Healthy Zucchini Bread

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

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 . 🙏 Thanks for your support… and enjoy! x Dreena

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4.75 from 4 votes

Healthy Zucchini Bread

No grating, no problem! Just like its chocolate counterpart, this zucchini bread is easy, and delicious.

Course baking, Breakfast, Snack

Keyword bananas, muffins, zucchini

Servings 1 loaf

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 non-dairy milk
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds (or cashew meal /almond meal)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or 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

Muffin Swap: If you want to make into muffins, fill 12 muffin cups (lined with parchment liners) and bake for 25 minutes.

Zucchini Note: Since the zucchini will be blended, no need for precise slicing. Simply cut in rough cubes or slices!

Chocolate Chip Note: If you do want to add chocolate chips (hey, I get it), add about 1/3 cup of chips (miniature size especially good). 

Zucchini Bread images credit: Leona Škopac