sweet, moist, and chock-full of fruits, veggies, AND whole-grains, this Banana Zucchini Bread is sure to become an instant family favorite. best of all, it's super simple to make and is freezer-friendly.
Table of contents
- sweet, moist, and chock-full of fruits, veggies, AND whole-grains, this Banana Zucchini Bread is sure to become an instant family favorite. best of all, it's super simple to make and is freezer-friendly.
- Save this recipe for later on Pinterest:
- You'll love this zucchini and banana bread because:
- Ingredients:
- Ingredient substitutions:
- How to make zucchini banana bread:
- Dairy-free and gluten-free adaptations:
- Recipe pro-tips:
- How to most accurately measure flour:
- Recipe variations:
- How to make zucchini banana bread muffins:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Storage & Freezing
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- More quick bread & muffin recipes:
If you've been following Mae's Menu for a while, you might've already tried my Brown Butter Banana Bread, Marbled Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread, or Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread. See, I have this deep obsession with quick breads, especially when they're loaded up with fruits and/or veggies.
Today, I'm proud to introduce my newest iteration of the beloved classic — Zucchini Banana Bread! I mean, if banana bread is tasty and zucchini bread is delicious, doesn't it just make sense that they'd create a delectable lovechild? I thought so, too. And friends? I'm happy to report I was right.
This scrumptious loaf is super moist and tender, has a lovely spiced banana flavor, and sneakily includes both veggies and whole wheat flour for a sweet treat you can feel good about. As if that weren't enough to love, this banana zucchini bread recipe takes just 15 minutes of prep to get in the oven.
Save this recipe for later on Pinterest:
You'll love this zucchini and banana bread because:
- An excellent way to use up your summer bounty and overripe bananas in one go. I don't know about you, but this time of year I'm swimming in summer squash and almost always have some freckled bananas that need using. This recipe lets me use both at the same time. Chalk one up for the good guys!
- Kid-friendly. Essentially a zucchini banana cake, this sweet treat is one that kids won't be able to resist.
- Quick & easy. All you need is 15 minutes of prep to get this mouthwatering loaf in the oven. That's easy enough for even a busy weeknight!
- Super versatile. I've got you covered with instructions for making this healthy banana zucchini bread dairy-free, gluten-free, and/or in portable muffin form below.
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter - Adds richness and flavor to the bread.
- Brown sugar - Either light or dark will work here. Pack that sugar down well when measuring.
- Granulated sugar - Adds enough sweetness to complement the natural sweetness of the bananas.
- Large eggs - Bind the bread together and adds additional richness to the bread.
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream - Use either 2%, 4% or full-fat dairy here.
- Pure vanilla extract - You can also use pure vanilla powder or paste.
- Bananas - The riper, the better!
- All-purpose flour - We mix this in with the whole wheat flour (next) to keep the bread from getting too dense.
- Whole wheat flour - Either white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour works.
- Baking soda - Gives the bread a great rise.
- Salt - I use fine sea salt. If you're using a different style of salt, check out this handy conversion table.
- Ground cinnamon - My favorite cinnamon is Saigon cinnamon, commonly sold at Costco for a very reasonable price.
- Allspice - Adds the classic zucchini bread flavor without overpowering the banana.
- Zucchini - As an added bonus, you don't have to peel the zucchini before grating. Easy, peasy!
Ingredient substitutions:
- Butter - Feel free to use salted butter if that's what you have on hand; just be sure to reduce the salt by a pinch if you do. You are also welcome to use vegan butter if needed.
- Sugar - Coconut sugar can be used in place of both the granulated and brown sugar if you prefer.
- Eggs - Feel free to swap in flax eggs for the chicken eggs if needed. 1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed (or Ground Flaxseed) + 3 Tablespoons of water, stirred together and left for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Zucchini - Any summer squash works here, from yellow squash to pattypan, zephyr to crookneck.
How to make zucchini banana bread:
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prep. Preheat the oven & spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Beat the eggs into the creamed butter until smooth and creamy, and a light yellow/orange color.
- Beat in the Greek yogurt or sour cream, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Note: the batter may look curdled at this point, but it's just how the bananas look when they are added to the butter mixture.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients until combined.
- Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Add the shredded zucchini to the batter. Gently beat together on low until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 10 - 1 hour 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Dairy-free and gluten-free adaptations:
This banana zucchini bread is pretty stellar as is, but I know that dietary restrictions exist. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
Dairy-free zucchini banana bread: use ½ cup virgin coconut oil in place of the unsalted butter and ⅓ cup mayonnaise (avocado, olive oil, or light mayo can also work) in place of the Greek yogurt or sour cream. Continue with the recipe as directed.
Gluten-free zucchini banana bread: replace the flour with 2 ¾ cup (330g) of a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend. Continue with the recipe as directed.
Recipe pro-tips:
How to shred zucchini - Cut off the tail end of the unpeeled zucchini, hold the zucchini by the crown, and use the large holes on a box grater. Alternatively, feel free to use your food processor fitted with the grating blade; just be sure to remove both the crown and tail ends first.
How to quickly ripen bananas - There are a few ways to ripen bananas, depending on how much time you have.
- The first is to place the bananas in a brown paper bag and set it on the counter. The bag will help to trap some of the ethylene gas that the fruit gives off as it ripens, causing the bananas to ripen within 12-36 hours. If you have other ripe fruit (like an apple) toss it in the bag, too to assist the production of ethylene.
- Alternatively, you can bake unpeeled bananas on a parchment-lined sheet tray in an oven preheated to 300F. When they're ready they'll become dark and shiny, and a little juice will likely ooze out the sides. This should take 15-20 minutes. If you use an air-fryer set to 300F, this should only take 8-10 minutes.
- Finally, you can also use your microwave. Poke the unpeeled bananas several times all around with a fork. Microwave on a microwave-safe plate in 30-second bursts on high power until they are ripe enough for your liking.
Cream it like you mean it! The process of creaming butter and sugar together isn't just a matter of combining ingredients. Rather, the sugar crystals create air pockets in the softened butter, which acts as a type of leavening for your baked goods. Make sure to cream the butter and sugars thoroughly until the butter becomes pale, fluffy, and increased in volume.
How to most accurately measure flour:
The scale is your friend. If you're serious about baking, using a food scale is a much more effective way to ensure perfectly consistent results every single time.
I also strongly suggest using a kitchen scale if you plan on scaling (ha!) this recipe up. Why? Dry ingredients have a tendency to settle, which can end up with you accidentally adding than you actually need.
Recipe variations:
Feel free to customize your loaf to your exact specifications and to load up the batter with your favorite add-ins after you've added the zucchini. A few of my favorite variations:
- stirring in toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
- folding in mini chocolate chips, regular chocolate chips, or dried fruit
- baking the bread with a vertically sliced (cut through the length) banana on top, cut side up
How to make zucchini banana bread muffins:
Thankfully, it's super easy to make banana zucchini muffins with this recipe, too! Just make the batter as directed and scoop the batter into a prepared muffin tray by ½ cup scoops.
Bake the muffins for 24-26 minutes, or until they are baked through and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.
Recipe FAQs:
Healthy is a pretty subjective term that is quite loaded for many people. Since I'm not a licensed nutrition professional, I'm not qualified to give you any dietary advice. That said, this is a treat I feel totally good about eating and sharing with my loved ones.
This simple quick bread is made with whole grains (yay fiber!), is primarily sweetened with bananas (which means less added sugar), and sneaks veggies into every slice (gimme those nutrients!). Heck, it's even virtuous enough for me to feel a-okay slathering a slice in softened butter, because butter makes everything better — amirite?
No! In fact, that added step would actually be detrimental to your final loaf. The recipe relies on the moisture in the zucchini to create a tender crumb, so leave it be.
You don't need to go too nuts here. Using the large side of a box grater or cheese grater will do just fine.
Storage & Freezing
Refrigeration: bread keeps covered and wrapped in an airtight container or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- After refrigeration, you can eat the slices while they are still chilled, or, if you have a little extra patience, take the extra step of warming them in a toaster oven or dry skillet to restore them to their fresh-from-the-oven glory.
Freezing: this bread can also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. To use after freezing, allow to defrost for several hours in the fridge before slicing and consuming.
Serving suggestions
As far as I'm concerned, this banana zucchini bread is a perfect snack for just about any time. Eat a slice with your morning cup of coffee or tea, reach for one as a post-workout snack, or have a slice for dessert.
It's great for packed lunches, picnics, and road trips (especially if you bake it in muffin form for easy transportation and portioning). It also makes for a stellar housewarming or get-well gift!
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Food scale
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Loaf pan
- Cooling rack
More quick bread & muffin recipes:
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Thank you so much for your feedback and support of Mae's Menu!
Banana Zucchini Bread
Email FacebookIngredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream 2%, 4% or full-fat
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed bananas from about 2 large bananas
- 1 ½ cup (or 190g) all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup (or 155g) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ¼ cup shredded zucchini unpeeled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8 x 4-inch loaf baking pan with non-stick spray or grease with butter. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing as needed.
- Beat the eggs into the creamed butter until smooth and creamy, and a light yellow/orange color.
- Beat in the Greek yogurt or sour cream, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Note: the batter may look curdled at this point, but it's just how the bananas look when they stir in with the butter mixture.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice until combined.
- Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture until the streaks of flour just disappear.
- Add the shredded zucchini to the batter. Gently beat together on low until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 10 - 1 hour 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Judy says
Haven't made it yet. Sounds great.
Should moisture from zucchini be squeezed out before using?
Mae's Menu says
Hi, Judy!
No, the moisture does not need to be squeezed out of the zucchini for this recipe! Hope you enjoy!
Best,
Chelsea