This Healthy Zucchini Bread is made with fresh zucchini, whole wheat flour, and features a surprise ingredient that keeps this quick bread moist and full of flavor–pineapple! This Pineapple Zucchini bread has been naturally sweetened and lightened up with applesauce, but lacks nothing in flavor!
Looking for more ways to use fresh zucchini? After you bake up this Zucchini Bread, try out Skinny Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Zucchini and Squash Saute, or Ratatouille.
Healthy Zucchini Bread
I know a lot of people say their recipe for zucchini bread is best, but my mom’s Pineapple Zucchini bread truly is the best!
She combined zucchini with crushed pineapple for a loaf that was both sweet and incredibly moist–zucchini bread is so much better with the addition of pineapple.
Why is this Zucchini Bread Healthier?
- With the addition of pineapple and applesauce, we can use less oil and sugar.
- Refined sugars have been replaced with honey–feel free to use maple syrup in place of honey.
- Whole wheat flour is used instead of all-purpose flour, which adds fibers and a serving of whole grains.
- This zucchini bread is dairy-free as well. Which does not necessarily make it healthier, but is great for those with food allergies.
- This bread is FULL of zucchini–and it is a tasty way to enjoy some veggies!
How to Make Zucchini Bread
Step One: Prepare Zucchini
- Grate 1 medium-large zucchini, to yield 2 cups shredded zucchini. You can use a handheld grater or a food processor.
- Place shredded zucchini in cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel and wring out any excess moisture.
Step Two: Baking Dish
- Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter, canola oil, or coconut oil.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step Three: Mix together Dry Ingredients
- Over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. If you want to skip sifting, just be sure to whisk well to break up lumps and fully incorporate ingredients.
- Mix to combine.
Step Four: Mix together the wet ingredients
- In a small bowl, mix together eggs, honey, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.
Step Five: Combine the wet and dry ingredients
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently until just combined.
- Drain a can of crushed pineapple, reserving the pineapple juice to use in other recipes, like Instant Pot Chicken Breasts.
- Fold in the zucchini and pineapple–do not over mix as this will cause your bread to become rough.
- Pour the zucchini bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Step Six: Bake the Zucchini Bread
- Bake until zucchini bread is no longer wobbly, or when a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out dry–about 55-60 minutes.
Step Seven: Allow Zucchini Bread to Cool
- Once zucchini bread has been baked, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
- Let zucchini bread sit in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove zucchini bread from loaf pan and allow it to finish cooling completely on a cooling rack.
How to Store Zucchini Bread
Whole wheat zucchini bread is very moist, therefore it can grow mold quickly if left at room temperature more than one day.
I recommend allowing your zucchini bread to cool completely, and then storing zucchini bread in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To Freeze Zucchini Bread:
- Allow Zucchini Bread to cool completely.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and then foil or place in a freezer-safe bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Defrost bread for 12 hours in the refrigerator and then use it within 5 days.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Healthy Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups whole white wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup canola oil or melted and cooled butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini drained of excess moisture
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained well
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
- Grate the zucchini and then place into a kitchen towel or cheesecloth to ring out any excess moisture.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, mix together eggs, honey, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and pineapple.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The time varies, depending on your oven.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.
- Store in the cooled bread in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
I love the flavor. This is truly a great recipe. My wife and I add chopped walnuts. (I forgot to fill in the 5 stars first time I entered a comment).
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Charles! I am so glad you and your wife enjoyed this recipe!
I love the flavor! I can’t stop eating this! My wife and I love to add chopped walnuts.
Can this be made gluten free with 1:1 replacement flour?
Yes, I have made it with 1:1 Bob’s mill gluten free blend with success.