This easy Zucchini Bread recipe is moist and sweet, and a great way to use up a lot of zucchini! Make the recipe as-is, or add your favorite mix-ins to the batter.
Zucchini Bread is the recipe every vegetable gardener needs in their back pocket—because you know you’re always going to have an abundance of zucchini every summer!
This moist Zucchini Bread recipe is the best way to use up your zucchini harvest, and I guarantee even the veggie-haters in your household will eat it up. Gussied up with chopped walnuts and flavored with a generous tablespoon of ground cinnamon, this is Zucchini Bread like grandma used to make.
The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
While the saying might be “American as apple pie,” Zucchini Bread might be even more American. (Maybe make a loaf for the 4th of July?)
Zucchini is from Italy, but the original recipe for Zucchini Bread is believed to have originated in 18th century America, likely the invention of a desperate gardener with a bumper crop of zucchini on her hands (just kidding!). It wasn’t until the 1960s that it really boomed in popularity, as more people became interested in healthier desserts.
It seems that everyone has their own favorite recipe, and they also have strong opinions about what makes the best Zucchini Bread. Are nuts a deal-breaker? What about chocolate chips? Cream cheese frosting or nah? The beauty of this easy Zucchini Bread is that you can customize it to your family’s tastes and preferences.
(PS – Want to switch things up? Try my Blueberry Zucchini Bread too! Chocolate Zucchini Bread is another great recipe to try!)
Ingredients For Zucchini Bread
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-purpose flour – I haven’t made this recipe with other types of flour, so please leave a comment if you make this with a gluten-free blend or whole wheat flour.
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon – You can’t go wrong with cinnamon, but sometimes I use pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Eggs – Take them out of the fridge a little bit before you’re ready to start baking. It’s always best to bake with room-temperature eggs.
- Vegetable oil – Canola oil will work too!
- White sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Grated zucchini – If you’re using a really large zucchini with large, tough seeds, I recommended scooping them out first before you start grating. Use either the large holes of a box grater or food processor to shred the zucchini, then blot it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Chopped walnuts – You’re either a nut lover or a nut hater when it comes to quick breads, and there seems to be no in-between! Feel free to omit the nuts or substitute them with a cup of chocolate chips for Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread. Or if you like walnuts and chocolate, go halfsies!
How to Make Homemade Zucchini Bread
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 325ºF and grease and flour two large bread pans. (Alternatively, you can grease the loaf pans and line them with parchment paper for easy removal.)
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
- Make the Batter: Beat the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat well. Fold in the shredded zucchini and walnuts, then pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake: Place the bread pans in the oven and bake your Zucchini Bread for 40 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then remove the bread (carefully!) and let it finish cooling on the racks. Once it reaches room temperature, you can slice and serve it.
Quick Tip
Zucchini bread is an excellent vehicle for mix-ins! Try out chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, or anything else you think would taste great in the bread.
How to Store Zucchini Bread
Wrap in plastic, aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight storage container. It will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQs
Yes and no! Zucchini Bread is certainly healthier than a bread or cake made without a vegetable because it has some added nutritional value, but it does have a lot of sugar and oil, so it’s not exactly healthy food. I’d consider it a dessert.
Yes, Zucchini Bread freezes fabulously! Once it’s cooled, I recommend wrapping it in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then popping the loaves in a freezer bag. This may seem like overkill, but it’s my tried-and-true method for preventing freezer burn and it hasn’t failed me yet.
There are two ways to prepare zucchini for Zucchini Bread. You can use your food processor’s grating attachment or use an old-fashioned box grater.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups white sugar
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.3 eggs, 1 cup vegetable oil, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 ¼ cups white sugar, 2 cups grated zucchini, 1 cup chopped walnuts
- Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
