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This Zucchini Banana Bread recipe combines the best of zucchini bread and banana bread to create a quick bread that is naturally sweet, incredibly moist, and perfect for summer!
When I found myself with brown bananas on the counter and extra zucchini in the produce drawer, I decided to mash up my Pineapple Zucchini Bread and Whole Wheat Banana Bread recipes. My only regret is not experimenting sooner!
Zucchini Banana Bread at a Glance
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Time Involved: 15-minute prep + 1-hour bake
- Wholesome Ingredients: Made with whole wheat flour, shredded zucchini, mashed banana, and honey for a naturally sweetened quick bread packed with whole grains.
- Why Banana in Zucchini Bread? Sweet, ripe banana adds natural sweetness, texture, and moisture, keeping the bread tender even when made with whole wheat flour.
Recipe Highlights
Kristen's Key Tips for Zucchini Banana Bread
After several recipe tests, a few tweaks, and well-squeezed zucchini, I landed on a quick bread that is naturally sweet, warmly spiced, and incredibly soft.
Here is what you will want to keep in mind for the best results:
- Squeeze out excess moisture from the zucchini. Zucchini retains a lot of moisture, and squeezing it helps to prevent a mushy quick bread. The same trick works when making my Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.
- Measure zucchini and banana with care. Measuring after squeezing the zucchini and mashing the banana keeps the moisture content exact, which is important when you want to avoid dense or dry bread.
- Sift the baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the wet ingredients. I tested this shortcut (honestly, because I was being a bit lazy during one of my recipe tests), and it worked beautifully while cutting back on dishes. Always a win.
- Bake to temperature or until set. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, or a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should read 200-205°F.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Flour: I recommend using whole white wheat flour, as it is still 100% whole grain, yet bakes up lighter and fluffier than traditional whole wheat flour.
- Zucchini: You will need about 1 small zucchini. Be sure to grate, squeeze out the excess moisture, then measure ¾ cup for the recipe.
- Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the quick bread. Mash first, then measure ¾ cup to keep the moisture level right. Plan to use about 2 medium bananas for this recipe.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Either works well in this recipe. Honey gives the bread a classic, mellow sweetness, while maple syrup adds a slightly warmer flavor.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Using both helps the loaf rise well, especially with the moisture from the bananas and zucchini.
- Nutmeg: I recommend grating it from a bulb rather than using dried nutmeg, which can be a bit overpowering.
- Oil/Butter: Canola, vegetable, or melted and cooled coconut oil work equally well, as does melted and cooled unsalted butter.
Recipe Modifications
- No White Whole Wheat Flour? Feel free to swap the white whole wheat flour with whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or a combination of the two. Just be sure to weigh the flour or spoon it into your measuring cup to keep the measurements accurate.
- Gluten-Free: I have not tested this exact recipe with gluten-free flour, but a quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend would be the best place to start. I have tested it in my original pineapple zucchini bread and whole wheat banana bread with success.
- Egg-Free: Replace the egg with a flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, letting it sit for 5 minutes, then using it in place of the egg. The bread may bake up slightly denser, but it still works.
- Add Nuts: Add up to 1 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) to the batter along with the grated zucchini.
- Note on Using Ground Nutmeg: If you only have dried ground nutmeg, cut the amount in half so it doesn't overwhelm the quick bread.
- Short on Bananas? If, after mashing the banana, you find yourself just shy of what the recipe calls for, use unsweetened applesauce to reach the correct measurement. It won't be quite as flavorful or sweet, but it will work in a pinch.
How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread
After preparing the zucchini, the batter for this quick bread comes together in one bowl, keeping the prep (and dishes) to a minimum.
- Prepare zucchini. Using a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating blade, shred the zucchini. Then place the shredded zucchini into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and give it a good squeeze over the sink or a large bowl to remove the excess water.
- Mash Banana. Mash the banana until smooth. I like to mash the banana right in a large mixing bowl to minimize dishes. Just take a quick measurement to ensure you have the right amount.
- Combine wet ingredients. To the bananas, add the egg, honey, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
- Add spices and leavening agents. Using a small (or large) fine-mesh strainer, sift the baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Then add the cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Mixing well now evenly distributes the leavening agents and spices through the batter and reduces the amount of mixing needed once you add the flour.
- Fold in flour. Add the flour and, using a spatula, gently combine until no streaks of flour remain.
- Add zucchini. Add the grated, drained, and measured zucchini and, once again, use a gentle hand to fold it into the batter until just distributed.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake until the banana zucchini bread is no longer wobbly and a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out mostly dry, or until the internal temperature reaches 200-205℉.
- Cool before slicing. Cool the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the banana zucchini loaf and let it cool completely before slicing. This cooling time is non-negotiable. If you slice too early, the bread may seem gummy in the center, even if it was fully baked.
Serving Tip
I love a smear of softened butter on my Zucchini Banana Bread, but Instant Pot Apple Butter is another great option, as it pairs well with the bread's warming spices.
Notes on Storage
Because this zucchini banana bread is made without preservatives and has an extra-moist crumb, it is best stored in the refrigerator unless you plan to enjoy it within 24 hours.
- Refrigerate: Cool completely, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3-5 days.
- Freeze: Let cool, wrap in plastic wrap, then cover with a layer of foil, and place in a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the bread overnight in the refrigerator and then enjoy it within 5 days.
More Recipes Using Zucchini and Bananas
Have extra zucchini or ripe bananas hanging around? Try one of these easy recipes next:
- Grilled Zucchini Salad
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash
- Banana Oat Pancakes
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Sour Cream Banana Cake
Did you make this recipe?
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Zucchini Banana Bread
This zucchini banana bread is made with ripe bananas, shredded zucchini, whole wheat flour, and naturally sweetened for a soft, tender loaf.
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup grated zucchini, measured after being squeezed dry ~1 small zucchini
- ¾ cup mashed bananas, ~2 medium bananas
- ½ cup honey, or pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup canola oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1¾ cups white whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled; or 210 grams
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350℉. Generously grease or butter a 9-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- Wash and dry a medium zucchini. Cut off the stem, then grate the zucchini using the coarse side of a box grater. Place the grated zucchini into a clean kitchen towel or piece of cheesecloth and gently ring out excess moisture over the sink. Measure out ¾ cup grated zucchini and set aside.
- Place ripe bananas into a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Measure to ensure you have a full ¾ cup mashed bananas.
- Add ½ cup honey, ¼ cup canola oil, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mashed bananas and whisk to combine.
- Using a small fine-mesh strainer, sift 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon table saltover the banana mixture (this removes any unpleasant notes of baking powder/baking soda). Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, then whisk to combine.
- Add 1¾ cups white whole wheat flour to the mixing bowl and gently fold together until there are no streaks of flour remaining.
- Add the grated and measured zucchini and gold, gently distributing throughout the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and use a spatula to gently spread it into an even layer if needed.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, or until the internal temperature of the quick bread is between 200-205℉ degrees.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes on a baking rack, then run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges to loosen it. Invert the pan, remove the loaf, and let it cool completely before slicing.
Equipment
Notes
Flour: This recipe can be made with white whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For best results, weigh the flour or spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off.
Banana: Be sure to select overripe, brown bananas, as they help to sweeten the bread naturally.
Add Nuts: Add up to 1 cup of chopped nuts along with the zucchini.
Nutrition
Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 104mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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