Zucchini banana bread is an easy, quick bread that is perfect for summer baking. Moistened and sweetened with fruit and veggies, it is a hybrid of my two favorite breads with virtually no oil.
Zucchini banana bread is a great idea in summer when bananas are ripening faster than you can eat them, and zucchini are in surplus.
Moistened and sweetened with mostly fruit and veggies, this banana bread is healthy, easy to make with white or whole wheat flour, and contains virtually no oil.
We love banana bread a lot! I’m not much into yeast but quick breads are easy. As soon as I see banana start to over ripe, I throw it in a freezer. When ready to bake, I thaw it on a counter for 30-60 minutes and mash even a bit frozen.
Ingredients for Zucchini Banana Bread
Detailed recipe card is below.
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas. If making in summer, bananas ripen super fast in heat. Freeze, thaw on a counter in an hour and voila.
- Zucchini: We will need 2 cups shredded zucchini and not squeezed. Water will moisten the bread as it bakes.
- Flour: I have tested this bread with both whole wheat and all-purpose flours. I think whole grain adds nice nutty touch to bread.
- Liquid sweetener: Maple syrup, agave, honey etc. will work. Not dry sweetener like sugar though because it will offset batter consistency.
- Egg and oil: Add a little bit of moisture and act as a binder.
How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray bottom and lower 1 inch of the pan to get a good rise. Grate zucchini and don’t squeeze.
- Wet ingredients: Mash bananas. Then add egg, oil, maple syrup, vanilla and all spices and leavening agents and whisk well. Let sit 1 minute and whisk more.
- Dry ingredients: Add flour and stir batter until well combined – do not overmix. It should be thick. Then fold in zucchini.
- Bake: For 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tips and FAQs
- Baking soda and powder: If they have lumps, break them with a back of a spoon first. If you see any in batter, let them sit for a minute and then whisk well to make sure they are dissolved.
- Loaf pan: Glass and stoneware pans tend to retain heat more. Reduce oven T by 25 degrees F. I prefer to bake in metal pans.
- Crack: Crack down the middle is a good sign bread is baking properly.
- Thick batter: Batter will and should be thick. Unsqueezed zucchini will release water and “dilute” it into very moist bread.
- Don’t overfill the pan: If it reaches the top and still needs to rise, bread will collapse.
- Mini loaves: You can divide batter between 2-5 smaller pans, bake for 30 minutes and perform clean toothpick test.
- Muffins: I have an excellent banana zucchini muffins recipe with chocolate chunks. Yum!
How to Store and Freeze Bread
Storing: If you are baking bread in summer, I highly recommend to refrigerate it in a container lined with double paper towel. It is moist without oil and can develop mold in warm conditions fast. During cooler months, Store covered on a counter for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Past day 4, I recommend to freeze bread. Place in Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
More Zucchini Banana Bread Recipes
- Almond flour zucchini bread
- Healthy banana bread
- Chocolate zucchini bread
- Lemon zucchini bread
- Healthy zucchini bread
- Almond flour banana bread
Zucchini Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated zucchini not squeezed
- 2 large very ripe bananas mashed (1 cup)
- 1 egg large
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder aluminum free
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat spelt or all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork.
- Add egg, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk until everything is dissolved well. Sometimes if baking soda and powder have lumps, it takes a minute to let them sit and then whisk again.
- Add flour and stir with spatula just until combined.
- Add zucchini and stir just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, level with spatula and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Insert toothpick into the center of the bread and if it comes out clean remove bread from the oven. Let cool in a loaf pan for 10 minutes and then transfer onto the cooling rack to cool more.
- Cut with serrated knife into 12 slices and enjoy.
- Storing: If you are baking bread in summer, I highly recommend to refrigerate it in a container lined with double paper towel. It is moist without oil and can develop mold in warm conditions fast. During cooler months, Store covered on a counter for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Past day 4, I recommend to freeze bread. Place in Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
Nutrition
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I just made this with a few adaptions based on the comments and WOW it’s amazing and guilt free in my opinion! I added 3/4 cup pecans in the flour mix in stage, tripled the cinnamon and added a teaspoon of nutmeg as another commenter suggested, then I split my flour between whole wheat, white, and protein powder. Maybe a little overly complicated I know, but I wanted the health benefits of the whole wheat without the taste of full whole wheat. Here’s the amount I used if you don’t want to do the math:
1 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
3/4 cup + 1.5 tbsp white flour
4.5 tbsp KOS vanilla plant protein.
So basically it’s half whole wheat, 1/8 protein powder as the package of my protein powder suggests for substitutions, and the rest is white flour.
I have a question about this recipe, though. I don’t quite understand how to store my leftovers? What exactly does “store in double paper towel lined container” mean? For some reason my mind went to damp paper towels to keep it moist. Do I just place dry paper towels in a tupperware and place the bread on top? Thanks in advance
Hi Emily! Thanks for sharing your feedback and your variations on this bread. Just place dry paper towel in a container and the bread on top. Hope that helps!
Delicious!!!
Sorry. Forgot to rate your recipe! One Hundred stars!!
BTW, I`ve been wondering.. will using a different baking vessel, im thinking either round cake pan or bundt mold for instance, work for these quick breads? If possible, what size you think would be best?
Thanks again!
I haven’t tried different baking vessels with this banana bread. From what I have read, you can substitute a loaf pan with a bundt mold. Hope that helps Susana!
This bread was so delish!! I made it with maple syrup and half white and wheat flour, and baked it in a clay Pampered Chef bread pan. It was so moist and every one loved it! I will definitely make this bread again! Thank you!!
I am thrilled to read this Jean!
Excellent!
This bread is a joy to eat! Healthy, delicious and SO moist is hard to believe no liquid whatsoever went in besides the honey.
I used runny peanut butter instead of the oil, tripled the amount of cinnamon, and added a little freshly grated nutmeg for an extra layer of flavor.
Husband and 5 year old ate 3 slices each 🙂
Thanks for another great recipe, Olena!
Greetings from Amsterdam
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review, Susana. I am always so happy to hear that my recipe is a hit!