You know when you have SO much zucchini you start leaving bags of it on neighbors’ porches like a vegetable fairy? That was my entire August. This is what I do with the rest of mine.

Zucchini bread is sneaky. Tastes like cake (!!) but it’s got two cups of vegetables in it, which means a slice at 9am technically counts as breakfast. Warmly spiced, loaded with cinnamon and walnuts, impossibly moist. This is the loaf that disappears the fastest in our house, every single time, and I’m not even mad about it.

How to Prep Zucchini for Bread

Step 1: Wash 2 small zucchini under cool running water, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 2: Slice off both stem ends and grate using the large holes of a box grater. Keep the skin ON for color, texture, and bonus nutrients.

Step 3: Pile the shreds onto a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and squeeze HARD over the sink. Wet zucchini equals dense, gummy bread…. and nobody wants that!

Skip the squeeze and your loaf turns heavy and sad. Do it right and your bread bakes up tender and perfectly moist (the GOOD kind of moist)!

Tips for a Perfectly Moist Loaf

Moist zucchini bread is all about the details. Here’s how to nail it.

SQUEEZE LIGHTLY. Some moisture is your friend! Wring the zucchini in a clean towel, but don’t wring it bone dry. You want damp, not parched.
STOP MIXING when a few streaks of flour remain. Overmixing = tough loaf. Fold gently and walk away.
PULL IT at 50 minutes. Overbaking is the #1 dry-bread culprit. A toothpick with moist crumbs? PERFECT….(seriously, take it out).
LET IT REST 5 minutes in the pan before moving. This locks in moisture and prevents crumbling.
WRAP IT TIGHT once cool. Zucchini bread tastes even BETTER on day two as the flavors settle.

Fun Mix-In Ideas Beyond Walnuts

Dark chocolate chips (1 cup): semi-sweet works, but dark chocolate makes this bread SING
Fresh blueberries (1 cup): coat in a tablespoon of flour so they don’t sink to the bottom (fixes that annoying problem instantly…)
Shredded coconut (1/2 cup): brings chew and a tropical note you didn’t know you needed
Dried cranberries (3/4 cup): the tart bursts cut through all that sweetness
Pumpkin or sunflower seeds (1/2 cup): real CRUNCH without competing with the soft crumb
Orange zest (1 large orange): brightens the entire loaf, takes 30 seconds!
Cinnamon chips (3/4 cup): doubling down on the warm spice thing, because why not?

Mix and match freely, just keep total mix-ins around 1.5 cups so the batter stays in balance. Going overboard means the loaf won’t set properly.

How to Store & Freeze Zucchini Bread

COUNTER STORAGE: Wrap cooled loaves in plastic wrap or foil. Stays fresh at room temp for 3 days max. Beyond that, refrigerate or freeze.
FRIDGE LIFE: Refrigerate well-wrapped loaves for up to 1 week. Keeps the crumb tender (walnuts stay fresh too).
FREEZER MOVE: Slice first (no judgment on portions), wrap each piece in plastic then foil, freeze up to 3 months. Label that bag!
THAW GAME: Counter thawing for 30 minutes works. Microwaving 20 seconds is faster when you can’t wait.

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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: Ready 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: Whisk 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: Blend the Wet Base

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: Fold Batter and 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 Until Golden

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 on a Wire Rack

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.

Irresistible Zucchini Bread