Zucchini Bread

4.98 from 81 votes

This zucchini bread recipe is healthy, moist, and made with Greek yogurt and added walnuts for a nice crunchy quick zucchini bread!

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Made with creamy Greek yogurt, this zucchini bread recipe is moist and oh-so-good! A handful of wholesome ingredients provide a healthier twist to a classic quick bread that will quickly become your family favorite. This zucchini bread with nuts is not overly sweet, so it works well for breakfast or a midday snack, especially with a cup of tea or coffee!

Zucchini bread on parchment paper cut halfway up into thick slices with a serrated knife nearby.

Table of Contents

  1. Why you’ll love this healthy zucchini bread
  2. Ingredients to make zucchini bread
  3. How to make zucchini bread
  4. how to make the Zucchini bread batte
  5. bake the zucchini bread
  6. Tips for making the best zucchini bread recipe
  7. Popular substitutions & additions
  8. How to store & reheat zucchini bread
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. More sweet bread recipes:
  11. Zucchini Bread Recipe

Get ready for the best zucchini bread recipe! The secret to a moist loaf lies in the shredded zucchini and Greek yogurt combo, which gives this healthy zucchini bread a protein boost while maintaining that wonderful texture. Add a blend of warm spices, and you have a wonderful treat that you can enjoy any time of the day.

Why you’ll love this healthy zucchini bread

  • Easy to make: No professional baking skills are needed to make zucchini bread. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll have a loaf of delicious sweet bread in no time.
  • Meal-prep friendly: This recipe is a convenient choice for busy mornings. Double the batch, and freeze individual slices for a quick, grab-and-go breakfast or snack option.
  • Great way to use up zucchini: Do you have a bounty of zucchini growing in your garden? This recipe is a wonderful way to turn your zucchini harvest into a flavorful treat. It even works with overgrown zucchini that has been hiding under the leaves.
  • Customize with your favorite add-ins: This easy recipe provides a great base for customization. Give it a unique spin by adding your favorite mix-ins and toppings.

Ingredients to make zucchini bread

  • Zucchini: Grated zucchini adds moisture and texture to the bread.
  • Eggs: Eggs act as the binding agent, helping to hold the ingredients together.
  • Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds moisture and tanginess to the bread, which contributes to the overall soft texture. It also adds a protein punch.
  • Olive oil: The olive oil helps prevent the bread from drying out and also contributes a subtle fruity note.
  • Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a slightly bold caramel flavor that enhances the overall taste.
  • All-purpose flour: Flour serves as the main ingredient, providing structure and stability and gives the bread that characteristic crumb and texture.
  • Baking soda and baking powder: These are used as leavening agents helping the bread rise. Adding both the baking soda and powder to the bread batter produces a lighter and fluffier texture.
  • Spices and salt: Cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth and a wonderful aroma to the bread while the salt enhances all the flavors, bringing everything together.
  • Vanilla extract: Gives the bread a delicious flavor and aroma.
  • Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a satisfying crunch, nutty taste, and a wonderful contrast to the softness of the bread.
Ingredients for recipe: flour, walnuts, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg, yogurt, oil, and zucchini.

How to make zucchini bread

You will love how quickly this simple recipe comes together. The secret to getting perfectly moist but not mushy zucchini bread is to remove as much moisture as possible from the zucchini.

how to make the Zucchini bread batte

  1. Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini.
  2. Wrap in a clean tea towel and place in a colander. Use your hands to squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible, then set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, olive oil, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula.
  5. Add drained zucchini and walnuts.
  6. Fold until combined well.
6 image collage making batter: 1- grating zucchini with a box grater on to a plate, 2- grated zucchini on top of towel in a mesh strainer, 3- wet ingredients added to a bowl, 4- after mixing with dry ingredients added, 5- batter with walnuts and drained grated zucchini added, 6- batter after fully combined.

bake the zucchini bread

  1. Scrape the batter into a coated and lined bread pan.
  2. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Tips for making the best zucchini bread recipe

  1. Don’t worry about peeling the zucchini. There’s no need to peel the zucchini because it blends in with the inner parts of the zucchini without adding a weird texture. Plus, it adds more fiber to the bread!
  2. Remove as much excess moisture from the zucchini as possible. You can lightly salt the grated zucchini and let sit in a colander for 10 minutes before squeezing to help get the most moisture out. Failing to drain it properly will result in a gummy consistency of the final bread.
  3. Tent the top with foil. If you find the top is browning too much before the middle is cooked, you can loosely tent the top of the bread with foil to keep the top from overcooking.
  4. Use a thermometer to check for doneness. The toothpick or knife trick will work well, but it you aren’t sure you can use a thermometer to confirm the doneness. The temperature should read 200°F.
  • Make them into muffins. Just divide them up into 12 muffin cups and bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.
  • Use applesauce. You can substitute some or all of the oil with unsweetened applesauce to reduce the overall fat content.
  • Swap out the sugar. You can use maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or even monk fruit if you prefer not to use brown sugar.
  • Experiment with add-ins. Add a touch of indulgence by folding in half of a cup of chocolate chips into the batter. Or consider adding chopped dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates to enhance sweetness.
  • Make lemon zucchini bread. Give the bread a bright, citrus flavor by adding lemon zest to the batter. Take it one step further and add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to cream cheese frosting and drizzle on top once the bread has completely cooled.
Hand holding a slice of zucchini bread up close to show texture.

How to store & reheat zucchini bread

Store the bread in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can enjoy zucchini bread at room temperature or slightly toasted in a toaster oven for a few minutes.

How long will zucchini bread last in the fridge?

Zucchini bread with nuts will last for up to a week in the fridge.

Can i freeze zucchini bread with greek yogurt?

Yes! You may freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Make sure the bread is completely cooled first. Then, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn. Transfer to the freezer. Thaw at room temperature when you are ready to eat.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this zucchini bread gluten free?

Yes! Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. When looking for a gluten-free flour blend, make sure to use one with a one-to-one replacement ratio and check the specific instructions on the packaging if it requires additional ingredients or adjustments.

Can I use regular yogurt in this zucchini bread recipe?

This recipe works best with Greek yogurt, but you can use regular yogurt in a pinch. If you have sour cream, use that as it is higher in fat content. Sour cream and Greek yogurt have similar texture and flavor and will produce the same result.

How can I make this zucchini bread vegan?

The great thing is that this recipe for zucchini bread uses only two non-vegan ingredients. Make these simple swaps to enjoy vegan zucchini bread: use a dairy-free yogurt such as coconut yogurt and replace the eggs with flax-eggs.

Zucchini bread slices on a plate, one smeared with butter.

This zucchini bread with Greek yogurt is a delicious and nutritious treat that can be enjoyed as a breakfast, snack, or dessert after a meal. This is a great recipe to use up excess zucchini growing in your garden. With the perfect balance of moisture and flavor, you won’t be able to stop at just one slice!

More sweet bread recipes:

If you try this feel good Zucchini Bread recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread recipe is healthy, moist, and made with Greek yogurt and added walnuts for a nice crunchy quick zucchini bread!
5 from 81 votes
Servings 10 slices
Course Breakfast
Calories 338
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium zucchinis grated (start with about 1 pound of zucchini, then grate)
  • nonstick cooking spray as needed
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt at room temperature
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Generously coat a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini. Wrap in a clean tea towel and place in a colander. Use your hands to squeeze out as much excess as possible, then set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, olive oil, Greek yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract. Fold the dry ingredient in with a rubber spatula. When only a few streaks of flour remain, add drained zucchini and walnuts and fold until combined.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70 to 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from loaf pan.

Notes

Storage: Zucchini bread can be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, transfer to the fridge for up to 1 week.
To freeze, tightly wrap individual slices or the whole loaf and place in freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
Tips:
Don’t worry about peeling the zucchini. There’s no need with this recipe because you’ll barely notice them and it blends in with the inner parts of the zucchini. Plus it adds more fiber to the recipe this way!
Remove as much excess moisture from the zucchini as possible. Failing to drain it properly will result in a gummy consistency of the final bread.
Note the longer bake time up to 75 minutes. This loaf takes quite a while to bake through thanks to all the moisture the zucchini adds. If you find the top is browning too much before the middle is cooked, you can loosely tent the top of the bread with foil.
Use a thermometer to check for doneness. The toothpick or knife trick will work well but because this loaf is so large, it will appear done on top and may be crumb free but still need a few more minutes of cooking at the bottom. Quick bread doneness temperature should be at 200°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.004g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 215mg, Potassium: 269mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 168IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 66mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Breakfast

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Comments

  1. I made your zucchini bread but I added pumpkin pie spice from Trader Joe’s. SO GOOD. My 18m babe loved it.

  2. Super tasty recipe! We made this over the weekend and it was a hit! The only substitution we made was using chocolate chips instead of walnuts 🙂

  3. I love using your recipes to make new things but when zucchini bread (a summer household staple) came up I knew I had to give your recipe a try! It Did not disappoint! Perfect light and fluffy bread with that classic summertime vibe. So good!

  4. This zucchini bread was so delicious! My family devoured it in a day. I used homegrown zucchinis which made it even better!

  5. It came out very nice! It’s easy to make, and I loved the fact that uses Greek yogurt and olive oil. I added a couple of cocoa powder to intensify the flavors a bit and doubled the amount of cinnamon too. Everyone loved it! Especially the texture! Thanks!!!

  6. This recipe was such a great way to use up some extra zucchini. I loved how light and fluffy the bread turned out!!

      1. I wouldn’t suggest decreasing the oil since it will affect the texture of the bread, but you could try using your favorite neutral oil of choice.

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