Best easy zucchini bread recipe! This simple one-bowl quick bread recipe can be made by hand and makes two loaves of moist, perfectly spiced zucchini bread. Includes tips on how to make zucchini bread.
I love zucchini in just about anything. It’s just such a versatile vegetable!
One of my favorite easy dinner recipes is this zucchini frittata, and I could eat zucchini bread every day.
This easy one-bowl zucchini bread recipe makes two loaves of moist zucchini bread, and I love that it’s soft and moist without being greasy. It’s so good (I think it’s the best zucchini bread recipe) that it’s made many zucchini bread converts!
Ingredient notes
- Fresh zucchini – It’s best to use regular-sized fresh zucchini. Overgrown zucchini can be woody or dry, and, if so, they won’t have the moisture necessary to make this bread.
- Kosher salt – Or a pinch of table salt.
- Butter – I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
- Cinnamon – Feel free to adjust the amount of cinnamon to taste. You can also add a bit of spice like nutmeg if you would like.
- Pecans – You can omit the pecans or use another type of nut like chopped walnuts.
How to make zucchini bread
Step 1: Grate the zucchini, and place it in a colander in the sink while you continue with the recipe. Don’t wring or squeeze the zucchini.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt together until well-combined.
Step 3: Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk in just until combined.
Top tip >> The batter will be thick and heavy at this point. I recommend mixing this bread by hand to avoid overmixing it.
Step 4: Stir in the zucchini just until it’s incorporated, and then mix in the nuts, if using.
Step 5: Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans, and bake!
Tips
- Don’t squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini! Squeezing the zucchini dry will give you a dry loaf of bread because this recipe relies of that moisture.
- Be sure to properly measure the flour. I like to weigh the ingredients to ensure that the measurements are accurate. If using measuring cups, sift or stir the flour. Then, lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level. This will help to avoid packing in the flour.
- This bread is a great way to use up zucchini. It takes about 3-4 medium-ish zucchini, and there’s no need to peel the zucchini before use.
- This recipe uses melted butter, so the batter can easily be mixed by hand.
- Actually I’d suggest mixing it by hand to avoid overworking the batter.
- Depending on how your oven bakes, you may need to tent the zucchini bread with foil during the last 10 or so minutes to avoid over-browning.
Variations
Zucchini bread can be made many different types of variations!
- Whole wheat flour: Here you can find my recipe for whole wheat zucchini bread.
- Chocolate chips: You can find my recipe for chocolate chip zucchini bread here.
- Chocolate: My chocolate zucchini bread recipe is here.
- Dried fruit: You can add raisins or dried cranberries in place of part or all of the nuts.
Recipe FAQs
The photo above shows the difference between a loaf of zucchini bread baked in a 9×5 pan versus in an 8×4 pan. The loaf on the left was baked in a 9×5 pan. The loaf on the right was baked in an 8×4 pan.
So, while the recipe will work in a 9×5 pan, the loaf of zucchini bread will be wider and shorter. Also, the bread was finished baking about 5 minutes sooner.
No, there’s no need to peel the zucchini to use it.
Zucchini bread will keep for about 2-3 days when wrapped and stored at room temperature.
You can! After baking the zucchini bread, place it on a wire racks and let it cool to room temperature. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap (and then aluminum foil if you prefer) and then place it in a resealable freezer bag. You can also wrap and freeze individual slices if you don’t want to have to thaw an entire loaf at a time.
More zucchini recipes!
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Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated fresh zucchini about 4 zucchini
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup butter melted¹
- 3 cups all-purpose flour² properly measured
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two 8×4-inch loaf pans. I like to use nonstick spray with flour. Set aside.
- Place the grated zucchini in colander in the sink while you continue.3
- Whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and butter in a large bowl.
- Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon, and whisk in until just combined.
- Stir in grated zucchini until just incorporated.
- Add nuts, if using, and stir in until just combined.
- Divide batter between prepared loaf pans.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.4
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges, and remove zucchini bread out onto wire cooling racks to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- The butter should be just melted but not hot. It takes about 35 or so seconds for me to melt it in the microwave.
- To properly measure the flour, sift or stir the flour. Then, lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level. Avoid packing in the flour as it will give you a dry, heavy loaf.
- No need to squeeze or wring any moisture from the zucchini. Simply place it in the colander, and let it sit. This will help to make the bread moist.
- I loosely tent the bread with foil during the last 10 or so minutes to prevent the top from over-browning.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Published 4/16/18. Last updated 6/24/19.
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Comments & Reviews
Budvioletrose says
Simple and perfect. I have a bunch of sliced almonds I need to use up and they were delicious in this recipe.
Kate says
Thank you!
Gina says
I made a triple batch, it was excellent! But I had to do some adjustments because my 7 c. zucchini was very dry. After checking other reviews, even tho I was short on zucchini, I decided to make the triple batch and add 4 mashed bananas to make up for the shortage. It was still too thick, so I ended up adding almost 2c of milk also & 1 extra tsp cinnamon. . It made 5 good size 8” loaves, cooking time was a good hour. Delicious and moist! Love that you use butter, as we are trying to get away from using canola/veg oils. Thank you!!
Jennifer says
So good!
Kate says
Thank you!
Gwen says
Moist, not too sweet, and a consistently good zucchini bread recipe
Kate says
Thank you!
Sara Beth says
This is the BEST zucchini bread recipe!
Kate says
Thanks!!
Taylor says
Best zucchini bread I ever made!
Kate says
Thank you!
Jenny A says
Best zuchinni bread recipe ever, and I’ve tried quite a few.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it!
Yvonne says
Just made this for cook out and it is amazing. Very moist and not too sweet. Will be making again. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Brandy says
No oil needed for this bread? How does your batter look so moist without a wet ingredient?
Kate says
No, the recipe uses melted butter instead of oil. Also, the zucchini isn’t squeezed dry, so it adds a lot of moisture to the batter.
Christie says
Great recipe and super easy to make! I actually used yellow squash because I ended up with a lot from my garden. Still was delicious! Might try making the chocolate version next.
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for sharing that yellow squash works well, too!
Sabrina Hardy says
I made this for a get together and everyone loved it. I had never made zucchini bread before and my husband came home with one and requested it. I also wanted to make the chocolate one but didn’t have buttermilk on hand. So I halved this recipe, swapped out 1/4 cup flour for 1/4 cup cocoa and added the chocolate chips. My son loves it and I’m pretty sure he would eat the whole loaf if I didn’t stop him. Super easy and delicious recipe, we’ll done.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that it worked out well for you! =)
Rebecca Eure says
I make this zucchini bread all the time when the summer garden is producing. I have made 6 loaves in just the last 3 days. It is AWESOME!!! I freeze a lot of them but I also share with neighbors. PS: love the chocolate version too.
Kate says
Thank you so much!! Our zucchini is just starting to come in, and I’m so excited to make this bread. =)
Maryann grant says
I only had two zucchini left so I got two frozen bananas out, microwaved them, and that made the measure. I also prefer cardomon to cinnamon, and then added two tablespoons raw ginger, minced.
Man, it’s so good, I figured the banana had equal moisture to zucchini and used careful flour measuring
Thanks for a great, adaptive recipe that in these weird covid times gets challenging
Kate says
Thank you!
Irene says
Very easy and the taste is great.
Kate says
Thank you!
Vania says
This recipe was awesome. First time making zucchini bread and could not have chosen a better recipe. So moist and tasty. It lasted 1 day. Need to make more soon.
Kate says
I’m so glad that it came out well for you on your first time making zucchini bread! =) Thanks for commenting!
Jean valek says
I tried a lot of them this was by far the best
Kate says
Thanks! I’m happy to hear that. Thanks for commenting!
Ellen says
Just made these as muffins for 35 minutes. I added an extra egg and a tablespoon of oil because the mix looked dry. I think my eggs were small and I was a little short on zucchini. But, they turned out delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Kate says
You’re very welcome! Glad that you liked it. =) Thanks for commenting!
Donna says
We have a lot of zucchini in the garden so I decided to make some zucchini bread. I didn’t have a loaf pan so I made muffins. I halved the recipe, added macadamia nuts and baked 9 muffins for 25 minutes. They turned out perfect and were so yummy. Does this zucchini bread freeze well?
Kate says
Sounds delicious! Yes, it does freeze well. I let it come to room temperature, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then place it in a resealable freezer bag. You can also slice it before freezing. If slicing, just wrap a slice or two tightly in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped slices in a resealable freezer bag.