berries or sliced peaches for a nice contrast to the warm spices. For a more indulgent treat, try it lightly toasted with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Wrap your zucchini bread tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The bread actually gets more moist as it sits, so don’t worry if it seems a little dry on day one. I like to slice it up after it’s completely cooled and keep the slices in a container for easy grabbing.

Freeze: This bread freezes like a dream! Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then pop them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. I love having slices ready to go for quick breakfasts or afternoon snacks.

Thaw: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or if you’re in a hurry, just microwave them for 20-30 seconds. The bread comes back to life beautifully and tastes just as good as fresh. Sometimes I even toast thawed slices with a little butter for an extra treat.

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: 160-180 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-320 g

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pans

Preheat your oven to 350˚F (175˚C).

Grease two 8×4-inch loaf pans or line them with parchment paper to prevent the loaves from sticking.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

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

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

Set this bowl aside for later.

Step 3: Combine 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 thoroughly.

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

Mix everything together until well incorporated.

I like to squeeze out a little excess moisture from the zucchini before adding it, so the bread doesn’t get too dense.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients with Nuts

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

Add the dry ingredient mixture (from Step 2) and the chopped walnuts or pecans to the zucchini and egg mixture (from Step 3).

Gently fold everything together with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain.

Be careful not to overmix to keep the bread tender.

Step 5: Bake the Zucchini Bread

• batter from Step 4
• prepared loaf pans from Step 1

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

Place the pans into the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For extra flavor, I sometimes sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar over the top before baking.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Remove the baked loaves from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes.

Then, carefully remove the loaves from the pans and set them on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.