A Healthier Zucchini Bread Recipe (Made with Whole Wheat Flour)


With our zucchini growing in overdrive, I make this recipe AT LEAST once a week (this and our zucchini pickles and gallettes). I usually make two or three batches at a time, then give away mini loafs like zucchini bread is going out of style. I’ve tried many things to improve upon the recipe, but it really is best just as is. I discovered it in my favorite cookbook of all time, The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. This should be in every family’s arsenal, and they don’t pay me to say that. It gives a healthier way to make just about every basic recipe, and a ton of inspiration for healthy, yet delicious, family meals and desserts, along with lots of basic cooking advice and instruction.

I’ll share my version of the Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread recipe after the jump, I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread Recipe

Wash and grate one pound of zucchini. In all of these pictures, I’ve doubled the recipe, just an FYI, but the recipe I’m giving is for a single loaf.

Place in a mesh strainer over a bowl and add two tablespoons of sugar.

Toss to combine. Let the mixture sit to drain for at least 30 minutes.

Pre heat your oven to 375 and grease your loaf pan (or 3 mini loaf pans).

So we need to get the moisture out of the zucchini. Moisture is what makes quick breads gummy, and gummy is no good. The best way, IMHO, is to place the zucchini in a clean, dry kitchen towel

twist the top to close,

and squeeze. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, until you’ve removed as much moisture as possible. Do this over the sink of course.

In a bowl, mix the zucchini with 1/4 cup yogurt (low fat is ok, but not nonfat) and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Set aside.

Whisk all of your dry ingredients together:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup while wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tea salt
1/2 tea ground cinnamon
1/4 tea ground allspice

In your electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup sugar with 5 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter until creamy and uniform. Then beat in 2 large eggs one at a time.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in one third of the dry ingredient mixture, then half of the zucchini mixture. Then continue by adding 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture, the other half of the zucchini mixture, and finish with the final third of the dry ingredient mixture. Mix quickly and just until incorporated, avoid overmixing.

Scrape the batter into your loaf pan (or mini pans) and smooth the top.

Bake at 375 until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, for me that’s 55 minutes exactly.

Watch it disappear while no kids catch wise to your whole-wheat trickery.

by

17 Comments

BlueButterfly

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! I was just thinking this morning that I need to find a healthier recipe for zucchini bread. You are an angel!!!

Reply
Jessie

I love quick breads with whole wheat! I have a few questions: Is lowfat yogurt best, or the nonfat with lemon- I was a bit confused in the directions. Have you tried using 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose to make measurements easy? Have you ever tried to add shredded carrot to this? I've made zucchini and carrot bread before and liked the flavor quite a bit.
Thanks for the recipe!

Reply
khead44

It is so funny you posted this because I literally just made zucchini bread. It was from American's Test Kitchen's other recipe book though (the not healthy one). I had way too much zucchini which wasn't great and for some reason the recipe I had didn't call for cinnamon or all spice, which I really missed. I'm going to have to try yours instead. Thanks.

Reply
Kristin

Do you think you could you make it with all whole wheat flour, or would it be tough? I looks so yummy though. I've been making banana bread like it's going out of style but could use a little change up

Reply
onemotherslove

I'm gonna try this with 100% WW – King Arthur's White Whole Wheat gives a great non-WW texture. Gonna use the extra patty pan we have instead of zucchini. Both changes because that's what I have on hand. Will let you know how it goes!

Reply
Anna

Yum…this looks delicious! The weather is starting to get more fall like here in MN which makes me want to bake. Going to have to give this recipe a try.

Reply
Shannon

So I made this tonight and it came out really dry. Not inedible, just dry. Thoughts?

Reply
texmex

I made it and we loved it, the girls lived it in muffin size. Thanks for the recipe. I didn’t put any sugar on the zucchini but left them 4 hours in the fridge and then pressed it in my hands, works well.

Reply
lauren

just wondering if anyone has ever tried to make this south beach friendly with splenda or agàve?

Reply

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