The Best Healthy Zucchini Bread (2024)

About This Recipe

Move over, banana bread. It’s time to let someone else enjoy the spotlight!

This Healthy Zucchini Bread is seriously the best. It checks off so many boxes! Not only is it low in calories and made with healthy, whole ingredients, but it has a good amount of fiber, is protein packed, and tastes so good that you’d never guess it’s healthy. (Or contains a vegetable!)

It’s thick, moist, and perfectly spiced to be a great treat to enjoy as fall comes around! And, it’s only 100 calories per slice. So enjoy to your heart’s content! 🥰️

I think this zucchini bread tastes even better the next day after chilling in the fridge overnight. The flavors come out even more and it’s just to die for.

This is for sure a recipe to have in your recipe box when you have some extra zucchini lying around. There are so many ways to switch it up depending on what you’re in the mood for. Add chocolate chips, nuts, enjoy with nut butter or cream cheese…I give more suggestions below! Check them out!

Have extra zucchini? Try my Gingerbread Zucchini Bread! Or make my infamous Skinny Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or my Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread for more delicious quick bread recipes!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Zucchini – Tastes sooooo delicious! Nothing at all like a vegetable.
• Whole wheat flour – I used whole wheat flour for this recipe. I haven’t tried it with other flours yet, so I can’t vouch for how they will turn out. But I would expect normal all-purpose, 1:1 gluten-free flour, or oat flour to all work well. If you try another flour, please let me know how it works in the comments!
• Protein powder – I used PEScience Snickerdoodle (code Laurenfitfoodie to save!) A vanilla or peanut butter flavor would also work here. If you want to use another brand, just make sure it is also a whey + casein blend that bakes well. Not all protein powders respond the same.
• Unsweetened applesauce – You can use mashed banana or pumpkin as substitutes.
• Pancake syrup – Sugar-free or regular maple syrup. Any sticky syrup like agave or honey will also work.
• Egg
• Baking essentials – Cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, pure vanilla extract, and salt.

Optional Variations and Dietary Adaptions

• Chocolate chips – ALWAYS a good idea! You could also add whit chocolate, toffee, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips to switch it up!
• Shredded coconut – I love how fresh it tastes!
• Nuts – Chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc! Whatever you enjoy.
• Dried or fresh fruit – Blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries would taste scrumptious!

How To Make

The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, add egg, applesauce, pancake syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

2. Whisk until combined.

3. Add the flour and the protein powder and fold with a spatula just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.Do not over mix! Mixing the batter too much or too vigorously can result in dense, flat bread.

4. Add zucchini and stir just until combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Remove and place the pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

How To Store

To Store:Quick bread dries out fast if you leave it in the open. I like to place zucchini bread in a resealable Ziploc bag and store in the fridge for up to a week or at room temperature, somewhere away from direct sunlight, for up to 3 days.

To Freeze:Bake the zucchini bread and let cool completely. I recommend you do not slice bread before freezing. It retains its moisture better this way. Place in a gallon-size Ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible, and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To Thaw:Defrost on a counter. Takes about 3-4 hours. Zucchini bread will taste just like freshly baked. Pop it in a toaster for a minute for that freshly baked bread warmth and aromas.

FAQ: Zucchini Bread

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