There were nine zucchinis on the counter last weekend. Nine. By Tuesday, the garden had added four more, and I was starting to feel the particular dread of a kitchen that has run out of ideas. This is the bread that saves me every single summer.
It’s been in my rotation since 2015, and I’ve since re-shot it and added the success tips below. It’s my go-to, healthier version of classic zucchini bread: naturally sweetened with honey, soft and moist from the Greek yogurt, and made with just two bowls and no mixer.
The loaf bakes up wonderfully moist with a tender crumb and a lightly spiced flavor. Enjoy it plain, fold in chopped walnuts for crunch, add dried cranberries or fresh blueberries for fruit, or stir in chocolate chips if you’re feeling greedy. And if the pan is the problem, the same batter bakes into Greek yogurt zucchini muffins. However you make it, it’s simple, versatile, and reliably delicious.
A couple of notes from readers who tried it:
“These are excellent! Made the muffins last night and they’re already almost all gone. I peeled the zucchini before I grated it and it’s the first time my vegetable-hesitant preschooler has eaten zucchini bread (and he asked for thirds).” — Ashley
“Best healthier zucchini bread I’ve made yet.” — Val
Why this bread works
- Naturally sweetened with honey — no refined sugar (coarse sugar on top is optional!)
- Wonderfully moist from Greek yogurt, avocado oil, and zucchini
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients
- Easy to customize with nuts, berries, or chocolate chips
- Lightly flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and fresh orange zest
- No mixer required
- Bakes as a loaf or muffins
- Freezes beautifully
Real time: about 4 hours if you count cooling — but hands-on time is around 10 minutes, plus 50–55 minutes in the oven. Most of it, the oven does its quiet thing.
The ingredients, honestly
Everything here is pantry or grocery-store standard. Nothing obscure, nothing you’ll buy once and never use again.
- Greek yogurt. Plain 2% or nonfat. It adds moisture and a wonderfully soft texture without making the bread heavy. This is the ingredient that separates this loaf from a dry, crumbly quick bread — I’ve learned that the hard way.
- Honey. It complements the zucchini and warm spices so well, and it helps keep the bread moist for days. Pure maple syrup works too — readers report excellent results.
- Oil. Avocado oil is my go-to, but melted coconut oil, melted butter, olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil all work.
- Zucchini. No need to peel it, though you can. Grate it and lightly blot away excess moisture if it seems particularly wet — that’s the step I used to skip and pay for.
- Orange zest. Optional, but I never skip it. A little brightens all the flavors and pairs beautifully with the honey and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (76g/80ml) avocado oil, olive oil, or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup (180g/120ml) honey
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (130g) shredded zucchini (see note below)
- Optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest (so good!)
- Optional: 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts, (115g) raisins or dried cranberries, or (135g) chocolate chips
- Optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling
If you like a sugary top, sprinkle the batter lightly with coarse sugar before baking. Turbinado sugar (sold in the US as “Sugar In The Raw”) or demerara works perfectly here.
One note on the pan
Bake in an 8.5×4.5-inch (about 21×11cm) loaf pan — in the US, look for one labeled a “1-lb loaf pan.” That size bakes up taller, with a domed top and a soft, moist center. A 9×5-inch pan works, but the loaf will be shorter and take less time in the oven. I can’t tell you how many times a too-big pan has cost me a flat, sad loaf.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, honey, egg, yogurt, and vanilla together until combined. Room-temperature ingredients combine much more easily — worth the wait.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk to combine. Avoid overmixing — the batter is thick, and that’s exactly what you want. Fold in the zucchini, orange zest, and any add-ins.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 50–55 minutes, tenting loosely with foil about halfway through to keep the top from over-browning. Poke the center with a toothpick — if it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then remove the bread and let it finish cooling directly on the rack. I know it’s hard. It tastes better anyway.
- Slice and serve. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Make it yours
- Muffins: Prepare the batter as above. Grease a 12-count muffin pan or use liners, and fill all the way to the top. Bake 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C), then — leaving the muffins in the oven — lower the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake 13–14 minutes more, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Makes about 10–12 muffins.
- Honey swap: Pure maple syrup (not “breakfast syrup”) or agave works in place of honey.
- Yogurt flavors: I use plain 2% or nonfat, but vanilla or honey-flavored Greek yogurt works wonderfully here too.
- Extra-wet zucchini: Blot it a bit before adding it to the batter. Trust me on this.
- Freezing: The bread freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before slicing.
Nutrition (per 1 slice)
| Calories | Sugar | Sodium | Fat | Carbs | Protein | Cholesterol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198 | 14.3 g | 191.4 mg | 8 g | 29.3 g | 3.5 g | 19 mg |
Tools I keep by the oven for this: a box grater, the 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan, a couple of glass mixing bowls, a whisk, a silicone spatula, a citrus zester, and a cooling rack. You don’t need anything fancier.
More zucchini on the counter? It keeps coming all summer long — this loaf or these muffins are the answer I keep coming back to.
Happy cooking,
Maya