Zucchini bread gets better than chocolate vegan zucchini bread! Easy to make, no need to grate the zukes! Vegan, nut-free, and oil-free.

FAQ: “Dreena, do you have a vegan zucchini bread recipe?“
I was asked this question for years – and for years meant to get cracking on a recipe!
In Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, I did have a healthy muffin recipe with grated zucchini. Still, it didn’t feel like it contained enough zucchini for me to categorize it as zucchini bread.

So, it was time.
The zucchini bread is here.
And even better…
It’s a chocolate vegan zucchini bread! Hey-O!
Even better than that?
You don’t have to grate the zucchini!
Hoo-ahh, I love a kitchen shortcut!

Actually, I think the reason it took me so long to get to this recipe was that step: the grating.
Seems ridiculous. I mean, zucchini grates very easily. Much easier than, say grating carrot.
But something about grating is a nuisance. It’s grating. Har.

Am I alone here? I don’t think so.
And, don’t worry, there aren’t any chunks of zucchini in this bread. 😷

OH no. The zucchini virtually “disappears” in this delicious bread.
You pop the zukes with all the wet ingredients into a and presto!
The chocolate disguises the zucchini in this recipe!
You know, for people that may look at it and say “what are those green flecks”?
You have them in your life. We all do! Maybe it’s you. 😉

That’s the tale of my chocolate vegan zucchini bread. And I hope you love the recipe, guys. Do let me know.
x Dreena
Chocolate Vegan Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour less 3-4 tbsp (see note)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups thickly sliced zucchini
- 1 cup sliced ripe/overripe bananas
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying/wiping with a touch of oil, and lining with a strip of parchment paper (for easy removal after cooling).
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir through until well combined.
- Add zucchini, bananas, maple syrup and hemp seeds (if using) to a blender. Puree until smooth (this takes just a minute in a high speed blender, a regular blender will take longer). Once well pureed, add water and vanilla and blend again.
- Add wet mixture to dry and stir through until just well combined, and add chocolate chips if using. Transfer mixture to loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until set in the center (test with a toothpick if unsure). Remove and let cool in the pan on a cooling rack. Once cool, remove loaf and cut into slices.
Notes
This post was originally published August 2018 and has been updated with a recipe modification for 2020.





Lynn says
Hi- This recipe looks great, but I can’t eat wheat. What flours could I use instead? Would almond flour work or a combination of a few different flours?
Kim - Liv Life says
So…. I’ve made this 3 times since you posted and oh my heavens I still can’t get enough! Twice I made to give to my parents, but it never made it to their house. Today we are making the 4th to send to my college daughter and hopefully it makes the care package! Best recipe ever!
Rebekah says
This looks delicious! One question – should I use the same measurement of zucchini if I’m using grated? Before our last vacation, I finely grated a couple of big zucchinis and have it ready in my freezer, and this bread looks like the perfect way to use it up!
Morris says
I could have never imagined a zucchini being present in a vegan bread. Thanks for your creative take on it.
Denise says
I woke up on Saturday morning, mixed the ingredients, and popped the loaf in the oven. Then I went out to weed my vegetable garden. Fifty minutes later the chocolate loaf was done! Delicious. I substituted 1/2 c of coconut flour for whole wheat; because it was about to expire. The loaf was dense, but moist and full of chocolate goodness.
Grace says
So you omitted all the whole wheat flour for just the 1/2cup of coconut flour? I’m trying to make it gluten free but I always have a hard time converting with coconut flour since it’s measured differently.