Healthy Zucchini Banana Bread is the best way to use up fresh zucchini and over ripe bananas. Moistened and sweetened with fruit and veggies, you can’t even tell zucchini is there except for the wonderful moisture it provides!
This is a hybrid of my two favorite breads, healthy banana bread and healthy zucchini bread.
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Healthy 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 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.
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 Recipe Works?
- Easy: Made in one bowl with common baking staples.
- Healthy: Zucchinis are high in fiber but low in calories and rich in vitamin B6. Bananas are high in potassium and add natural sweetness!
- Versatile: This recipe has been tested with three different flours: whole wheat flour, spelt flour and all-purpose flour.
- Less waste: No feeling bad about throwing out your brown spotty bananas!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas. If making in summer, bananas ripen super fast in heat. Here is tutorial how to freeze bananas, thaw on a counter in an hour (use the liquid as well), and voila.
- Zucchini: We will need 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini and not squeezed. Yellow summer squash works too.
- Flour: I have tested this bread with both whole wheat flour, spelt flour and all-purpose flour. I think whole grain adds nice nutty touch to bread. I also think whole wheat pastry flour and white whole wheat flour will work.
- 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 egg or flax egg but you could try.
How to Make Healthy 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 extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Whisk well until no small lumps of leavening agents left. Let sit 1 minute and whisk more make sure it is all dissolved.
Dry ingredients: Add whole wheat flour and stir batter until well combined. Do not over mix your healthy banana zucchini bread batter! Over mixing results in a tougher bread or may cause it to bake unevenly.
Batter will and should be thick. Unsqueezed zucchini will release water and “dilute” it into very moist bread.
Then fold in zucchini and give a few more gentle stirs just enough to incorporate.
Bake: For 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Use very ripe bananas: The more yellow with more brown spots your bananas are, the sweeter the bread will be. Here is a quick tutorial how to ripen bananas fast.
- Do not squeeze zucchini: The water from the zucchini will release while the bread bakes giving it moisture.
No. Zucchini skin is very soft and once baked becomes very tender. So, no need to peel it and discard valuable nutrients.
If you are out of bananas or short on, substitute with applesauce or pumpkin puree. Any mashed soft fruit should work.
Add up to 1/2 cup of things like chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, mini chocolate chips, raisins, dried dates or cranberries or unsweetened coconut flakes. Stir in gently to the batter before placing in pan to bake.
Making It 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. I usually place it in a container with a lid and leave it a bit open for air circulation.
Freezing: Past day 4, I recommend to freeze the bread. Place in Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
More Zucchini Recipes to Try
- Almond flour zucchini bread
- Healthy chocolate zucchini bread
- Healthy lemon zucchini bread
- Carrot zucchini muffins
- Lemon zucchini bread
More Banana Recipes to Try
- Pumpkin banana bread
- Coconut flour banana bread
- Oat flour banana bread recipe
- Protein banana bread
- Almond flour banana bread
You might also enjoy to peruse through my full collection of quick bread recipes!
Healthy Zucchini Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini not squeezed
- 2 large very ripe bananas mashed (1 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp any mild tasting oil I use avocado oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, spelt flour 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 extract, 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 gently until well mixed. Transfer batter into prepared loaf pan, level with spatula and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove 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.
Notes
- Store: If you are baking bread in summer, I highly recommend to refrigerate it in a container lined with double paper towel. During cooler months, store covered on a counter for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: 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.
- Use very ripe bananas: The more yellow with more brown spots your bananas are, the sweeter the bread will be.
- Do not squeeze zucchini: The water from the zucchini will release while the bread bakes giving it moisture. Also no need to peel it.
Can I use applesauce to replace the oil or part of the maple syrup.
I wouldn’t skip the oil because bread would be gummy. Possibly the part of maple syrup – yes.
I’ve made this several times and the kids and I love it! Its heathy and delicious. It also works to add some grated carrot (sometimes I can’t help myself with adding extra veggies). I’ve also done it as mini muffins to freeze and pop in the lunchboxes. So good! Thanks!
Amazing! Yes, extra carrots is such a good idea! Love it!
This recipe was just ok for me. While it was very moist, it lacked the sweetness my family looks for in banana bread. If I made it again, I would definitely add chocolate chips or something to give it more sweetness.
Very very please with how this turned out! I was a bit worried there when I was mixing in the flour because it was so incredibly thick so I panicked and drizzled a bit more oil on it. But it turned out very moist and not too sweet!!
This was the third time I made this but this time the edges burnt and the middle wasn’t cooked . Every other time i squeezed the zucchini out, but didn’t this time. Do you think that could be the issue?
I tested this recipe with unsqueezed zucchini and it worked so can’t tell about squeezed one. It sounds like to me that your oven might run hotter. You can try to reduce oven T by 25 F or cover loaf half way through with foil or parchment to avoid edges burning and allowing it to cook through.
This recipe is one of my favorites and I make it every summer with my fresh zucchini. I was looking for a Healthy Apple Banana Zucchini bread recipe, so I made two loaves two different ways.
1) For a Healthy Apple Zucchini recipe, I used your Healthy Zucchini Bread recipe and added one cubed apple, along with 1/3 cup raisins and 1/2 cup walnuts. I baked for about 70 minutes, but that could be my 40 year old stove.
2) For a Healthy Banana Apple Zucchini Bread recipe, I used your Healthy Banana Zucchini Bread recipe and added one cubed apple, along with 1/3 cup raisins and 1/2 cup walnuts. I baked this one for about 75 minutes. In both, I used honey in lieu of maple syrup.
These two will be added to my yearly stash of your various zucchini breads for the freezer for fall and winter. My husband said these were the best yet and we both love them all. Yours are the best and unmatched by anyone else. Thank you Olena!
I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying my recipe so much, Jodi! Apple bananas zucchini bread sounds amazing. Where do I find the time to test all of these recipes?! I want to make them all! Look out for a brand new zucchini bread recipe that’s coming out very soon, you will love it!
Excellent Recipe! Used white flour because it’s what I had on hand, added mini chocolate chips, and baked it in a 12 cup muffin tin for about 24 minutes. They came out perfect! Can’t wait to make another batch.
Really enjoyed the Healthy Banana Zucchini Bread as I enjoy all of your recipes that I try. Thank You!
I am so happy to hear you love my recipes!
Followed the directions, turned out perfectly! It was delicious, not too sweet. Love that it’s a healthy version with maple syrup. This is a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear this bread recipe work for you, Megan!
Doesn’t have much flavor not to mention I baked it for an hour and it wasn’t fully cooked put it back in for another 20 min half was still not cooked through had to throw it out. I’ve never had an issue with other recipes.
I’m not sure what what went wrong and it’s hard for me to tell because I was not in the kitchen with you. I’m sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. It has worked perfectly for me every single time and so did for many readers. Possibly flour was not measured correctly or zucchini were to wet or maybe it’s your oven. Have you baked with whole wheat flour before?! If you say your bread was not fully baked, then I’m not sure how you tasted it… of course half baked bread would not taste good.
I had the same problem. After an hour the knife came out clean, but after cooling I discovered the interior was a gummy mess, flavor not great either. And it weighs an awful lot for a average loaf. Too much zucchini?
Possibly. Which zucchini did you use? What size? From the store or garden? Did you measure mashed bananas? What flour did you use?