This healthy zucchini bread is perfectly moist in the middle and has a lovely tender crumb! No white flour, no butter, and no oil needed.
Love healthy dessert recipes? Try my healthy chocolate cake, healthy blueberry muffins, and healthy chocolate chip cookies.
Are zucchini plentiful at your grocery store? Great, because it’s your excuse to use them to make desserts!
This healthy zucchini bread recipe may look familiar, and that is because they are a spin on my healthy zucchini muffins. The only real difference is the addition of banana and the removal of oil, but it’s just as delicious and just as easy!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Perfect texture. This bread is moist and fluffy in the middle, each slice is studded with chocolate chips and a hint of cinnamon throughout.
- Doesn’t taste healthy! Even though this recipe is loads healthier than traditional zucchini bread, you’d never tell!
- Wholesome ingredients. No white flour or butter is needed.
- No zucchini flavor. Seriously, there is nothing worse than knowing there is zucchini hidden in a baked good, but trust me- you won’t know it is in there!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Another great recipe! It is super easy and has a nice texture. Added some extra chocolate chips in… 🙂 Again, the cook time was a bit over an hour for me, but it still came out tasty!!” – Megan
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour. Either whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour (my favorite), or whole wheat pastry flour works. You can easily make this gluten-free by using a cup for cup gluten-free flour.
- Brown sugar OR coconut sugar. Choose coconut sugar if you’d like this zucchini bread to be refined sugar free. Liquid sweeteners like honey and maple syrup will also work, but increase the baking time to compensate.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Both leavening agents are used for some rise and stability.
- Salt.
- Spices. I like to use ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Egg. Room temperature.
- Yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt is my favorite, because it’s higher in protein and lower in fat. Any plain yogurt works.
- Bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter the bread will be. Not a fan of banana? Use unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree.
- Zucchini. Finely shredded with excess moisture removed. I like to use a box grater to shred.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but highly recommended.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good baked good.
How to make a healthy zucchini bread
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the batter. Stir the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine the two until combined. Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Step 2- Bake the zucchini bread. Transfer the bread mix into a greased 9 x 4-inch loaf pan. Bake the zucchini bread for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Squeeze out all moisture. Zucchini contains a hefty amount of water. Once you’ve shredded it, squeeze out every bit of liquid you can. There are enough wet ingredients in the batter to keep the bread moist.
- Overripe bananas are key. While there is already sugar in the batter, it’s still a considerably smaller amount than in other recipes. If the bananas are super ripe, they add an extra layer of sweetness.
- Avoid overmixing the batter, as it can turn the bread gummy. Just mix until no flour pockets remain.
- Do not open the oven door. Regularly opening the door to check on the zucchini bread affects its rise. Try to only open it towards the end of the bake time (around the 45-minute mark).
- Add mix-ins. Fold through some chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts.
- If you notice the tops of the bread cooking too fast, add some aluminum foil halfway through the baking process.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature. You can add a paper towel on top to keep the bread extra moist. If you’d like the bread to keep longer, store it in a fridge for up to one week.
To freeze: Place slices of the zucchini bread in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up top 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you place the loaf pan on the top rack of the oven, you risk the exterior of the bread cooking quickly while the inside remains raw. To ensure this doesn’t happen, bake the bread on the lower or middle rack.
Using a smaller loaf pan will yield a heavy zucchini bread. Opt for one that is at least 9-inches.
There is no need to peel the zucchini before shredding it for zucchini bread. It adds a pop of color, and there are hidden nutritional benefits in the skin.
More healthy zucchini recipes
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 9 x 5-inch pan and set aside.
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In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, and bananas.
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Gently add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold through the zucchini and chocolate chips.
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Transfer the batter into a lined pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
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Remove the zucchini bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan completely, before slicing and serving.
TO FREEZE: Freeze in an airtight container and store for up to 6 months.
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSodium: 154mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 23g
Originally published June 2019, updated June 2023, and republished April 2024
