Simple Whole Wheat Banana Zucchini Bread

I’m always looking for ways to use up those bananas sitting on my counter and the zucchini taking over my fridge. This bread does both at once, which makes me feel like a kitchen genius. Plus, it’s made with whole wheat flour, so I can pretend it’s healthy while my kids devour it for breakfast.

The best part? You can mix this up in one bowl without pulling out your mixer. Just mash, stir, and pour. I’ve been making this recipe for years because it’s simple and never fails me. The cinnamon and nutmeg make the house smell amazing while it bakes.

Want it sweeter? Add chocolate chips. Prefer it plain? Skip the walnuts. This bread works however you want it to, and it stays moist for days thanks to the banana and zucchini combo.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Any fresh zucchini from your garden or grocery store will work great in this bread. Medium-sized zucchini are ideal because they’re easier to grate and tend to have fewer seeds than the really large ones, which can sometimes make your bread a bit watery. You don’t need to peel the zucchini before grating – the skin is thin and adds a little extra nutrition and color to your bread. The most important step is making sure you squeeze out the excess moisture after grating, so grab that grated zucchini in your hands and give it a good squeeze over the sink until it stops dripping.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make based on what you have in your pantry:

• Ivory Wheat flour: If you don’t have Ivory Wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour works fine. You can also use all-purpose flour for a lighter texture, or try a 50/50 mix of whole wheat and all-purpose for something in between.
• Honey: Maple syrup or agave nectar are great alternatives to honey and can be swapped in equal amounts. You could also use 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, though the bread will be slightly less moist.
• Greek yogurt: Sour cream, regular yogurt, or even applesauce can replace Greek yogurt. If using applesauce, you might want to reduce the milk slightly since it’s thinner.
• Milk: Any milk works here – dairy, almond, oat, soy – whatever you prefer or have on hand.
• Zucchini: In a pinch, you can use all banana (about 3 medium bananas total) instead of zucchini. The bread will be denser and sweeter, but still tasty.
• Bananas: Make sure your bananas are ripe with brown spots – they need to be sweet and easy to mash. Underripe bananas won’t give you the same flavor or moisture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making zucchini bread is skipping the step of squeezing out excess moisture from the grated zucchini, which can leave you with a dense, wet loaf that never fully cooks through – use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to squeeze it as dry as possible.

Overmixing the batter once you combine the wet and dry ingredients will develop too much gluten and result in a tough, chewy texture, so stir just until the flour disappears and you still see a few small lumps.

Since this recipe uses honey instead of sugar and includes moist ingredients like banana and zucchini, start checking for doneness at 45 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Finally, resist the urge to slice into the bread right away, as letting it cool completely helps it firm up and makes slicing much cleaner and easier.

What to Serve With Banana Zucchini Bread?

This bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and I love serving it with a smear of butter or cream cheese while it’s still slightly warm. A cup of coffee or hot tea makes it even better, especially on a lazy weekend morning. You can also toast a slice and top it with almond butter and sliced bananas for a more filling breakfast, or keep it simple with just a drizzle of honey. If you’re packing it for a lunch box or picnic, it pairs nicely with fresh fruit like apple slices or berries.

Storage Instructions

Store: This banana zucchini bread stays moist for days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It’ll keep for about 3-4 days on the counter, or up to a week in the fridge if you want it to last longer.

Freeze: I love freezing slices of this bread for quick breakfasts or snacks. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months, and you can grab just one slice whenever you need it.

Thaw: Let frozen slices sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. You can also toast slices straight from the freezer for a warm, slightly crispy treat with a smear of butter or peanut butter.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 950-1100
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 7-10 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour (I always use King Arthur white whole wheat for a lighter texture)
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

For the wet ingredients:

• 2 bananas (mashed until smooth with few lumps)
• 1/2 cup honey (I prefer Nature Nate’s raw honey for better sweetness)
• 1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup zucchini (shredded and squeezed dry in a kitchen towel to prevent sogginess)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients and Preheat Oven

• 3/4 cup zucchini
• 2 bananas

Preheat your oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center.

While the oven heats, prepare your ingredients: shred the zucchini and squeeze it thoroughly in a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture—this prevents the bread from becoming dense and soggy.

Mash the bananas in a bowl until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining; this texture creates a more tender crumb than fully pureed bananas.

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or similar size and set aside.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

Whisking these dry ingredients together ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter, which gives you consistent rise and flavor in every slice.

Set this mixture aside.

Step 3: Build the Wet Ingredients

• mashed bananas from Step 1
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla

To the bowl with mashed bananas, add the honey, room-temperature egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.

Whisk this mixture together until well combined and smooth.

I find that using room-temperature eggs helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter without creating lumps, which makes for a better texture.

The yogurt and milk add moisture while the egg acts as a binder to hold everything together.

Step 4: Fold in Zucchini and Combine Wet and Dry

• squeezed zucchini from Step 1
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 3
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Add the squeezed zucchini to the wet ingredient mixture and stir to distribute evenly.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and fold together gently using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—do not overmix, as this can develop gluten and create a tough, dense bread.

A few small streaks of flour are okay; stop folding as soon as you don’t see dry patches.

Fold in the chopped walnuts last.

Step 5: Bake the Bread

• batter from Step 4

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

I like to check at 45 minutes first since ovens vary—every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking earlier rather than later to avoid overbaking.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This resting time in the pan allows the bread to set up enough to release cleanly from the pan, while cooling on a rack prevents the bottom from getting soggy from trapped steam.

Simple Whole Wheat Banana Zucchini Bread

Delicious Simple Whole Wheat Banana Zucchini Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 1025

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dry ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour (I always use King Arthur white whole wheat for a lighter texture)
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

For the wet ingredients

• 2 bananas (mashed until smooth with few lumps)
• 1/2 cup honey (I prefer Nature Nate's raw honey for better sweetness)
• 1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup zucchini (shredded and squeezed dry in a kitchen towel to prevent sogginess)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center. While the oven heats, prepare your ingredients: shred the zucchini and squeeze it thoroughly in a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture—this prevents the bread from becoming dense and soggy. Mash the bananas in a bowl until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining; this texture creates a more tender crumb than fully pureed bananas. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or similar size and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisking these dry ingredients together ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter, which gives you consistent rise and flavor in every slice. Set this mixture aside.
3. To the bowl with mashed bananas, add the honey, room-temperature egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Whisk this mixture together until well combined and smooth. I find that using room-temperature eggs helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter without creating lumps, which makes for a better texture. The yogurt and milk add moisture while the egg acts as a binder to hold everything together.
4. Add the squeezed zucchini to the wet ingredient mixture and stir to distribute evenly. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and fold together gently using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—do not overmix, as this can develop gluten and create a tough, dense bread. A few small streaks of flour are okay; stop folding as soon as you don't see dry patches. Fold in the chopped walnuts last.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). I like to check at 45 minutes first since ovens vary—every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking earlier rather than later to avoid overbaking.
6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time in the pan allows the bread to set up enough to release cleanly from the pan, while cooling on a rack prevents the bottom from getting soggy from trapped steam.