Many times throughout my childhood, my grandma flew to California to visit us. After picking her up at the airport and helping carry her luggage upstairs to the guest bedroom, we eagerly waited downstairs in the kitchen…
Because she usually tucked homemade goodies for us into her suitcase! Her specialty was zucchini bread, and she often brought two freshly baked loaves: one for us to eat during her trip and a second to freeze for later.
However, she gave us far too much credit…
We rarely had enough self-restraint to make the first loaf last more than a few days!
We cut slices for breakfast, afternoon snacks, little pre-bedtime treats… And occasionally, mom even tucked a small piece carefully wrapped in foil into my school lunchbox for me to enjoy after finishing my sandwich and apple slices instead of store-bought cookies.
Although I was a really picky eater as a kid and hated “bits” in my food (onions in spaghetti sauce, nuts in brownies, even blueberries in muffins!), somehow, I didn’t mind the flecks of green vegetables in those loaves of Grandma’s zucchini bread. Maybe because they were just as soft as the bread surrounding them, so I never detected a texture difference…
Or maybe because that zucchini bread was just as moist and sweet as cake! With ample amounts of oil and sugar, it often left little stains on the paper napkins we occasionally served it on, but nobody ever seemed to notice or mind. We loved every crumb of those delicious spiced loaves!
As an adult, I’ve realized that Grandma’s zucchini bread probably should’ve been classified as a dessert, rather than a breakfast item, with its ingredients list…
But this Ultimate Healthy Zucchini Bread is definitely healthy enough for breakfast — and it tastes exactly the same as those loaves of Grandma’s zucchini bread from my childhood! It’s just as moist and tender with the same sweet flavors and cozy spices… Even with no oil, refined flour or sugar!
This recipe is also really simple to make. You just need one bowl and a fork! (I always love recipes with so few dishes and easy clean-up. 😉 ) Each slice is also 98 calories!
WHAT IS ZUCCHINI BREAD?
If you’re like me and you grew up eating it, then I’m guessing you already know exactly what zucchini bread is… But just in case it wasn’t your grandma’s baking specialty, let’s briefly cover what zucchini bread is!
In a nutshell… Zucchini bread is a quick bread! This means it contains no yeast and relies on baking powder and baking soda as its leavening agents. As a quick bread, zucchini bread is made as a cake-like batter, rather than as a dough like with traditional loaves of yeast-based bread, so there’s no kneading required either.
Like many quick breads, zucchini bread is usually classified as a breakfast item. But don’t let its veggies fool you… Zucchini bread is still firmly on the sweet side of the scale! It usually has lots of yummy spices mixed into the batter too, and it can be eaten warm or chilled. (I definitely prefer the latter!)
HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAD
With that little background out of the way… Let’s go over how to make the best ever healthy zucchini bread! I learned a lot about how to make the perfect loaf of zucchini bread while testing this recipe, so I’m sharing lots of nerdy tips to ensure you can make the best healthy zucchini bread too!
Nerd Alert #1: Mixing Ingredients Together
As you’ve probably guessed from the recipe title already, you just need one large mixing bowl to make this ultimate healthy zucchini bread. I’ve been adding lots more recipes to my one-bowl recipe series, and it seems like you’re enjoying these easy recipes just as much as I am!
However, when it comes to one-bowl recipes, the order of ingredient additions really matters. I do NOT recommend simply throwing everything into the mixing bowl all at once, crossing your fingers, and hoping for the best… Because we both know exactly how that would turn out. 😉
Also, pay close attention to the instructions! I include exactly when you should both add certain ingredients and stir them together. Sometimes, you’ll need to stir only one ingredient in at a time. I promise there’s a reason for this… It means you end up with the perfect taste and texture in your ultimate healthy zucchini bread!
So be patient, read the recipe through thoroughly, and you should be well on your way to making a loaf of the best ever healthy zucchini bread!
Nerd Alert #2: Butter or Oil?
As the first ingredient that goes into your mixing bowl, you’ll need a teensy bit of melted butter, melted coconut oil, or any other oil. Yup, it’s true… They all work equally well! Some people swear by butter, while others swear by oil. I couldn’t detect a difference in my loaves made with butter versus oil, and neither could my taste testers. So use whatever you normally keep on hand!
To make sure you end up with the best healthy zucchini bread, you’ll only use a very small amount… A mere ½ tablespoon! Whereas traditional recipes often call for close to 1 full cup instead (if not more!). That really helps keep your healthy zucchini bread low calorie and low fat!
Nerd Alert #3: Egg Whites
Next, you’ll whisk in egg whites and vanilla extract. This ultimate healthy zucchini bread recipe calls for 3 egg whites, and yes — all 3 are necessary!
The whites contain the majority of the protein within an egg. That protein helps your ultimate healthy zucchini bread rise and maintain its shape while cooling. Without all 3 egg whites, your loaf will collapse some — or a lot! — as it sits on your kitchen counter, and it’ll turn out much denser.
So for the perfect moist and tender texture in your ultimate healthy zucchini bread, use all 3 egg whites!
Nerd Alert #4: Greek Yogurt
At this point, you’ve probably realized something… There are no egg yolks in this recipe and only ½ tablespoon of butter or oil. So how in the world will your quick bread turn out supremely moist and tender, like I promised?
The answer is Greek yogurt! It’s one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking. I’ve used it to make muffins, scones, cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and even frosting. It’s so versatile!
In this recipe, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories. It also gives your ultimate healthy zucchini bread a protein boost!
Nerd Alert #5: Sweetener
Traditional recipes often call for anywhere from 1 to 3 cups (or more!) of refined granulated sugar. YIKES!! That’s a whole lot of sugar, especially for something that’s supposed to be a breakfast item… So you’ll definitely skip that in this healthy recipe. 😉 Instead, you’ll use another one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia!
Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!). It’s also high concentrated. You just need 2 ½ teaspoons to sweeten your entire ultimate healthy zucchini bread loaf… Which is the equivalent of around 1 ¼ cups of sugar!
Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so for the best results, I highly recommend using the same one that I do! I buy it online here because that’s the best price I’ve found, and I love how I don’t notice any strange aftertaste like with some other stevia products.
Tip: I hate “one-time use” ingredients, and I’m guessing you do too. Liquid stevia is NOT one of those! You can use it in all of these other recipes of mine too. (So far, there are 240+ of them and counting!)
Nerd Alert #6: The First Secret Ingredient
There are a few secret ingredients in this ultimate healthy zucchini bread, and the first one is… Plain distilled white vinegar. I know — it sounds crazy! But here’s why you need it to make the best ever healthy zucchini bread!
Vinegar is an acid. Baking soda is a base (you’ll add that later!). When you combine these two, they react and create air bubbles (carbon dioxide, to be exact!). Those air bubbles help your loaf rise, and it also gives your healthy zucchini bread a more tender texture.
By the time your loaf finishes baking, all of the vinegar will have reacted with all of the baking soda, so you won’t be able to taste it at all! Just… Don’t taste the raw batter. 😉
Nerd Alert #7: The Second, Third, and Fourth Secret Ingredients
Time for the next few secret ingredients! One of them is a secret ingredient from my grandma’s recipe, one I added in on a whim (and then kicked myself for not using in my previous rounds of recipe testing!), and the last is another one of my all-time favorite ingredients.
Those are nutmeg (my grandma’s!), allspice (my whim!), and Saigon cinnamon (I’m obsessed!). The nutmeg and allspice created a much deeper and richer spice flavor in this ultimate healthy zucchini bread, so I highly recommend using them!
As for Saigon cinnamon, it’s the only kind I use in my baking recipes now. It tastes stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon, which gives your baked goods a much more robust and satisfying spice flavor. I actually buy it online here, and it’s surprisingly inexpensive and affordable!
Hint: You’ll stir the spices in now, rather than later, so they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter with zero clumps!
Nerd Alert #8: Flour
Instead of the refined all-purpose flour found in traditional recipes, you’ll use white whole wheat flour. I know, I know… That sounds like an oxymoron. But it actually exists — and it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Instead, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… And that lets the moist and tender texture of your ultimate healthy zucchini bread truly shine!
Also, remember to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale! (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will dry out the batter and make your zucchini bread dry too. I promise it’s worth taking the few extra moments to properly measure!
Nerd Alert #9: Leavening Agents
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll use baking powder and baking soda to make your ultimate healthy zucchini bread rise. However, this tip isn’t about what they do… It’s about how you should add them!
Do NOT dump them into the bowl! Instead, sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda over the flour. Then stir all three in together! Sprinkling avoids clumps, which means your ultimate healthy zucchini bread will rise evenly and have a perfectly moist and tender texture!
Hint: You don’t want to add these leavening agents with the spices because they start to react as soon as they come in contact with the wet ingredients. If they react too soon, then all of those air bubbles that you create by mixing together the vinegar and baking soda will have disappeared by the time you put your loaf in the oven… So it won’t rise properly or have as moist and tender of a texture!
Nerd Alert #10: Zucchini
It’s impossible to make the best ever healthy zucchini bread without a certain vegetable, isn’t it? 😉 You’ll need freshly grated zucchini — but don’t just dump it into the bowl either!
Instead, you must thoroughly pat the grated zucchini dry first. To do this, place a double-thick layer of paper towels on a cutting board. Spread the grated zucchini on top. Firmly press down with a second set of double-thick paper towels on top until they’re completely soaked through. Keep repeating this with a fresh set of double-thick paper towels on top until you can’t press any more moisture out of the zucchini.
If you skipped this step, the zucchini would release that moisture into the batter while your quick bread baked… And all of that extra moisture would cause your loaf to collapse while cooling. Not good! So be very thorough with drying your zucchini for the best texture in your ultimate healthy zucchini bread!
Hint: Do NOT try to add extra zucchini either! I already tested that for you… And more zucchini just causes your quick bread to collapse while cooling too. Stick with the amount provided in the ingredients list for the best results!
Nerd Alert #11: Baking
Before you slide your loaf pan into the oven, cover the top with foil. Try to “bump” it up in the center to give your quick bread a little room to rise!
The foil acts as a shield. It prevents the top of your ultimate healthy zucchini bread from browning too quickly (or burning!), and it also results in a smooth, gorgeous domed top (rather than one that rises unevenly or is cracked down the center!). Then partway through baking, you’ll quickly and carefully remove the foil to allow the top to turn a beautiful brown color.
Now comes the hard part… Waiting! I know it’s SO tempting to cut into your ultimate healthy zucchini bread while it’s still warm, but resist the urge!
Remember when we talked about egg whites earlier? And how their protein provides structure and helps your zucchini bread maintain its shape while it cools? That structure is still setting while the loaf is warm! So if you cut into your zucchini bread while it’s warm, you interrupt that process, which results in a not-so-great texture.
It’s like when you were a little kid and using Elmer’s glue to fasten construction paper and sequins together to make art projects in elementary school. If you tried touching them before the glue dried, the paper and sequins smooshed and slid all over the place… But if you [im]patiently waited until the glue was fully dry, everything stayed put and looked beautiful!
Thankfully… Your ultimate healthy zucchini bread tastes a lot better than those childhood art projects! 😉
Now it’s time to cut yourself a slice (or two) and enjoy! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy zucchini bread!
| Healthy One-Bowl Zucchini Bread | | Print |
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (30mL) plain distilled white vinegar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
- ¼ tsp ground allspice (see Notes!)
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (see Notes!)
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (150mL) nonfat milk
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups (134g) freshly grated zucchini, thoroughly patted dry (see Notes!)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5” loaf pan with foil, and coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil and egg whites. Stir in the vanilla, liquid stevia, and salt. Add the Greek yogurt, stirring until no lumps remain. Stir in the vinegar. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir in the vinegar until fully incorporated. Stir in the milk. Pour the flour evenly over the top of the batter, and evenly sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder on top of the flour. Stir until the flour is just incorporated. Gently fold in the zucchini.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Cover the top with foil, crimping the edges around the pan’s rim to seal, and try to push up the foil in the center to ensure it doesn’t touch the batter while baking. Bake covered at 350°F for 35 minutes. Acting very quickly, remove the pan from the oven, and carefully remove the foil. Immediately put the pan back in the oven, and continue baking the banana bread for an additional 30-35 minutes (for a total of 65-70 minutes) or until the top feels firm to the touch and looks golden or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully lifting out and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
Remember to measure the flour with this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will make your zucchini bread dry.
Any oil may be substituted for the unsalted butter or coconut oil. Stick-style vegan butter will also work.
You must use all 3 egg whites. Without all 3 egg whites, your loaf will collapse some while cooling. (See Nerd Alert #3 above!) If you prefer to use whole eggs, then use 3 whole eggs and reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added volume from the yolks.
For a sweeter flavor, increase the liquid stevia by an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
I do not recommend substituting for the liquid stevia, if at all possible. (It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too! I buy it online here because that's the best price I've found.) However, if you really prefer to omit the liquid stevia from the banana bread, substitute 1 cup (192g) of coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar and reduce the milk to 2 tablespoons (30mL). Alternatively, substitute ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150mL) of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave and omit the milk. (Your zucchini bread won’t be quite as sweet with this substitution!) The baking time may vary with any of these substitutions.
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the zucchini bread rise and create a more tender texture. Don’t skip it! (I promise you can’t taste it once your loaf finishes baking! Just don’t taste the raw batter…)
I highly recommend using Saigon cinnamon! (← I buy mine online there because it’s so inexpensive and affordable!) Saigon cinnamon tastes stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. It’s the only kind I currently use in my baking!
For a stronger spice flavor, increase the allspice and nutmeg by ¼ teaspoon each (for a total of ½ teaspoon each). This is what I normally do!
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Measure the zucchini before patting it dry. You must thoroughly pat it dry to remove the excess moisture because that excess moisture will cause the muffins to collapse while cooling. To pat the zucchini dry, lay a double-thick layer of paper towels onto a cutting board, and arrange the freshly grated zucchini on top. Place another double-thick layer of paper towels on the zucchini, and firmly press down until the top towel layer turns completely wet. Continue to repeat with a fresh set of double thick paper towels on top until you can’t press any more moisture out of the zucchini.
Do NOT add more zucchini! Just like not thoroughly drying your zucchini, additional zucchini will cause your loaf to collapse while cooling.
You must cover the batter with foil during the first stage of baking. This allows the center to cook through without the top turning overly brown or burnt. Work very quickly when removing the foil! If you leave the pan out of the oven for too long, the loaf will start to collapse, and it won’t recover to fully rise properly.
For more tips and information about the ingredients and instructions, please see Nerd Alerts #1-11 in my blog post above!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low sugar, sugar-free}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Breakfast Cake
♡ Healthy Zucchini Scones
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Muffins (One-Bowl Recipe!)
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy breakfast recipes!
Hi Amy
for this would you be able to use almond or coconut flour? because I want to go keto but this sound so good would you please let me know. Thanks
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Sue! Unfortunately, I really don’t recommend using either option. Coconut flour behaves SO much differently than any other flour, and substituting it in this recipe would make the batter so dry that it wouldn’t even hold together. While almond flour won’t dry out the batter the same way, I still don’t recommend substituting it. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Almond flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in my recipes that rise (like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling. Does that make sense? 🙂
However, if you don’t mind that texture difference with almond flour (where your loaf collapses and turns out denser), the flavors will still remain the same! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making it!
I’d love to try this!
Can I substitute the flour with oat flour? If so, how much?
Thank you!
I’m honored that you’d like to try making this zucchini bread, Dena! I typically don’t actually that substitution in quick bread recipes. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Oat flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in my recipes that rise (like muffins, cupcakes, cakes, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling. Does that make sense?
However, if you don’t mind that texture difference with oat flour (where your zucchini bread may collapse and turn out denser), the flavors will still remain the same! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making this zucchini bread!
What can I use instead of liquid stevia.
I’m honored that you’d like to make this zucchini bread, Sylvia! I’ve actually provided 6 different alternatives already in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss that section! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of this quick bread if you try making it!
It’s in the oven now, I hope it turns out well. I left my zucchini on the paper towel for several hours while we had dinner. I put fresh towels on top and then flipped it. It’s very dry
The foil unfortunately cooked into the ends, and I had to cut off the corners. It almost seems too tough as I was expecting the moist softness of my usual zucchini bread. I think I’ll add some applesauce instead of the Greek yogurt next time. I used my excess zucchini to make the oatmeal muffins.
I’m so honored that you tried making my recipe, Gayle! That sounds disappointing and not like how this zucchini bread should turn out at all, so I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened. 🙂 Did you make any modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section, other that leaving your zucchini for several hours? Did you use a hand-held or stand mixer to make the batter? Was it just the texture that was off, or was the flavor not what you expected as well?
How did you measure the flour, with a kitchen scale or measuring cups? If the latter, can you describe how you used them to measure?
How long did you bake the zucchini bread with the foil on top and once you removed it? When you put the foil on top, did you “bump” it up in the center, so there was room for the loaf to rise? (You can see a visual of how I do that in my video directly above this banana bread recipe. Although the recipe is different, that foil technique is the same! 🙂 )
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but once I know your answers to all of them, I should have a much better idea of the culprit and how to fix it! 🙂 I hope you enjoyed the zucchini oatmeal muffins too!
Followed recipe to a T, no subs, weighed with a scale, used egg whites, etc. mixed with a wooden spoon. Baked the same time before removing bumped up foil, and 33 minutes after removing. It seemed brown enough, not sticky. It sort of collapsed in the middle as it cooled, and was very dry. I made the oatmeal zucchini muffins as the loaf baked, and they were very dry as well. Had a hard time cleaning up residue on pan, even after heavily spraying with Pam. The mini loaf pan I used when I had leftover muffin mix came out nice and brown, and had a better texture than the bread recipe. I don’t know what went wrong. Still unable to click on stars, only lets me do 2 🙁
Thanks for sharing, Gayle! This is all very helpful to know. We’re getting closer to the answer — I promise! 🙂 Did you use the same white whole wheat flour and liquid stevia that I did? Did you weigh the zucchini before or after you patted it dry? Did you weigh the milk with your kitchen scale as well? How thick was your batter?
How was the flavor? Was it sweet enough? I didn’t see your answer about the taste, but perhaps I missed it!
For the future, I actually don’t like using a wooden spoon for making recipes… I prefer a fork! The tines of the fork allow for the ingredients to mix and incorporate while you stir, unlike the flat sides of a spoon that the ingredients can’t pass through (and that can sometimes lead to overmixing, which creates a tough, gummy, or overly dense texture!). So I typically recommend using a whisk where explicitly instructed and a fork for everything else. Does that make sense? 🙂
Hi Amy
Great recipe!
If I want to make it savoury, can I just omit the stevia and add a teaspoon of salt?
Also, I’d like to use brown bread flour (free from gluten) at home – I used it in your blueberry oatmeal quick breakfast bread and worked fine.
Thanks
Carolina
I’m so glad you enjoyed this zucchini bread, Carolina! I hadn’t thought to try making it savory, but that sounds like a really fun idea. I don’t know that I’d add an entire teaspoon of salt — unless you really like salt in your bread! (I personally do, but I’m typically in the minority when it comes to how much salt I like in and on my food! 😉 ) I tried to look up the flour that you mentioned; is this it? If so, then yes! That should work as a substitute in this recipe of mine too. 🙂 I’d absolutely love to hear how your savory version turns out — now I’m really curious!!
Hi Amy
The savoury version came out great! I used the flour I mentioned (correct, the one at your link :)) and half teaspoon of salt instead of stevia and vanilla, then only added nutmeg as a spice.
Great tip covering the loaf with foil, for the first time ever my loaf didn’t crack and didn’t come out burnt on the top.
Thanks again 🙂
Carolina
HOORAY!!! I’m so glad it turned out well, Carolina!! Thank you for taking the time to let me know, and I really appreciate you including your exact modifications too. I’m adding this to my list of things to try — a savory zucchini bread probably isn’t something I would’ve thought to test on my own! 😉 I’m really glad the foil trick worked so well for you too!!
Hi! Is is possible to use muffin tins for this recipe? If so will baking change?
I’m honored that you’d like to try making this recipe, Lula! Yes, you can divide the batter between 12 standard-sized muffin cups instead. The baking temperature remains the same, but the baking time will be much shorter! I’d recommend starting to check on them after about 18 minutes. They’ll likely take longer than that, but it’s much easier to put muffins back in the oven to bake longer than it is to salvage burnt ones! 😉 They’ll be done when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. (And no need to cover them with foil, like you’d need to do with the loaf pan, but I’m sure you knew that!) 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe!