Zucchini Bread Recipe (VIDEO)
This homemade Zucchini Bread is loaded with zucchini and it’s delicious any time of day. It’s perfectly soft and sweet with a cozy hint of cinnamon. This bread is so tasty when served warm from the oven but it also stays moist and tender for days.
Our Banana Bread recipe has become a favorite for many of our readers and I think you will love this one just as much. This tried and true recipe is the best zucchini bread recipe out there.
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Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
If your garden is producing more zucchini than you know what to do with this summer and you’ve already made Zucchini Fritters 587 times, this zucchini bread is a smart way to use up those extra vegetables. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in vegetables for little ones or picky eaters. Even though the recipe has a pound of zucchini in it, you can hardly taste the zucchini – it’s amazing!
Enjoy the bread now, bring a loaf to your neighbors as a gift, or freeze a loaf for later in the year when your garden stops producing (details below).
Need to serve a crowd? This recipe makes two loaves or can be divided into 24 zucchini muffins, which would be great for breakfast on the run, a grab-and-go class treat, church coffee hour, or any other gathering.
Zucchini Bread Video
Watch Natasha make this Zucchini Bread recipe. Head out to the garden and pick a zucchini or two, or buy them at the store (they’re very inexpensive during the summer months) and in just over an hour you will have a delicious treat ready to eat! P.S. I highly recommend serving this with our whipped Honey Butter – wow!
Ingredients
The natural moisture in the zucchini keeps this bread moist for days, and somehow it tastes even better the following day.
- Flour – All-purpose, or gluten-free will work
- Baking powder and baking soda – Act as leavening agents to make the loaf rise
- Sea salt – Balances the sweetness
- Cinnamon – Adds a wonderful, cozy spice flavor to this bread
- Oil – Olive, canola, or vegetable oil- your choice. Using oil instead of butter creates a super moist breadcrumb
- Eggs – Provide structure and helps bind the batter together
- Sugar – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to complement the vegetable and spice ingredients
- Vanilla extract – Use our homemade vanilla recipe for the best flavor
- Grated zucchini – Adds moisture to keep the bread tender and has a subtle flavor that complements the sweetness and cinnamon spice
Pro Tip: If you store your zucchini in the refrigerator, set it on the counter for a few hours before using it to bring it to room temperature. Your zucchini bread will rise better this way.
Variations
Zucchini adds great moisture to the bread, and this is a recipe with so many opportunities to customize the flavor to your taste or your dietary needs with add-ins. We usually do 1 cup of add-ins, whether it’s just one or a combination of things. Here are a few of our favorite variations that help make this the best zucchini bread recipe:
- Nuts – Chopped walnuts, pecans, or both
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (If adding chocolate, you can reduce sugar to 1 cup if desired)
- Raisins or Golden raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Orange zest
The Best Zucchini for Zucchini Bread
Whether you are growing your own in the garden, or shopping a the grocery store or farm stand, the best zucchini for this recipe are small to medium in size. When they are this size, the skin is thin, they are full of moisture, and the seeds are small enough to disappear into the batter.
You can grate them without peeling, seeding, or chopping them. If you miss one in the garden and it’s so big you think your only option is to use it as a baseball bat, you can still use it. You would just need to cut the zucchini in half and scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
Pro Tip: If you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden, or can purchase summer produce inexpensively, consider freezing your grated zucchini in one-cup portions in freezer bags to have on hand later in the year.
How to Grate Zucchini
Using a box grater over a bowl or plate, use the side with the largest holes, and run the zucchini in a downward motion against the grates until you have 3 cups shredded. Be sure not to squeeze or pack the grated zucchini in your measuring cup too tightly. You can also use the grating attachment on a food processor.
Instructions
- Prepare your pans – Butter two 8×4-inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredients – In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. *If making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use GF flour and baking powder.
- Wet Ingredients – In a separate large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until very well blended.
- Combine – Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Grate – Grate the zucchini in the large holes of a box grater. Add zucchini to the batter along with nuts (or any optional add-ins that you are using), and fold until well incorporated.
- Bake – Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake at 350˚F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in pans for 15 minutes.
Common Questions
There is no need to peel the zucchini before grating them. The skin is thin enough to eat, so peeling does not change the taste or texture either way. I like to see the bits of shredded zucchini show up in each slice.
Nope. Just shred the zucchini and add it right to the mixture. The natural moisture is what gives this bread such a great texture and keeps it moist for days.
This recipe is so simple to make, and can easily be doubled.
Zucchini bread can be relatively healthy compared to other baked goods. Zucchini is low in calories and adds nutritional value and fiber to the recipe. The optional add-ins can be customized to suit your nutritional goals.
Serve with
This zucchini bread is sweet enough on its own, but it’s also great topped with:
- Salted butter (stir in a pinch of nutmeg for the perfect blend of sweet and savory)
- Honey Butter
- Sweetened cream cheese
- A dusting of powdered sugar
How to Store Zucchini Bread
This recipe makes two loaves which you’ll love because it keeps really well at room temperature and is freezer friendly so you can enjoy your zucchini long after your summer harvest.
- Room Temperature: Wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you are in an area with high humidity, store it in the refrigerator instead.
- To Refrigerate: Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a gallon-sized zipped storage bag after cooling and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing: After your bread has completely cooled, wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil or a freezer storage bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pro Tip: Be sure to wait until your bread has cooled completely before covering or wrapping it. Storing it before it is at room temperature will cause condensation to build up and affect the texture of the bread.
This Zucchini bread is a treasure of a recipe – make it once and you’ll make it over and over. After watching the video tutorial, I hope you feel inspired to start baking. It’s so easy to make, is kid-friendly, and does not require any fancy kitchen tools.
More Zucchini Recipes to try
If you love zucchini and are looking for more ways to use your summer bounty, then you won’t want to miss these other tempting zucchini recipes.
Zucchini Bread Recipe (VIDEO)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
A moist and easy-to-make zucchini bread recipe, loaded with fresh zucchini. Zucchini Bread is perfectly sweet with a cozy hint of cinnamon.
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Zucchini Bread
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $4-$5
Calories: 237
Servings: 20 people (makes 2 loaves)
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8×4-inch metal loaf pans and line with parchment paper for easier lifting.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
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In a separate large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until very well blended. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined and smooth.
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Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Add zucchini to the batter along with nuts (if using) and fold until well incorporated.
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Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely to room temperature.
*Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater and measure 3 cups. Do not squeeze or drain the zucchini and do not pack it into the measuring cup.
**Nutrition label does not include nuts or optional add-ins.
Nutrition Facts
Zucchini Bread Recipe (VIDEO)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 237 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.003g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 25mg8%
Sodium 183mg8%
Potassium 110mg3%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 73IU1%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
