Zucchini Bread

Method

1. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much moisture as possible. The towel should be soaked — that's all water that would have made your bread soggy.

2. Whisk the wet ingredients: oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the squeezed zucchini and stir to combine.

   Whisk vigorously to incorporate air and create a smooth, emulsified mixture. The motion should come from your wrist, not your whole arm — it's more efficient and less tiring.

3. Fold in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts if using.

   Salt early and throughout the cooking process. Salt added at the beginning penetrates the food; salt added at the end sits on the surface. Both are important, but the foundation matters most.

4. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 55–60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

   Position the rack in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. The top rack runs hotter (closer to the heating element) and the bottom rack is cooler.

5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

   Cool to room temperature before the next step. Adding hot ingredients to cold (or vice versa) can cause sauces to break, pastry to melt, and textures to suffer.

Equipment

• 9x5 loaf pan
• Box grater or food processor
• Clean kitchen towel
• Mixing bowls Recommended: Vollrath Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set
• Loaf pan
• Wire rack Recommended: Checkered Chef Stainless Steel Wire Rack
• Tongs Also good: Wok Spatula
• Whisk Recommended: OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Squeeze the grated zucchini bone-dry in a clean towel. Zucchini is 95% water — if you skip this step, the bread will be soggy and dense. Wring it until no more liquid comes out. You'll be surprised how much water a single zucchini holds.
• This is the same moisture management principle as salting eggplant and squeezing spinach for spanakopita.
• The cinnamon is essential — it transforms what could taste like "vegetable bread" into something warm and spiced.
• Oil instead of butter keeps the bread moist for days. Butter-based quick breads dry out faster.
• Don't overmix. Same rule as banana bread — stir until just combined.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Butter	Ghee or olive oil	Ghee for similar richness. Olive oil for dairy-free.
Bread	Gluten-free bread or lettuce wraps	GF bread varies by brand. Lettuce wraps for low-carb.
All-purpose flour	Gluten-free 1:1 flour blend	Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur GF blends work best.
Potatoes	Sweet potatoes or cauliflower	Sweet potatoes add sweetness. Cauliflower for low-carb.
Sugar	Coconut sugar or maple syrup	Coconut sugar is 1:1. Maple: reduce liquid slightly.
Food processor	Blender or mortar and pestle	Blender for smooth. Mortar for chunky.

What You're Practicing

Squeezing moisture from vegetables before baking is a technique that applies to spanakopita, potato pancakes, fritters, and any baked good where excess water causes sogginess. Understanding that vegetables are mostly water — and managing that water — is a fundamental baking skill. Visit Techniques for more on moisture management.

Zucchini bread uses the same quick bread method as banana bread — wet into dry, minimal mixing, chemical leavening. Once you master this technique, you can make any quick bread. Visit Pastry Foundations for more.