The Ultimate One Bowl Zucchini Bread because life is way too short to spend time tracking down the perfect recipe ~ so don’t stress, it’s right here and I’m sharing exactly how to make the best zucchini bread of your life!

This easy zucchini bread wins the blue ribbon! (My Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread came in a close 2nd)
A lifetime of loving zucchini bread, plus some good old trial and error has finally produced my definitive one bowl zucchini bread ~it’s got everything you want, and nothing you don’t want… it’s easy, it’s insanely delicious, and it’s made in one bowl! (Those 2 little words are music to my ears.) After testing zucchini breads from the family recipe box, magazine clippings, cookbooks, church supper classics, Pinterest, etc, I’ve settled on the precise formula for the perfect quick zucchini loaf.

Zucchini bread sounds like a simple thing…I mean most of us have a recipe for it, and it’s not rocket science…or is it?? Zucchini bread can have all sorts of problems that we sometimes gloss over because we love the idea of it so much. But loaves can be dry, soggy, oily, crusty, too bready, too cakey, overly sweet, not sweet enough…and the list goes on.
So what makes the perfect zucchini bread?
- Lots of shredded zucchini. I don’t skimp on this essential ingredient. Young small to medium zucchinis make the best bread because they have the best flavor, and aren’t too seedy or watery. Plus they add a lot of colorful peel which makes the bread pretty and healthy.
- Chopped walnuts. You can leave them out, but I love the crunch.
- Vegetable oil, not butter, keeps the bread moist and super easy to throw together. Any recipe that has you creaming butter and sugar is not in keeping with the carefree spirit of zucchini bread 😉
- A good dose of quality vanilla extract ~ this makes zucchini bread sing.

The best way to shred zucchini for zucchini bread (or any other recipe for that matter)
- Hands down the best way to shred zucchini is in your food processor fitted with the shredding blade. It makes super quick work of shredding any amount you need. It’s one more example of how having the right tool can make all the difference in a recipe.
- Shredding with the processor creates nice chunky shreds, see the bowl above. That means they really show up in the finished bread. I want to see the green in my zucchini bread!
- The food processor creates dry shreds, whereas a box grater makes them watery. I want that lovely moisture in my bread, not on the counter.

This recipe is formulated for one loaf, but can easily be doubled for two or more.
I like the ability to make a single loaf, because so many recipes force you to make more than you might need. Simply double this recipe to make an extra loaf for a friend, or to freeze for later.

Tried and true tips for baking zucchini bread
- Use nonstick loaf pans if possible, and butter them well. My preferred method is to line the pan with parchment paper which makes removing the bread a breeze.
- Don’t peel your zucchini ~ the green peel is pretty and nutritious.
- I like to tent my bread for the last 10 minutes or so to prevent the top from getting too brown while the middle cooks through.
- When performing the toothpick test, don’t go straight down the crack in the center, insert it at an angle just outside the crack. Why? There is sometimes a little bit of sticky batter in the very top of moist quick breads, even though the loaf is cooked perfectly.
- Allow the bread to cool for 15 minutes, then run a blunt knife around all the edges to loosen before turning out of the pan. I highly suggest lining your pan with a parchment sling, it just makes it effortless.
- If you like your bread super soft, wrap it in foil, warm from the oven, and refrigerate overnight.

Are you on team butter or team cream cheese?
We’re all in for a big schmear of cream cheese in the Great Island kitchen. It makes a slice so satisfying it’s almost a meal!

So many delicious ways to use up that zucchini glut…
- Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Stuffed Zucchini with Pine Nut Salsa
- Zucchini Beef Meatballs
- Old Fashioned Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
WANT TO TRY THIS ONE BOWL ZUCCHINI BREAD?
PIN IT TO YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT BOARD SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT.
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Ultimate One Bowl Zucchini Bread
Equipment
- a standard 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp frshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 lightly packed cups shredded zucchini (shred right before adding)
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Butter a standard 9×5 loaf pan and line with a sling of parchment paper if desired, for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, oil, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Whisk well to break up the eggs and get everything well incorporated.
- Blend in the baking powder, soda, and salt, so they are mixed in thoroughly, then stir in the flour. When the flour is almost all incorporated, fold in the zucchini and nuts. Stop mixing when there is no dry flour left and the zucchini is evenly dispersed. Don't over mix this batter.
- Turn the batter into your preapred pan and smooth out. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.) Let the bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before turning out of the pan.
- Slice and enjoy warm with butter or cream cheese.
Nutrition


















Perfection! Thank you!!
This IS the ultimate zucchini bread! I followed your recipe exactly and wouldn’t change anything. Thank you Sue!
You mention nutrition values. Where are they? That’s the first thing I look for in a recipe.
I’ve just added that for you 🙂
Thank you. I love your recipe.
Love this recipe and the chocolate zucchini bread too! Can you offer advice on cooking time when baking these recipes in mini loaf pans? I like to share with friends or save some in the freezer for later. I’m never sure how long to bake them or if the temperature should be different from the big loaf.
Hey Nan ~ your temp would be the same, and depending on the size of your mini loaves (they vary a lot) you might reduce the baking time by 20-25% so in this case, you might check them at 40 minutes to be safe. If your loaf pans are really tiny, the time might be less, of course.
Hi Sue,
I am a great follower of your fool-proof recipes.
Have you tried this recipe with chocolate chips instead of walnuts? My grandson would love it with chocolate chips.
Thanks!
I think that would be great Gabi.
Can I use Almond Flour instead of regular?
I have been gluten and dairy free for over 20 years.
I’m a fan of almond or coconut flour over gluten free, as gluten free leaves and aftertaste.
If it works, what is the amount, is it still 2 cups of flour?
Almond flour alone might make these very fragile, Rita, so I’m not sure it would work, but I haven’t tried so I can’t say for sure, sorry! But if you’ve had success with it in the past, it’s worth a try.
My boss saw the picture of the first loaf I baked, so I have one for him in the oven. I greased and floured the pan to get the brown crunchy edges. I used the box grater and blotted the Zucchini a bit. I toss sugar on the top for the last 10 for shiny crunch. Nice recipe!
I just took my Zucchini bread out of the oven. It smells delicious and I can’t wait to have a slice with just a little butter on it!!
Hope you love it Annette 🙂
Hello from Perú! Thanks for this recipe. I would like to ask, what you mean when you use the term “1/2 tsp soda”. Like coke? or baking soda. Sorry for the dumb question, the doubt was killing me, so I had to ask i_i (here baking powder is almost the same as Sodium bicarbonate, so I was confused)
Hi Carla ~ it’s baking soda, I just clarified that, I don’t know how that slipped passed me ~ not a dumb question at all!!
It was easy and just one bowl. I had to use butter because we had run out of vegetable oil but it was fine. I also added a handful of cranberries which cut some of the sweetness. We also ate it toasted which really enhanced the flavors.