I’ve taken my classic banana bread recipe and added shredded zucchini for what will undoubtedly be the most moist and flavorful Zucchini Banana Bread to ever cross your lips. It’s the perfect way to use up your summer squash!
Table of Contents
Banana bread has taken on many delicious variations around here, from chocolate swirl banana bread to peanut butter chip banana bread, and nearly every type 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 a super moist loaf that’s perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
The subtle sweetness of overripe bananas pairs perfectly with the mild flavor of zucchini, creating a balanced and satisfying treat. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to use up overripe bananas and that extra zucchini from your garden or farmer’s market haul!
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking soda
- Ripe, darkly speckled bananas: Overripe bananas are key for sweetness and moisture. You’ll need about 3 large bananas or 1.5 cups. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, use my trick to ripen bananas quickly.
- Buttermilk: Adds a slight tang and moisture to the bread. No buttermilk? No problem! Check out my guide: What Can I Substitute for Buttermilk?
- Eggs
- Butter: Adds richness and a delicious flavor that oil simply can’t match.
- Vanilla extract
- Zucchini: You’ll need 2 medium zucchini for this recipe. Grate the zucchini finely and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent the bread from being too wet.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The real secret to zucchini banana bread success is a simple trick that makes all the difference between a tasty triumph and a soggy center: Squeeze your zucchini! You want to remove as much liquid as possible to prevent your bread from being too wet.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. I like to secure the overhanging parchment paper with all-metal binder clips to keep the paper in place during baking.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
- Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the zucchini. Measure out 1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Fold the zucchini into the batter then scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before lifting it out to allow it to set.
Enjoy a slice with your morning coffee or as a healthy treat any time of day! My kids love it when I add a slice of this quick bread to their lunch boxes or serve it warm with a slather of homemade butter as an after-school snack.
- Squeezing the excess moisture out of the zucchini is crucial for preventing your bread from sinking in the center. Use your hands to squeeze it over the sink, or for an even more effective method, use a clean kitchen towel to wring out the zucchini thoroughly.
- Stir in your choice of nuts or chocolate chips for the ultimate loaf. Add 1 cup of walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips or even blueberries.
- Wondering what to do with all that zucchini? Freeze shredded zucchini for up to 3 months for future use in baking or make mini zucchini muffins with chocolate chips, zucchini oatmeal cookies or even healthy zucchini bread.
- While oil can make quick breads moist, butter enhances the overall taste, making this banana zucchini bread recipe the best!
Make Muffins Instead!
You can make this into zucchini banana muffins by using two 12-cup muffin tins and dividing the batter into 16 greased muffin cups. Bake at 350ºF for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
How to Store & Freeze Your Banana Zucchini Bread
Once cooled completely, store your zucchini banana bread in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze, wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Place it in a sealable plastic bag and label with the date. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
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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.
- You can add up to 1 cup of your favorite zucchini bread mix-ins. Walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips or even blueberries would be delicious.
- Once cooled completely, store your zucchini banana bread in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Place it in a sealable plastic bag and label with the date. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
- Make muffins! You can make this into zucchini banana muffins by using two 12-cup muffin tins and dividing the batter into 16 greased muffin cups. Bake at 350ºF for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- ★ 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.
Delicious! Didn’t have buttermilk so I added a squeeze of lemon juice to 1/4 cup of oatmilk. I also added walnuts. My oven needed the full hr to bake. Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brooklin!
Great quick bread recipe. I substituted the buttermilk with sour cream and doubled the recipe for 2 loaves. I didn’t have any problem with wetness and I was able to get a nice crust on the split on the top of the loaf.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lynette!
I don’t know what happened when I made it, but it didn’t turn out at all. It was too wet almost like a custard instead of a bread and I did squeeze what moisture I could out of the zucchini.
Hi Debora – Did you confirm your oven temp?
I just put this in the oven. I had 2 ripe bananas on the counter, and pulled 1 out of the freezer, plus a grated zucchini. I only used 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, because I used Oui coconut yogurt, instead of buttermilk. Since the zucchini was frozen, I drained it, and then whisk it in with the other wet ingredients. I have a home bakery, and I love to experiment with recipes. I can guarantee that this loaf of Zucchini Banana bread will be delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Love reading this, Susan!