Vegan Zucchini Bread which is soft and moist and perfect for using up leftover zucchini. This quick bread is easy to prepare and comes together in just 1 bowl!
This recipe is similar to my vegan zucchini muffins and has been adapted from my reader-favorite recipes for carrot cake cupcakes and carrot muffins.
Why you'll love this recipe
DIFFICULTY: This is an easy recipe that can be prepared in 5 minutes!
TEXTURE: This zucchini bread is slightly fluffier than banana bread but not as airy as a sponge cake.
FLAVOR: Thanks to the brown sugar and cinnamon, this zucchini bread tastes hearty and wholesome but sweet enough for afternoon tea!
Ingredients to make vegan zucchini bread
Notes about the ingredients
All-purpose plain flour for the fluffiest vegan zucchini bread. For a 'healthier' bread, you may use whole wheat flour or spelt flour.
Grated zucchini. I used a food processor to grate my zucchini but you can use the coarse size of a box grater. I developed this recipe so you don't have to pat dry or squeeze the excess water from your zucchini (and so your final bread isn't too moist).
However, if your zucchini is extra wet, I'd recommend removing some of the moisture.
Brown sugar or coconut sugar to add depth of flavor to the vegan zucchini bread! For slightly less sweet bread, use coconut sugar. Alternatively, regular granulated sugar or granulated erythritol will also work.
Ground flax or chia seeds (optional) to help bind the ingredients, which is conventionally done through eggs. You can definitely still make the bread without ground flax or chia seeds but your bread might be a little crumbly, especially when it's warm.
Dairy-free chocolate chips are completely optional! I've tested this recipe without the chocolate chips and it's still dreamy and delicious.
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Preparing the zucchini bread + tips
The great thing about this recipe is that it comes together in ONE bowl!
First, add all your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir. The most important thing is to make sure there are no lumps of brown sugar or baking powder! We aren't adding the chocolate chips at this stage as it's difficult to remove any lumps while you have solid pieces of chocolate!
Next, add your zucchini, wet ingredients, and chocolate chips (if using). Then mix until just combined.
The final batter should be relatively thick and kind of similar to a banana bread batter or carrot cake batter.
When baking the zucchini bread, my biggest tip is to make sure the top doesn't burn!
At around the 45-50 minute mark, check the bread to make sure it's not browning too quickly. If it is, gently cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil or a very large oven-safe bowl.
Expert tips
To make the best possible vegan zucchini bread, I'd recommend:
- Weighing your ingredients rather than using cups. This recipe is very forgiving but I develop all of my recipes using grams so I always recommend using grams for the best results.
- Don't overmix your batter as this toughens the gluten and makes a tougher and denser zucchini bread.
Customizing this recipe
I'd recommend:
- chopped walnuts or pecans
- adding a pecan crumb topping such as from my apple cake recipe (if you don't want pecans, you can use more flour or rolled oats)
Or see my recipe for chocolate zucchini bread.
I haven't tested this but it may work - let me know if you do!
Yes! However, I recommend checking out my vegan zucchini muffin recipe which has been adapted for a muffin pan.
Or check out my vegan savory muffins which have zucchini and carrot in them.
More vegan quick bread recipes
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Vegan Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose plain flour, whole wheat flour or spelt flour (note 1 for gluten free)
- 1 cup (190g) packed brown sugar, regular sugar, coconut sugar or granulated sweetener of choice e.g. erythritol
- 1 tablespoon ground chia or flax seeds, optional (note 2)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Wet ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (~190g) coarsely grated zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini (note 3)
- ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk
- ¾ cup (130g) mini dairy-free chocolate chips, sweetened or semi-sweetened (optional)
- ⅓ cup (85g) neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
To decorate (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (20g) mini dairy-free chocolate chips, sweetened or semi-sweetened
Instructions
- Note: For the best results, I'd recommend using the grams measurement rather than the cups. Too much zucchini or flour will affect the final bread!
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
Preparing the batter:
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix until combined. Make sure there are no lumps of flour or sugar.
- Add all the wet ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined. Some lumps are fine, as long as they aren't lumps of flour.
- Pour the batter into your loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spoon. If desired, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the surface.
Baking the vegan zucchini bread:
- Bake the zucchini bread for around 55-60 minutes (the time will depend on how hot your oven runs, note 4). If you insert a toothpick in the center, there shouldn't be any wet batter, though some crumbs or melted chocolate are fine.
- Allow the bread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then allow it to rest on a cooling rack.
- Slice the zucchini bread and enjoy! It is best enjoyed at room temperature, warm or toasted with some vegan butter.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- I used store-bought zucchini and did not need to pat it dry for this recipe. However, if your zucchini is extra wet (for example, if it's homegrown), you may need to pat the excess water after grating.
- To make vegan gluten-free zucchini bread, substitute the flour with 1 cup (160g) gluten-free all-purpose flour and 1 ½ cups (150g) almond flour (blanched almond meal).
- The ground flax or chia seeds makes this zucchini bread less crumbly, especially when it's warm. The recipe will still work without the ground flax/chia.
- If your oven runs hot, the top of your zucchini bread may turn golden brown too quickly while the inside is still uncooked. If this happens, carefully make an aluminum foil tent to lightly cover your bread (or cover it using a large oven-safe bowl) and reduce the heat of the oven by around 10°C (50°F).
Nutrition
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Can I use the nut butter replacement for oil (as in your courgette muffins)
Hi Aline! I haven't tested replacing oil with nut butter in this recipe or the courgette muffins. However, I imagine it would work and produce a slightly more dense bread. I hope that helps.
Anthea, everything I've baked from your recipes turns out beautifully. It's clear you have thoroughly tested your recipes; they are accurate and consistent.
I made your zucchini bread after my neighbors dropped off a bumper crop of their bounty. I did a couple of substitutions, which worked well, so I thought I'd share. I added 1/2 teaspon of powdered cardomom and I swapped the chocolate chips for golden raisins. The bread turned out perfectly -- moist, tender, so full of flavor.
Two important tips you also mention, but were important for my bread baking: I removed as much moisture as possible from the shredded zucchini using a flour cloth in a strainer and pressing firmly. I also baked it a little lower and longer to ensure even baking throughout because I use darker metal baking pans which tend to cause the exterior to bake faster (325 degrees for 70 minutes was just right in my oven). Oh, I also measure by weight! So much more accurate.
Hi Kelly, aw I'm so happy that you've enjoyed a few recipes from my website and found them reliable!! Adding cardamom and raisins to the zucchini bread would be delicious. And I love that you know how to adapt your baking with the baking pans that you have - it shows that you're an experienced baker! Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback and for your ongoing support :).
Hi Anthea!
What for is the apple vinegar? I'm curious!
Thanks for the recipe! I will bake it today!
Hi Ari! The apple cider vinegar makes the bread slightly more tender and fluffy! It can be replaced with lemon juice or white vinegar or can be completely skipped. I hope that helps and let me know how you go with the recipe 🙂
Süper simple,and tasty
Aw, amazing! Thanks for your feedback 🙂
A 7 year old’s review: “This is the best cake ever!”
This was easy to make, the children could do most of it themselves, and the cake is delicious. Thanks! 🙂
What a lovely compliment! I'm so glad that the children found it easy enough to make. Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
Another wonderful recipe, thank you so much Anthea🙂!
My son is allergic to flax. Would it be too liquid if I used an egg for binding? I know it would not be vegan anymore 🙃.
Your book is among my favourites 📕!
Anne from Canada.
Hi Anne! If it helps, ground chia seeds also work! I would say the recipe would work with an egg, even with the extra liquid. Let me know how you go if you make it!
And aw, I'm so glad you are enjoying my cookbook! Thanks for your support xx