Sneak veggies (and moisture!) into a classic loaf with a family favorite recipe for Zucchini Banana Bread.
Banana bread has taken on many a culinary co-pilot around these parts, from chocolate swirls to peanut butter chips and nearly every variety of streusel in between. Now, everyone’s favorite quick bread is getting a veggie-inspired makeover with this recipe for Zucchini Banana Bread.
While banana bread and zucchini bread are proven standalone favorites, the marriage of the two results in what will undoubtedly be the most moist and flavorful quick bread to ever cross your lips.
And while overripe bananas are crucial to making the best banana bread, I’ve devised a trick that will transform your green bananas into darkly speckled and sweet fruit in 15 minutes (or less). So now you can skip the agonizing wait and speed up that ripening process from days to minutes.
But the real secret to zucchini banana bread success lies in a simple trick that means the difference between tasty triumph and having trough running through the center of your bread. Hint: It’s all about the squeeze.
Read on for my tips and find inspiration for more banana-inspired sweets with recipes for pudding, wonton poppers, cakes and more.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 very ripe, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
- 6 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 medium zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper then grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Shred the zucchini on a box grater. Measure out 1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini then squeeze is with your hands over the sink to remove excess liquid. Fold the zucchini into the batter then scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool then lift the loaf out of the pan, slice and serve.
Kelly's Notes:
- Squeezing the excess moisture out of the zucchini ensures your bread won’t sink in the center.
- Extra-ripe bananas are the key to the most moist, flavorful banana bread. Don't be afraid to let bananas turn completely brown before using them for banana bread. If you don't have extra-ripe bananas, check out my video for how to ripen bananas in 15 minutes.
- If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick version using whole milk and lemon juice or white vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and then pour in the milk until it reaches the 1-cup mark. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then use ¼ cup for this recipe and save the rest for another use.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
I have made this bread several times and came out great. I use the smaller loaf pans and can get 3-4 easily, esp if I add nuts to it. I’m about to make more and I’m glad I found you again. Super great….family and friends love it (even my picky eaters). Thankx again
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Bernie!
I simplified this recipe and reduced the calories by 1000 (not a typo). I put all dry ingredients in my stand mixer and all wet in Vitamix. Insted of 6T butter, I put an apple in the Vitamix and instead of sugar I used 1.5t Stevia drops. I think I used more than 1.5 c zucchini and even though I squeezed some liquid out, it looked too runny so I added another 1/2 c of flour (375g altogether). I used 1t lime juice to 1/4c milk and let it sit to sour before adding to vitamix. I whipped wet hard to liquify apple and bananas. I added 90g chopped nuts (cashews/peanuts – Costco packs) at end when stirring in zucc. This added back 530 calories but better than butter and sugar! Vegans can use flax or chia eggs.
I made this bread recipe tonight and doubled the recipe. It filled three of my bread pans. I added chopped walnuts and used wheat flour for 1/3 of the white flour called for. It came out perfect!
We love it! Thanks so much!
You are so welcome, Kate! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I added some grated apple (tis the season) & cut back a bit on the banana & zucchini accordingly. Then baked in 3 mini loaf pans 30 min & they turned out fantastic!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Beth!
I had the same issue as several others and I am a seasoned baker as well. I ended up adding an additional 25 minutes and the bottom was still a bit squishy. I thoroughly squeeze the zucchini, so I don’t think that was the issue.
My toddler son has been eating it non-stop however, so it obviously tastes great!
Hi Rachel – This is so strange! Did you measure out 1 1/2 cups of the shredded zucchini before thoroughly squeezing it?
Absolutely love! I’m always hesitant to use a different recipe than my “go to”
But this did not disappoint! So moist and flavorful. Throw in a cup of chocolate chips to make it even better!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jacquie!
I have learned that baking the “breads” = = all breads that seem to take forever to cook and never get done in the middle == do better being cooked in round pans like cake pans (2 in place of a loaf pan) or two 8 x 8 pans…….
I don’t know if it’s the ovens that differ? but it seems to work for me…..
Yes, oven temperatures (as well as baking dishes) can cause great variances in the bake time.
I wish I would’ve taken a picture before we cut into it! This is a great recipe. I did not have buttermilk, but I make my own almond creamer, just almonds and water, I substituted just that and it still came out fabulously!
Now if you could only come up with a gluten-free recipe!
Hi Patti! You could try using a gluten-free flour such as Cup4Cup that’s a 1:1 ratio as regular flour. I’ve never tried this substitution so I’m not sure what the result would be. Curious to hear your results if you give it a shot! :)
Middle never cooked. I followed directions. I’m so disappointed. I was going to take it to pot luck tomorrow. I don’t get what I did wrong?
Hi Karen – I’m sorry you didn’t have success with this recipe. Did you thoroughly squeeze out the zucchini?
I agree with Angela. I am a seasoned baker. Breads are my speciality. And this did not bake through. I left it in for an hour and 20 minutes, and when I cut into it, it was really gross. I’ve used your recipes tons of times with no issue. Something is off. Maybe it needs more flour for that amount of banana and zucchini? Or maybe I should have split it into two pans. But it did not work. Back to my cousin’s zucchini bread recipe and the original Chaquita banana recipe I’ve been using for years.
Hi Stephanie – I’m sorry you didn’t have success with this recipe. Did you measure out 1 1/2 cups of the shredded zucchini and did you thoroughly squeeze it out?
Made this yesterday. nice and moist. i used cinnamon and ginger instead of vanilla as my DH requested. very happy with the texture. oh, also added pecans. i really appreciated your breaking down of exactly how much zucchini to use. from my garden i pick all sizes of zucchini and was intimidated by “2 medium zucchinis”! but when i read the part about 1 1/2 cups i was relieved! i have saved this recipe.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Patti!
I don’t get what I did wrong. I rung out the zucchini and followed the directions but this cake would *not* cook through. I even divided it into two loaves and after more than two hours in the oven the toothpicks were still not coming out clean. (My oven is newer so it’s not that).
Hi Angela – Did you measure out 1 1/2 cups of the shredded zucchini?
How much grated zucchini do I need to use? I usually use the giant ones for bread.
For the person whose bread takes forever to bake, I have found that is if make medium loaves instead of large it bakes more evenly and without getting too dark. I haven’t make this recipe yet but plan to tomorrow.
Hi Karen! As noted in the recipe above, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini. Enjoy!
I have tried this recipe twice now and it just doesnt cook.
This last time I cooked it for 3.5 hours at 350 and the outside burnt but the. Inside is still raw. How disappointing. What could have gone wrong?
Hi Melanie – I’m so sorry you had that experience. Do you have an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature?
Hi Kelly,
I can’t wait to try this recipe. It looks like you used the large holes on the box grater. Can I use the small holes? My husband is not fond of zucchini so I want to more or less sneak it in. Might it be too watery even after squeezing? Thank you! Sylvia
That’ll work, Sylvia! Just squeeze it in a dish towel to ring out excess moisture. :)
Very, very good! Moist and delicious.