Sometimes the best ingredients come from the most unexpected places, and this Zucchini Carrot Bread is proof of just that. Full of vegetables found in your summer garden, this recipe is nutritious, delicious, and picky-eater approved!
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We’ve all had those summers when our gardens cannot seem to stop producing zucchinis. One moment, we’re eagerly awaiting the first one to sprout. Next, we’re staring at an overflowing countertop, game-planning how to distribute our bounty to the neighbors.
If you’re having one of these summers — or if you’re simply a huge fan of zucchini — this zucchini carrot bread recipe is for you!
This is one of my favorite treats to make during the summer for my family. Seriously, we devour it — it's just that good. Rich in flavor, texture, and moisture, the zucchini and carrots give this bread a natural, subtle sweetness that won't end in a sugar crash, and the warming spices make it a comforting treat to enjoy at all hours of the day. Served with a spoonful of coconut oil or apple butter, one loaf will disappear before your eyes, so you better make two. 😉
The next time you're itching to satisfy a sweet tooth or use up excess zucchini and carrots from your garden, this is the recipe you'll want to reach for.
Love baking with zucchini? Me too! For other zucchini bread recipes, check out my Banana Zucchini Bread and Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread.
Why You'll Love This Zucchini Carrot Bread
Whether you're making this quick bread for breakfast, a mid-day snack, or as dessert at a family dinner or cookout, this recipe deserves a spot in your baking lineup, trust me!
- Picky-Eater Approved — We might not think of putting garden vegetables in our sweet treats all the time, but despite the veggie-forward nature of this dessert, count on the pickiest of eaters to ask for another slice. It's the easiest and tastiest way to get some extra nutrition in your family's diet.
- Moist and Texturized — The natural moisture from the zucchini and carrots, paired with the apple sauce and Greek yogurt, acts as insurance against a too-dry bread. Count on a moist loaf, full of flavor and texture!
- Beginner-Friendly — If you're new to baking, this zucchini and carrot bread is a great place to start – it's an approachable, easily-modifiable recipe for bakers of all levels.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Flour - For a fluffy and well-structured crumb, use all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour. A food scale is best for the most accurate measurements, but if you don't have one, fluff the flour with a fork before scooping it into measuring cups and leveling off the tops.
Shredded zucchini and carrots - The unsuspecting stars of this delicious bread! Grated zucchini provides incredible moisture without an overpowering taste, and the carrots give a sweet, earthy flavor. Together, they create an insanely moist, sweet bread with depth and complexity.
Oil - Swapping butter for a neutral-flavored oil is one of my favorite healthy baking hacks. This recipe calls for avocado oil, but you can also use canola or grapeseed oil — all options will keep the bread light, fluffy, and full of flavor.
Greek yogurt and applesauce - My secret for moist baked goods! Greek yogurt provides moisture and a subtle, tangy flavor, and the applesauce adds light sweetness. Sour cream can be used instead of Greek yogurt if needed.
Sugars - Light brown sugar and granulated sugar for that yummy, caramel-like flavor.
Eggs - For a smooth batter and a structured loaf. Bring to room temperature before using.
Vanilla extract - This adds warmth, enhancing the natural flavor of the zucchini and carrots. For the best results, use pure vanilla extract.
Warming spices - Pull out the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice for a perfectly spiced bread, perfect even for the summer months.
Baking soda, baking powder, and salt - These are your leavening agents which help the bread rise. Salt balances all the flavors.
How to Make Zucchini Carrot Bread
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and move the baking rack to the center of the oven. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the oil, applesauce, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined.
Step 3: Add the zucchini to a tea towel or a few pieces of paper towel. Fold up the towel and squeeze out the excess water.
Step 4: Add the grated carrots and zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir in until well combined.
Step 5: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined.
Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in until just combined.
Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading out the top until level. Bake the zucchini and carrot bread for 55-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Step 8: Cool the bread on wire cooling racks until room temperature. Remove from the pan, slice, and enjoy with a brush of butter, coconut oil, or apple butter!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Squeeze out all the extra liquid from the shredded zucchini. We want our zucchini carrot bread to be moist, but not soggy and wet. Fold the shredded zucchini into a tea towel or several paper towels and squeeze until the excess water is removed.
- Accurately weigh/measure the flour. Accurately measuring the flour is key to a perfect bake and avoiding a heavy batter and dense bread. I prefer using a food scale for accuracy. You can also scoop the flour into the cups, leveling off the top, rather than scooping the flour directly into the measuring cup, which can actually add up to 15% of the flour to the recipe.
- Do not overmix. This is a common mistake, but one that can be easily remedied. Instead of risking an overmixed batter, gently fold the ingredients together to avoid a dense bread.
Recipe Variations
- Blueberries: Toss one cup of fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries with one tablespoon of flour. Fold the wet ingredients into the batter after adding the dry ingredients. You can also use blackberries.
- Chocolate Chips: Stir in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, or sprinkle the batter with ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips before baking.
- Nuts and Raisins: If you're a fan of carrot cake, you might appreciate some walnuts, pecans, and/or raisins for added crunch and texture.
- Banana Zucchini Carrot Bread: This is the easiest variation! Instead of applesauce, use ½ cup of mashed overripe banana.
- Gluten-free: Enjoy your carrot zucchini bread sans gluten with an all-purpose 1-to-1 gluten-free flour (King Arthur is my favorite) instead of all-purpose or whole wheat flour. Allow the gluten-free batter to rest for 30 minutes before baking.
High-Altitude Adaptations
If you live at high altitude, don't worry! A few small modifications will produce the tastiest zucchini carrot bread without sacrificing moisture or flavor.
- Increase the heat. Bake at 365°F instead of 350°F.
- Add more flour. Use 2 ¼ cups (280g) of whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour.
- Sugars. Decrease the granulated sugar to ¼ cup. Or swap the brown and white sugar entirely for ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of pure cane sugar.
- Decrease baking powder. Use ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Store the carrot zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
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More Zucchini Baking Recipes
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Recipe Card
Zucchini Carrot Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil or canola, grapeseed, or coconut oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs brought to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar or 1 cup of pure cane sugar instead of the white and brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup shredded carrots preferably fresh-shredded
- 2 cup (250g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 tablespoons turbinado cane sugar or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and move the baking rack to the center of the oven. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil, applesauce, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined.
- Add the zucchini to a tea towel or a few pieces of paper towel. Fold up the towel and squeeze out the excess water.
- Add the shredded carrots and zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir in until well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the zucchini carrot bread for 55-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool the bread on wire cooling racks until room temperature. Remove from the pan, slice, and enjoy with a brush of butter, coconut oil, or apple butter!
Notes
- Refrigerating: Store the carrot zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
- Squeeze out all the extra liquid from the shredded zucchini. We want our zucchini carrot bread to be moist, but not soggy and wet. Fold the shredded zucchini into a tea towel or a few paper towels and squeeze until the extra water is removed.
- Accurately weigh/measure the flour. Accurately measuring the flour is key to a perfect bake and avoiding a heavy batter. I prefer using a food scale for accuracy. You can also scoop the flour into the cups, leveling off the top, rather than scooping the flour directly into the measuring cup, which can actually add up to 15% of the flour to the recipe.
- Do not overmix. This is a common mistake. Instead of risking an overmixed batter, gently fold the ingredients together to avoid a dense bread.
