The best sourdough zucchini bread is deliciously spiced, moist and packed with shredded zucchini. It’s also one of the sweetest ways to use up all those summer zucchini you don’t know what to do with.
Every summer I have the tendency to plant too many zucchini, clearly forgetting that at the peak of the summer zucchini produces ridiculous amounts.
Then you are stuck with mountains of zucchini and every person that comes over leaves with a sackful of zucchinis– and you still have too many. Also, please don’t tell me I’m the only one that finds hidden monster zucchinis among those massive leaves?
It tends to be the best kind of problem. I love being able to incorporate this tasty and versatile vegetable into our meals.
When you put it in a sweet sourdough quick bread, I promise there will be no complaints about eating vegetables.
How can anyone resist delightfully sweet zucchini bread with the warm flavor of cinnamon, and tanginess of the sourdough (especially if you long ferment it).
Bonus tip: Toast it a little on a cast iron skillet to carmelize the outside and put a generous pat of butter on top– you won’t regret it.
Tips:
- Turn these into muffins. Place in paper lined muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. These are great for breakfast or a portable snack. You can also find a chocolate version here.
- Sourdough discard or active sourdough starter can be used for this recipe. The rise doesn’t come from the starter, but rather chemical leaveners: baking soda and baking powder.
- This recipe is a basic zucchini bread recipe. You can easily mix it up by adding other delicious add-ins and variations, like dried or fresh fruit, nuts, or chocolate.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Tools you may need:
Stand mixer (this makes it way easier, especially if you are making the long-fermented version)
Measuring cups and spoons
Grater or food processor with a grater attachment
FAQ:
What is the point of zucchini in zucchini bread?
It is a wonderful way to use up all those garden zucchinis during the summer, add moisture to the bread, and is a great way to sneak in some veggies.
Should you squeeze water out of zucchini for bread?
This is purely dependent on the recipe. Some recipes may call for more moisture, whereas some may not need the extra moisture and require squeezing out the water. For this recipe, I like the extra moisture and don’t squeeze the zucchini.
Why is my zucchini bread gooey in the middle?
Most likely this is due to not being cooked all the way through the middle. Since this is a higher moisture bread recipe, it takes awhile for it to bake. If the outside is getting too dark and the inside isn’t cooked through yet, I suggest covering the bread with parchment paper or tin foil until the center is baked through.
How To Make Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Quick Version:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt well in a medium bowl.
In a stand mixer or bowl, mix melted butter (or melted coconut oil) and brown sugar for about five minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add in eggs, vanilla, sourdough starter, and grated zucchini. For this recipe, I don’t squeeze out the extra moisture from the zucchinis.
Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little bit at a time until just incorporated. It is important not to over-mix. The bread will be tough and flat if over-mixed.
Gently fold in any other add-ins you would like. Pecans, walnuts, and chocolate chips for example.
Pour into a greased pan. You could also line your loaf pan with parchment paper.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test bread at 50 minutes with a toothpick or cake tester. If the bread starts to get too dark before it is done baking, cover it with parchment paper (my preference) or tin foil.
Allow to cool in the pan for one hour.
How To Make Long Fermented Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Start batter 12-24 hours before you plan to make zucchini bread. This gives the sourdough starter time to ferment the flour to make it more digestible and the nutrients more bioavailable.
Combine sourdough starter, melted butter, eggs, and flour well.
Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.
Place the batter in the fridge and allow it to ferment for another 6-18 hours.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (you could also use a hand mixer), add shredded zucchini, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda to the stand mixer bowl. You can also mix in any add ins at this time.
Set on low to medium speed until completely combined.
Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.
Allow to cool in the pan for one hour.
How to store:
Store in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze in slices or the whole loaf in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (for best results).
Variations:
- Chocolate chips
- Coconut
- Sourdough Zucchini Muffins
- Nuts – pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds would be delicious.
Find More Of My Favorite Sourdough Recipe:
- Sourdough Cranberry Bread
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Blueberry Sourdough Muffins
- Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
- Lemon Sourdough Pound Cake
- Sourdough Coffee Cake
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone
Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter.
- Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt well in a medium bowl.
- In a stand mixer or bowl, mix melted butter (or melted coconut oil) and brown sugar for about five minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs, vanilla, sourdough starter, and grated zucchini.
- Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a little bit at a time until just incorporated.
- Gently fold in any other add-ins you would like. Pecans, walnuts, and chocolate chips for example.
- Pour into a greased pan. You could also line your loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test bread at 50 minutes with a toothpick or cake tester.
- Allow to cool in the pan for one hour before slicing.
Notes
Long Fermented Version:
- Start batter 12-24 hours before you plan to make zucchini bread. This gives the sourdough starter time to ferment the flour to make it more digestible and the nutrients more bioavailable.
- Combine sourdough starter, melted butter, eggs, and flour well.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.
- Place the batter in the fridge and allow it to ferment for another 6-18 hours.
- The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (you could also use a hand mixer), add shredded zucchini, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda to the stand mixer bowl. You can also mix in any add ins at this time.
- Set on low to medium speed until completely combined.
- Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the pan for one hour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you ever measure your ingredients? It would be helpful to list the weights for those of us who use scales when we bake. Thanks. Looking forward to trying this.
On occasion ha. You can check out this conversion chart for weights.
Hi there, I wanted to do the long fermentation process. Is the batter that sits out for 6 hours supposed to be so thick? Almost like play doh consistency? I double check the ingredients to make sure I didn’t do too much or too little of something, but it just turned into a big dough ball.
Thank you for this recipe! I am wondering if this is meant to be split into two loaf pans. Mine poured out all over the sides. Still wonderful, but did anyone else have this problem?
Mine also spilled out over my 9×5 loaf pan. I followed the long fermented version and used Einkorn flour, I wonder if the amount of baking powder and baking soda is too much for the long fermented times, it seemed pretty risen from the sourdough already.
Thank you for this recipe. Is there a way I could use honey instead of brown sugar? Is it a one for one swap?
For the long-ferment, is it correct to allow it to ferment on the counter for 6 hours with raw egg in the batter?
This is how I do it.
I omit the eggs until just before baking, that way I can leave sourdough mixture at room temp for up to 2 days because sometimes life doesn’t go as planned…then I continue with recipe adding in the eggs mixed together with the sugar, vanilla and (bananas or) zucchini. (Depending on which you’re making)
Thank you for responding! I was just reading comments to see if anyone asked about eggs on the counter that long, but also wondering if holding off on the eggs would allow a full ferment on the counter which would be quicker with the higher temperature. Or at minimum I wouldn’t have to time my day around getting it into the fridge on time.
You could definitely leave out the eggs and add them right before baking.
Wonderful and delicious! Most recipes I’ve tried require a TON of sugar and although this one has a significant amount not nearly as much as what I’ve seen elsewhere. also looking on clarification for the quantity of Sourdough Starter. It’s written “1/2” so I just assumed it mean 1/2 cup.
Need a answer? I would like to know also???
Hi Natalea, I had the same question. I am guessing it is 1/2 cup because I checked the links at the bottom of this post and it lists other versions of this bread like Sourdough Banana Bread. And that recipe ingredient list says 1/2 cup sourdough starter.
I would like to be using sourdough starter, so what does “1/2 sourdough starter” mean? 1/2 cup? – AG
I can defiantly relate with the monster zucchini finds! I just planted way more than I know I’ll need haha. I have just started learning all about how to use sourdough so I can’t wait to use this recipe during the zucchini ambush, thank you much!
Just an fyi you can use zucchini blended with water in doughs. Pancake batter, pizza dough …
So give me an example of a recipe of doing this ?
Loved this bread! Super easy and quick to make and it tastes amazing.
I left the batter out on the counter over night to long ferment. Is it still ok to use with the eggs and milk being in it?
That is up to your own comfort zone. I make bread with our farm fresh milk and eggs and leave it out on the counter. This doesn’t include zucchini though, so not sure if that changes anything.
Turned out amazing! I used cold starter and 1/2 wheat 1/2 white flour for the recipe. Still delicious and only let it cool for about 30 minutes before I could wait no longer. Butter on top is perfection! Will make again.