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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Healthy Zucchini Bread

Healthy Zucchini Bread

By Taesha Butler April 28, 2020 (Updated August 8, 2021) 12 Comments

Servings10 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 7 votes

This Healthy Zucchini Bread Recipe is easy, delicious and makes for a great snack, breakfast or healthy dessert. Naturally sweetened, made from whole grains & kid-approved!

Jump to Recipe
Healthy zucchini bread on cooling rack, sliced

Zucchini Bread is a classic veggie-loaded sweet treat! It is a great way to put those giant zucchinis to use during the summer months but also a great way to sneak in veggies at breakfast, snack or even a dessert. Traditional recipes, however, often have a lot of added sugar and are made from bleached flours. For this Healthy Zucchini Bread, I’ve used natural sweeteners to bring this summer treat to life and used good-for-you whole grains!

Tips for make Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Let it cool completely. If you want to dive right in and enjoy a slice warm (because that is kinda the best thing ever), go for it. But don’t freak out if the bread is slightly soft in the middle and the bread sticks to the parchment paper a but. Both are normal and as the muffins cool, both issues will resolve as the bread cools.
  • Don’t skip on squeezing out the zucchini. Zucchini naturally has a lot of water. Squeezing out some of the zucchini’s natural moisture is essential so that this bread comes out perfectly moist instead of mushy.
  • If making this for a child under 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. I remember hearing that recommendation since my daughter was a baby, but never knew why exactly. The reason is because something called Clostridium bacteria can be present in honey and is no good for those developing little infant guts. It is usually not an issue for children over age 1 thought. Check out this article for more info.
1 6-step process shot of how to make healthy zucchini bread from start to finish

Suggested adaptations for Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Make it gluten free. Replace the white whole wheat flour with a gluten free cup-for-cup flour blend. I like this one.
  • Make it egg-free. Replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs.
  • Make it dairy-free. Use unsweetened almond milk , coconut milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
  • Replace the zucchini with grated summer squash.
  • Make it as muffins. Bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes in a 12-hole muffin tin.
  • Reduce the sugar. Skip the chocolate chips and enjoy the natural sweetness from the applesauce and honey or maple syrup
  • No white whole wheat flour? Replace it with 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat.

More healthy zucchini recipes you are going to adore…

  • Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
  • Paleo Almond Butter Zucchini Cookies
  • Fudgy Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
  • Healthy Gluten Free Brownies (with zucchini)
  • Flourless Peanut Butter Carrot Zucchini Cookies

Did you try this veggie-loaded bread recipe and now you’re hungry for more? 

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Healthy zucchini bread on cooling rack, partially sliced
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Healthy Zucchini Bread

This Healthy Zucchini Bread Recipe is easy, delicious and makes for a great snack, breakfast or healthy dessert. Naturally sweetened, made from whole grains & kid-approved!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy zucchini bread, healthy zucchini recipes, hidden veggies
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 204kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • loaf pan

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup honey* or maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour or sub cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it with a little extra oil.
  • Take the grated zucchini and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the zucchini in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl, combine olive oil, eggs, vanilla extract, applesauce, honey/maple syrup, and milk. Mix.
  • Add remaining ingredients except zucchini and chocolate chips to the bowl. Mix well until batter has an even consistency.
  • Add drained zucchini and chocolate chips to the batter. Fold them in.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and top with extra chocolate chips if desired
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until bread is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
  • Once cool completely, store in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer for up to a month.

Notes

*If making bread for a child under age 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. 
 

Suggested adaptations for Healthy Zucchini Bread

  • Make it gluten free. Replace the white whole wheat flour with a gluten free cup-for-cup flour blend. I like this one.
  • Make it egg-free. Replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs.
  • Make it dairy-free. Use unsweetened almond milk , coconut milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
  • Replace the zucchini with grated summer squash.
  • Make it as muffins. Bake at the same temperature for 15-20 minutes in a 12-hole muffin tin.
  • Reduce the sugar. Skip the chocolate chips and enjoy the natural sweetness from the applesauce and honey or maple syrup
  • No white whole wheat flour? Replace it with 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts, Meal Prep, Vegetarian Tagged With: zucchini

Previous Post: « Healthy Tuna Salad (with added veggies)
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Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Liz

    May 7, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe twice in one week. Perfection!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 7, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  2. Monica Crabtree

    September 30, 2020 at 11:41 am

    My son cannot have apples, so how much sugar would I use?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      September 30, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      You can replace the applesauce with mashed bananas! Not sure about the sugar, as it is a dry ingredient and I haven’t tested it with that.

      Reply
  3. cora

    October 29, 2020 at 9:45 am

    5 stars

    Reply
  4. Angie M

    January 10, 2021 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    I put this recipe through a nutrition calculator and, for 1/8 of the loaf it had 221 calories, 5.7 Gms fat, 38 Gms carbs, 3 Gms fiber, 6 Gms protein. Much, much better than regular zucchini bread AND it tastes great!

    Reply
  5. Johanna

    January 14, 2021 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    WOW, this was really good! I loved everything about it from the texture, to the perfect amount of sweetness. Definitely adding this to my recipe folder! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 14, 2021 at 5:13 pm

      I am so glad, Johanna!

      Reply
  6. Rachel

    June 30, 2021 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this as zucchini bread and also as muffins several times already. It’s absolutely delicious and everyone loves them!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 1, 2021 at 11:57 pm

      So glad you enjoy it!

      Reply
  7. Savanna

    July 28, 2022 at 3:45 am

    Is it possible to freeze this recipes batter in order to extend freezer life?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 3, 2022 at 3:12 pm

      Hmmmm. I’ve never tried freezing batter before! I feel like it might work but haven’t tested it!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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