Tangy Lemon Zucchini Bread with Greek Yogurt

If you ask me, lemon zucchini bread is one of the best ways to use up summer squash.

This tender quick bread brings together bright lemon flavor and shredded zucchini in a loaf that works for breakfast or dessert. The Greek yogurt keeps everything moist while the citrus adds a refreshing zing.

It’s finished with a simple lemon glaze that soaks into the top and adds extra sweetness. The zucchini practically disappears into the batter, so even picky eaters won’t complain.

It’s a go-to recipe when your garden is overflowing with zucchini and you need something different from the usual muffins.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For this bread, you’ll want to use a medium to large zucchini that’s firm and free of soft spots. Smaller zucchinis tend to be more tender and have fewer seeds, but a larger one will work just fine as long as it’s not overgrown and woody. You don’t need to peel the zucchini – the skin adds moisture and you won’t even notice it in the finished bread. After grating, there’s no need to squeeze out the excess moisture like you might for other recipes, since that liquid actually helps keep your bread nice and moist. If your zucchini is really large and has big seeds in the center, you can scoop those out before grating, but it’s not necessary for most zucchinis you’ll find at the store.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if you need to:

• Greek yogurt: Regular yogurt works fine here, or you can use sour cream for a similar tangy flavor and moist texture. If you’re using regular yogurt, drain off any excess liquid first.
• Canola or vegetable oil: You can swap this with melted coconut oil or even melted butter if you prefer. The texture will be slightly different with butter, but still tasty.
• All purpose flour: Whole wheat flour can replace up to half the all-purpose flour for a heartier bread. Going all whole wheat might make it a bit dense, so I’d stick with a 50/50 mix.
• Sugar: You can reduce the sugar to 1½ cups if you want it less sweet, though it will affect the moisture slightly. Honey or maple syrup aren’t great substitutes here since they’ll change the texture too much.
• Zucchini: Yellow squash works just as well as zucchini. Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the batter.
• Lemon: In a pinch, you can use lime for a different citrus twist, or even orange zest and juice, though the flavor profile will change.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake people make with zucchini bread is not squeezing out excess moisture from the grated zucchini, which can lead to a dense, wet loaf that takes forever to bake through – just wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and give it a good squeeze over the sink.

Overmixing the batter once you add the flour is another common error that results in tough, rubbery bread instead of a tender crumb, so stir just until the flour disappears and you don’t see any dry streaks.

Don’t skip the toothpick test at the end of baking – insert it into the center of the loaf, and if it comes out with wet batter (not just a few moist crumbs), give it another 5-10 minutes in the oven.

For the glaze, wait until the bread has cooled for at least 15 minutes before pouring it on, otherwise it’ll just soak in completely and you won’t get that nice sweet coating on top.

What to Serve With Lemon Zucchini Bread?

This lemon zucchini bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love slicing it up and spreading a little butter or cream cheese on top while it’s still slightly warm – the tanginess of the cream cheese really complements the lemon flavor. It also makes a great addition to a brunch spread alongside fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and maybe some bacon or sausage. If you’re serving it as dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream turns it into something special without much effort.

Storage Instructions

Store: This lemon zucchini bread stays moist and delicious for days. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. The lemon flavor actually gets better after a day or two!

Freeze: You can freeze this bread for up to 3 months, which is great for using up summer zucchini. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag, or freeze the whole loaf wrapped tightly in plastic and then foil.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. If you froze the whole loaf, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and serving.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 4200-4600
• Protein: 42-50 g
• Fat: 165-180 g
• Carbohydrates: 620-660 g

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 1 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
• 7 oz greek yogurt (Fage Total recommended for richness)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cups zucchini (grated and squeezed dry)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lemon zest

Step 1: Prepare and Begin Baking

• 2 cups sugar
• 2.5 tsp lemon zest

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans (or similar size) with oil or cooking spray.

While the oven heats, combine the sugar and 2.5 tsp lemon zest in a small bowl, rubbing them together with your fingers to release the oils and infuse the sugar with bright lemon flavor—this builds flavor from the start rather than adding zest later.

Step 2: Build the Wet Mixture

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 7 oz greek yogurt
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 eggs

In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, and 1.5 tbsp lemon juice until well combined and smooth.

The yogurt adds tang and moisture while keeping the crumb tender.

Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition to fully incorporate and create an emulsion—this ensures an even, light crumb throughout the bread.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• lemon-sugar mixture from Step 1
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger.

Add the lemon-sugar mixture from Step 1 to the wet mixture from Step 2 and stir to combine.

Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture and fold together gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—do not overmix, as this keeps the bread tender and prevents a tough crumb.

The batter should be thick but slightly chunky.

Step 4: Add Zucchini and Finish the Batter

• batter from Step 3
• 2 cups zucchini
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Grate your zucchini and squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel—removing excess moisture is crucial to prevent a soggy, dense loaf.

Fold the dried zucchini and vanilla extract into the batter from Step 3 until evenly distributed.

I like to fold in the zucchini last so it stays more visible in the final crumb rather than disappearing into the batter.

Step 5: Bake the Loaves

• batter from Step 4

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs—don’t overbake, as the bread will dry out.

The tops should be lightly golden and a slight crack may form down the center, which is normal.

Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10-20 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Step 6: Make the Glaze and Finish

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

While the bread cools, prepare the glaze by whisking together the sifted powdered sugar and 2.5 tbsp lemon juice until smooth and pourable—the consistency should be thick but drizzle-able.

Once the bread is completely cooled (warm bread will cause the glaze to soak in unevenly), drizzle the glaze over each loaf and top with the remaining 1 tbsp lemon zest.

I find sifting the powdered sugar makes the glaze silkier and prevents lumps that can create a grainy texture.

Tangy Lemon Zucchini Bread with Greek Yogurt

Delicious Tangy Lemon Zucchini Bread with Greek Yogurt recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 4400

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the bread:

• 1 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
• 7 oz greek yogurt (Fage Total recommended for richness)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cups zucchini (grated and squeezed dry)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lemon zest

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans (or similar size) with oil or cooking spray. While the oven heats, combine the sugar and 2.5 tsp lemon zest in a small bowl, rubbing them together with your fingers to release the oils and infuse the sugar with bright lemon flavor—this builds flavor from the start rather than adding zest later.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, and 1.5 tbsp lemon juice until well combined and smooth. The yogurt adds tang and moisture while keeping the crumb tender. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition to fully incorporate and create an emulsion—this ensures an even, light crumb throughout the bread.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger. Add the lemon-sugar mixture from Step 1 to the wet mixture from Step 2 and stir to combine. Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture and fold together gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—do not overmix, as this keeps the bread tender and prevents a tough crumb. The batter should be thick but slightly chunky.
4. Grate your zucchini and squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel—removing excess moisture is crucial to prevent a soggy, dense loaf. Fold the dried zucchini and vanilla extract into the batter from Step 3 until evenly distributed. I like to fold in the zucchini last so it stays more visible in the final crumb rather than disappearing into the batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs—don't overbake, as the bread will dry out. The tops should be lightly golden and a slight crack may form down the center, which is normal. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10-20 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
6. While the bread cools, prepare the glaze by whisking together the sifted powdered sugar and 2.5 tbsp lemon juice until smooth and pourable—the consistency should be thick but drizzle-able. Once the bread is completely cooled (warm bread will cause the glaze to soak in unevenly), drizzle the glaze over each loaf and top with the remaining 1 tbsp lemon zest. I find sifting the powdered sugar makes the glaze silkier and prevents lumps that can create a grainy texture.