Meet your new healthy zucchini bread. No grating zucchini! This delicious and easy vegan zucchini bread recipe is whole grain and oil-free, plus the whole family will love it!
Meet your easiest, healthy zucchini bread!
Forget grating zucchini. Forget fussy baking techniques. 🙌
After creating my Chocolate Zucchini Bread, I wanted to develop a non-chocolate version. Not just because you all loved the recipe, but also because sometimes I want a healthy zucchini bread.
I know… shocking given my love of chocolate. A quick search will bring you to Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake, Orange Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate Gelato, Chocolate Chip Muffins – and that’s just a few.
But, we aren’t here to talk chocolate. So, let’s talk about this healthy zucchini bread and what makes it special…
This Healthy Vegan Zucchini Bread Is…
- easy: unlike other zucchini bread recipes, but in line with my popular chocolate zucchini bread, you do not need to grate the zucchini. 🙌 Instead, simply a quick chop of the zukes, into the food processor with the other wet ingredients – boom, ready!
- whole-grain: this zucchini bread recipe uses whole grain spelt flour or whole-wheat pastry flour. I prefer spelt for texture, but both work very well.
- oil-free: this is an oil-free zucchini bread, but is still beautifully moist. The moisture comes from the combination of zucchini and banana, as well as the addition of hemp seeds or cashew meal (whicheve you choose).
- nut-free: as mentioned above, I offer a nut-free option in this recipe using hemp seeds. If nuts aren’t an issue, you can opt to use cashew meal or almond meal. I prefer the hemp seeds.
- naturally sweetened: this recipe is lower in sugar than many zucchini breads, sweetness coming from the zucchini and bananas, and pure maple syrup
- tender and delicious: despite having no eggs, no butter or oil, and being naturally sweetened, this zucchini bread is moist and tender, and absolutely delicious!
Finally, always an option: chocolate chips can be added (’nuff said) 😉
Zucchini Bread FAQ
It can be. However, even though most recipes use a good amount of nutritious zucchini, they can also be made with butter, oil, white flour, and a lot of sugar.
No! First, it’s easiest to leave the zucchini peel on. Secondly, there are nutrients in the peel, so leave ’em on.
Absolutely, yellow zucchini/squash is an excellent substitution for green zucchini in this recipe.
Yes, see the recipe notes to adapt to muffins.
I give a substitute for you in the recipe ingredients.
Baking can be precise, and removing cocoa is removing some of the dry ingredients and also changes the sweetness level (as cocoa is bitter). I decided to rework the recipe, and tested it more than five times to ensure it had a pleasing taste and texture.
If you already have grated zucchini, measure a little scant, maybe 1 3/4 cups (since chunks of zucchini take up more space in measuring cups). Then puree it with the banana and other wet ingredients.
In addition to this zucchini bread, try my chocolate zucchini bread, and also try these popular zucchini fritters. Furthermore, I will be sharing another zucchini recipe very soon – a zucchini pasta. Stay tuned!
I think it’s time to bake! Strap on that apron, and let me know how you like the recipe.
Reminder: Dreena’s Kind Kitchen releases August 24th. These are the last few weeks to jump in on the pre-order gifts and enter the giveaway. 🙏 Thanks for your support… and enjoy! x Dreena
Healthy Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or 2 1/2 cups whole-grain spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups roughly sliced/cut zucchini see note
- 1 cup sliced ripe/overripe bananas OR 1/2 cup applesauce
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup canned coconut milk or a richer non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds (or cashew meal /almond meal)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
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, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom/nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir through until well combined. Add zucchini, bananas/applesauce, milk, hemp seeds, vanilla, and lemon juice to a blender and blend until very smooth. Add wet mixture to dry and stir through until just well combined.Transfer mixture to loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until set in the centre (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. Makes 1 quick bread.
Notes
Zucchini Bread images credit: Leona Škopac
Debbie Bradley says
Hi , just a quick comment on this wonderful recipe. You seem to have forgotten to type into the instructions to and the maple syrup into the blender. I almost made this without it, lol.
Thanks
Debbie
Dreena Burton says
Hi Debbie – thank you, I will go back and edit. Appreciate you reaching out to let me know!
Kate says
Hi, what size is your loaf pan? I have two different sizes and want to know which one did you use. Thanks!
Dreena says
Hi Kate, mine is a glass loaf pan, 26 x 13 x 7 centimeters
Mireille says
Made this today and it turned out perfectly! Made the house smell so good! I used 2.75 cups oat flour. Started with 2.5 cups and adjusted until it was the right consistency. Such a great recipe even when adapted to gluten free! Thank you, Dreena!
Dreena says
Wonderful! Thanks for the note and great rating, Mireille.
Michelle S says
Just made these muffins. I added chocolate chunks. They came out great soft and fluffy, not dense and gummy like most recipes I’ve tried. Thanks for a pb muffin worth eating. Tomorrow I I’ll see what the kids think.
Dreena says
Hi Michelle, thanks for the note, glad you enjoyed the muffins! Curious if there was something you didn’t like given the rating of 4 stars. Thanks, Dreena.
Yulca says
Very good, hubby & toddler approach :).
Yulca says
Whoops, typo: Hubby & toddler approved!
Nina - Edamommy4life says
This sweet bread is so yummy! I used lite coconut milk and the hemp seeds. I measured by dumping right into the Vitamix and using the measurements listed on the canister. It worked just fine, no need for exact measurements. I doubled the recipe for 2 loaves. I prefer this one to the chocolate one!
Theresa Cary says
Can date paste be used in place of maple syrup?
Dreena says
Hi Theresa, I’d say date syrup will work okay, but not a thick date paste – just a little too heavy.
Christina says
Thanks Dreena! My house is smelling wonderful as the muffins cook up. I had a little helper with me who wanted to add some vegan sprinkles on top. They look beautiful ; ) Also, perfect timing…how did you know I had some zucchini’s to use up?! Can’t wait for your next book to arrive.
Elaine says
Would this bread be sturdy enough to make sandwiches with or is it more cake-like for that. Also…..I feel more comfortable knowing about how many ounces or grams of zucchini you’re using rather than trusting whether my chunks or slices are too big or too small…..is that possible?? Look forward to trying it.
Dreena says
Hi Elaine, good question, this is a sweeter quick bread, but you could add a smear of nut butter or something like that.
I don’t have the weight measures at this time. I find the recipe is fairly forgiving, just cut the zucchini as you might for a stir-fry. Hope that helps!
Sferd says
Would unsweetened soy milk work as a sub for the canned coconut milk? Or, would something else be better?
I’m so excited to try this recipe!
Dreena says
Hi Sferd, yes unsweetened soy milk should work great! Enjoy
Sferd says
Thanks so much for the speedy reply! 🙂
Ann says
Hi Dreena! I’m such a fan of yours. I’m going to pick up some zucchini at Costco and make this.
Because of you, I ordered/got a Bellicon rebounder in March and I’ve never been so happy, joyful and appreciative.
I really wanted to express my appreciation for your role modeling lifestyle and Grace. Such a gift, Ann in
California
Dreena says
Hi Ann, how wonderful! Oh, that brings me joy to know you are enjoying your bellicon, and thank you for such a kind comment. Touches my heart. Enjoy the zucchini bread!
Rachel says
Thanks so much Dreena for this, I love your chocolate version but too much cocoa gives me migraines so I will definitely be adding chocolate chips to this for a ‘lower’ chocolate version!
Dreena says
Hi Rachel, I’m so glad this recipe will suit you better. Hope you love it!
Robyn says
Its not nut free you have cashew/almonds
Dreena says
Hi Robyn, I offer it as an option to hemp seeds – which are nut free.
Dreena says
This is also detailed in the text leading up to the recipe, if you read through.