Zucchini Banana Bread is an easy, quick bread recipe that is perfect for summer baking. Moistened and sweetened with fruit and veggies – you can’t even tell the zucchini is there except for the wonderful moisture it provides! It’s the best way to use up fresh zucchini and over ripe bananas. Meal prep for a healthy breakfast or snack and it’s even freezer friendly so you can always have it on hand.
This is a hybrid of my two favorite breads; healthy banana bread and zucchini bread– with very low oil! We even love zucchini banana combo in a banana zucchini muffin form.
Table of contents
- Moist and Sweet Zucchini Banana Bread
- Why This Healthy Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe Works?
- Ingredients for Banana Zucchini Quick Bread
- How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread
- Tips for Best Zucchini and Banana Bread Results
- FAQs
- Serving Reccomendations
- Making Simple Quick Bread Recipe in Advance
- More Quick Bread and Muffin Recipes
Moist and Sweet Zucchini Banana Bread
Zucchini banana bread is a great idea in summer when bananas are ripening faster than you can eat them, and zucchini are in surplus. So far this year I’ve already baked healthy banana muffins, almond flour banana muffins, coconut flour banana bread – and now this zucchini banana bread… do we sense a theme?
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. If you’ve spent much time at all on the site, you’ll probably have noticed that I’m a little obsessed; I have around 15 quick breads so far – including a spiced gingerbread loaf, healthy chocolate bread, pumpkin bread, and almond flour cinnamon bread!
That’s alongside a long list of banana bakes. I love the flavor of banana bread so much that as soon as I see banana start to become 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 if it’s still a tiny bit frozen).
Why This Healthy Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe Works?
- Easy to make and bake: Simple quick bread recipe is made in one bowl with common baking staples you already have on hand in your pantry.
- Healthy ingredients: Zucchini is high in fiber but low in calories and rich in vitamin B6. Bananas are high in potassium and add natural sweetness!
- Versatile flours: This recipe has been tasted with three different flours – whole wheat, spelt and all purpose. While I love baking with whole wheat flour, I understand that sometimes all that is in the pantry (or that you can find at the store) is all purpose flour. If using all purpose flour, purchase unbleached if possible.
- Less kitchen waste: No feeling bad about throwing out your brown spotty bananas, here! The more ripe your bananas, the sweeter they are in your baked goods. If your garden zucchini grew to baseball bat size (it happens), its perfect for using in zucchini bread – just discard the huge seeds first!
- Meal prep friendly: As with most quick breads, this zucchini and banana bread is freezer friendly for 3 months!
Ingredients for Banana Zucchini Quick Bread
Detailed recipe card is below.
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas, just like in healthy banana pancakes. 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. Though, if you want bakes that are even nuttier then definitely check out some of my almond flour recipes like this almond flour banana 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: Adds a little bit of moisture and act as a binder. I have not tested with chia or flax eggs but you could try.
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.
There is not need to squeeze excess water out of zucchini for this quick bread! It will add additional moisture to the bread while it bakes.
- 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 for Best Zucchini and Banana Bread Results
- 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 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.
Do not over mix your banana zucchini bread batter! Over mixing results in a tougher bread or may cause it to bake unevenly.
- Don’t overfill the pan: If it reaches the top and still needs to rise, bread will collapse.
- Mini banana zucchini bread loaves: You can divide batter between 2-5 smaller pans, bake for 30 minutes and perform clean toothpick test.
- Muffins: You could, but I have an excellent banana zucchini muffins recipe with chocolate chunks. Yum!
FAQs
Yes and they should be used – that is why we combined them for this recipe. It is simply one of the best summertime quick bread combos.
For this zucchini and banana bread it is not recommended to squeeze the water out. The water from the zucchini will release while the bread bakes giving it moisture.
Summer squash (look for a canary yellow one!) will shred similar to zucchini and could be used. Your bread will be a different color. I have not tested this summer squash bread version though! You could also make no zucchini required healthy banana bread or healthy banana chocolate chip muffins.
Following this recipe exactly as it is written should result in a moist zucchini banana bread. If your bread is dry, you either accidentally squeezed water from zucchini or you may have baked your bread too long.
Most recipes contain way too much refined sugar and oil. By adding banana, using maple syrup and opting for a whole grain flour (whole wheat or spelt) it is possible to make healthy banana zucchini bread!
Some simple additions you could add would be chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), mini chocolate chips, raisins, dried dates or cranberries or unsweetened coconut flakes. I have not tested the recipe this way, so I would start with adding only a 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Stir in gently to the batter before placing in pan to bake.
Serving Reccomendations
Quick breads like this healthy zucchini banana bread are great to eat just on their own but here are a few serving ideas:
- As part of a hearty breakfast serve with a strawberry smoothie, broccoli quiche and sweet potato hash.
- On a snack platter with peanut butter protein balls and sugar free oatmeal cookies – or choose any of our healthy snack recipes to pair together!
- For a healthy dessert tray with zucchini brownies and chocolate chip cookies.
- With an iced beverage like iced coffee, kombucha or lime iced tea.
Making Simple Quick Bread Recipe in Advance
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 Quick Bread and Muffin Recipes
- Almond flour zucchini bread
- Chocolate zucchini bread
- Lemon zucchini bread
- Healthy apple bread
- Pumpkin chocolate chip bread
You might also enjoy this compiled list of 10 healthy banana snacks, or to peruse through my full collection of quick bread and muffin recipes!
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.
Notes
- Loaf pan: Glass and stoneware pans tend to retain heat more. Reduce oven 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 banana zucchini bread loaves: You can divide batter between 2-5 smaller pans, bake for 30 minutes and perform clean toothpick test.
- Muffins: You could, but I have an excellent banana zucchini muffins recipe with chocolate chunks. Yum!
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes without permission. Nutritional info is approximate.
I had a couple of bananas and some shredded zucchini in the freezer from summer and was looking for a healthier version of zucchini bread. Made this exactly as written except I upped the cinnamon a bit and added a handful of chopped walnuts. I used whole wheat pastry flour and honey as the sweetener. This bread is delicious… beautiful flavor, tender crumb, and just sweet enough. Thank you for sharing it.
So glad you enjoyed it and had a nice taste of summer during winter 🙂
Can I use more all baking powder instead of baking soda?
Baking is a science and any altering of ingredients might change the desired results. That being said – you might be able to use more baking powder, but the recipe has not been tested without baking soda and we can’t guarantee results.
Have made it twice, great recipe!