Zucchini bread is the summer answer to banana bread — a quick bread that tastes like cinnamon and vanilla but uses up the vegetable overrunning your garden. One loaf pan, one bowl, and a big pile of grated zucchini turns into a moist, spiced loaf that doesn't taste like vegetables at all. Make it in July, freeze a second loaf, and have zucchini bread for breakfast in December when summer feels far away.
Dessert
Easy
American
Classic zucchini bread
A moist, spiced zucchini bread with warm cinnamon, walnuts, and brown sugar — the summer quick bread that uses up your garden glut without tasting like vegetables.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 1h 10m
- Serves
- 10
Classic zucchini bread
Makes 1 nine-inch loaf
Serves
10
Scaled 1×. Ingredients adjusted — but cook time, pan size, and oven temperature don't scale linearly. A bigger batch usually needs a bigger pan and a few extra minutes; a smaller batch often finishes sooner. Trust your eyes, not the timer.
Ingredients (16)
Topping
You'll need
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Box grater or food processor with grating disc
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
Instructions
0 of 10
Nutrition
Estimated per serving · 1 slice
340
Calories
5 g
Protein
42 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
2 g
Fiber
24 g
Sugar
220 mg
Sodium
What to look for when you shop
Best varieties
- Standard green zucchini — classic, reliable, perfect for baking
- Yellow summer squash — direct swap, milder color
- Costata Romanesco — Italian heirloom with ridged skin; sweeter flesh
- Round (Eight Ball) zucchini — same use, different shape
- Baby zucchini — extra tender; great for baby-green flecks in the loaf
Ripeness
Zucchini should feel firm with taut skin and no soft spots. Medium sizes (7 to 9 inches) are ideal — they're young, firm, and have small seeds. Giant zucchini from garden glut work but scrape out the seedy center before grating.
Imperfections are fine
Skin blemishes and minor scratches are fine — they're getting grated. A slightly soft zucchini still bakes fine; very soft or moldy should be discarded. Oversized garden zucchini work great once the seeds are scooped.
Good substitutions
- Yellow summer squash — direct 1-for-1 swap
- Grated carrot (for a milder, sweeter bread)
- Grated zucchini + carrot (50/50) for more color
- Apple (grated) + zucchini (50/50) for spiced apple-zucchini bread
- Grated sweet potato in place of half the zucchini
In season
US zucchini peaks June through September — classic garden-glut season. Out-of-season zucchini are often watery and expensive; save this recipe for summer or use frozen grated zucchini.
How much to buy
About 1 lb — 2 medium zucchini, or 1 large one (with seeds scooped).
From a grower near you
Find your zucchini grower on CollectiveCrop
A farm-fresh zucchini is smaller, denser, and drier than a supermarket specimen bred for size and shelf life — which means less water in your batter and more flavor per cup. A gardener's-glut bunch from a grower near you (or your neighbor) is the ideal input. CollectiveCrop is how to find that grower when your own garden isn't producing. Zucchini bread is the recipe that rewards the real thing.
- In season June – September
- For this recipe 1 lb / 2 medium zucchini
- Freshness Picked within this week
- Imperfects welcome Second-grade produce works great here
- Diet-friendly vegetarian
- While you're there Walnuts and pecans (from regional orchards) · Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice · Good vanilla · Farm eggs · Local butter
At the market
About 1 lb — 2 medium zucchini, or 1 large one (with seeds scooped).
Best varieties
- Standard green zucchini classic, reliable, perfect for baking
- Yellow summer squash direct swap, milder color
- Costata Romanesco Italian heirloom with ridged skin; sweeter flesh
Good to know
Tips
- The turbinado sugar topping gives the loaf a bakery-style crackly crust — don't skip.
- If using very large zucchini from the garden, halve lengthwise, scoop out the seed core with a spoon, and grate the rest.
- For extra-moist bread, leave some surface moisture on the zucchini — the oil-and-water mixture emulsifies into the batter.
- Freeze portioned grated zucchini in 1-cup bags during peak season — you'll have zucchini bread supplies for a year.
- Double the recipe; zucchini bread freezes beautifully and disappears fast.
- Add 1/2 cup fresh blueberries for a gorgeous summer twist.
- Let the bread rest overnight before serving — day-two zucchini bread has deeper, more integrated flavor.
Storage
- Room temperature: 3 days tightly wrapped.
- Refrigerator: 1 week, wrapped.
- Freezer: 3 months whole, or pre-sliced and wrapped.
- Raw zucchini (grated and patted): 3 days refrigerated; 6 months frozen.
Reheating
- Room temperature: best way to eat.
- Microwave: 15 seconds per slice.
- Toaster: 45 seconds per side for a crisp-edged warm slice (amazing with butter).
- Oven: 300°F for 5 minutes.
Make ahead
- Bake up to 3 days ahead; flavor deepens overnight.
- Grate zucchini up to 2 days ahead (store refrigerated).
- Freeze baked loaves whole or in slices.
- Freeze grated raw zucchini for future bakes — portion in 1-cup bags.
Variations
- Chocolate chip zucchini bread: fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Double chocolate zucchini: swap 1/4 cup flour for cocoa powder; add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
- Lemon zucchini bread: skip cinnamon; add 2 tbsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp lemon juice; top with lemon glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp lemon juice).
- Pineapple zucchini bread: fold in 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple.
- Cream cheese swirl: dollop 4 oz softened cream cheese + 2 tbsp sugar on the batter; swirl.
- Coconut-lime zucchini: add 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1 tbsp lime zest.
- Zucchini muffins: divide among 12 muffin cups; bake at 375°F for 22 minutes.
- Chai spice zucchini: add 1 teaspoon each of cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
- Orange-olive oil zucchini: replace butter with olive oil; add 2 tbsp orange zest.
- Savory version: skip sugar; add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tbsp fresh herbs, serve with soup.
Swaps
- Gluten-free: use a 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Vegan: replace butter with vegan butter; use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes).
- Dairy-free: use all oil (eliminate butter).
- Lower-sugar: reduce brown sugar to 1/2 cup; zucchini brings subtle sweetness.
- Nut-free: omit walnuts or swap for toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to peel the zucchini?
No — the peel is thin, the color adds character, and it disappears into the bread during baking. Just wash and grate. Peeling is unnecessary unless the zucchini is very large with tough skin.
Should I squeeze water out of the zucchini?
Lightly — not aggressively. Gently press grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove excess surface moisture, but don't wring it dry. Some moisture is what keeps zucchini bread moist. Over-squeezing gives you dry bread.
What kind of zucchini works best?
Medium-sized green zucchini (about 7 to 8 inches long) — firm, with small seeds. Very large zucchini from an overzealous garden have big seeds and can be watery; use them, but scrape out the seedy center before grating.
Can I use yellow squash instead?
Yes — yellow summer squash works 1-for-1. The color is more subtle but the texture and moisture are almost identical.
Why is my zucchini bread gummy?
Usually too much liquid (didn't pat zucchini dry) or underbaked. Test doneness with a skewer in the center — should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes if gummy.
Can I make this with whole wheat flour?
Yes. Swap up to half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat — more than that and the loaf gets dense. Whole-wheat pastry flour works 1-for-1 for a lighter result.
Can I freeze zucchini bread?
Yes, for 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic then foil (or a zip-top bag). Thaw at room temperature for 3 hours, or slice before freezing for grab-and-go portions.
Can I freeze raw zucchini for future baking?
Yes — this is a great garden-glut strategy. Grate zucchini, pat dry, portion into 1-cup bags, freeze up to 6 months. Thaw, drain liquid, use directly in baked goods.
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