This is the best zucchini bread recipe! Here we offer three wonderful ways to make zucchini bread; with applesauce, with melted butter, or with pumpkin purée. Delicious and so easy to make, this mini bread loaf is made with one zucchini and is ideal for serving one or two.
Although zucchini can often be found in markets year-round, its peak season is June through late August. If you've got just one small zucchini, you can make this outstanding small loaf of zucchini bread. Zucchini is a wonderful vegetable to bake with, it adds moisture without adding any "vegetable" flavor.
This bread is absolutely delicious. I use a small zucchini or a half of a medium-sized one (be sure to see how to use any leftover zucchini below) and a few pantry staples. But the secret ingredient to making this bread super moist and incredibly tasty is to add unsweetened applesauce to the batter.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Besides being a nutritious addition, applesauce is a great alternative to using fat in baked goods. Baking with applesauce adds fiber and reduces calories in this bread. Because of its water content, applesauce adds moisture to baked goods.
- If you don't have applesauce, you can still make zucchini bread with either melted butter or with one my personal favorite healthy zucchini bread ingredients, pumpkin purée. Pumpkin is a great alternative and makes the bread extra moist and delicious. You can read more about using these two alternative ingredients below.
- One of the things I love most about this recipe is how perfect the loaf looks. I also love the fact that this style of bread is known as a "quick bread"; meaning it's very quick and easy to make.
- An added benefit is that you don't need to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini. It always puzzles me when I see this in a zucchini bread recipe because moisture is exactly what you want.
- This mini loaf of bread bakes in just 30 minutes!
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for the complete ingredient list, ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Zucchini: I use either a small zucchini or a half of a medium-sized zucchini in this bread recipe. Do not peel the zucchini or or squeeze out any excess moisture. To grate the zucchini, use the shredder side of a box grater, the shredder blade in a food processor, or a sturdy blender.
- Sugar and brown sugar: This recipe calls for using both.
- Unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin purée, or melted butter: This zucchini bread can be made with either of these ingredients and each one adds its own special twist to the bread. I think you'll love the bread regardless of which ingredient you use. If you choose to use pumpkin in your bread recipe, make sure you use pumpkin purée and not spiced pumpkin pie filling which contains added sugar. Use 1/4 cup (55 grams) and add the pumpkin in place of the applesauce. If you use butter instead of applesauce, use 1/4 cup of butter (4 tablespoons). Add the melted butter along with the zucchini, egg, sugars, and oil.
How To Make This Recipe
- Grate the zucchini: I used my Vitamix blender and it worked beautifully.
- Mix the wet ingredients together: Mix together the egg, oil, sugars, applesauce (or melted butter or pumpkin, if using instead), and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until no flour remains, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into a lightly buttered baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Pro Tip: To measure flour correctly, use a spoon to stir the flour inside the container. You want to loosen it up in case it's packed tightly inside. Use a spoon to scoop flour into a dry measuring cup and slightly overfill. Then, use the flat end of a knife or other straight edged utensil to level the flour across the cup. Do not scoop the flour. When you scoop, the flour gets packed too tightly and you will end up with more flour than the recipe calls for.
Nutrition Info
Zucchini bread made with applesauce: Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Pumpkin zucchini bread: Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 244 cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2451IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg
Zucchini bread made with melted butter: Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 341 cal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 422IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Expert Tips
- You can easily grate the zucchini with a hand grater, also known as a box grater, a mini food processor, or a Vitamix blender.
- Don't squeeze the zucchini. The moisture is required to keep the loaf moist.
- Measure the flour as instructed above, using the spoon and level method.
- Stir the ingredients just until they are combined. Overmixing can cause breads to become dry and chewy.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might like to use any remaining zucchini in these single serving recipes:
Mini Zucchini Lasagna
Zucchini Noodles
Ratatouille
Vegetable Casserole
Zucchini bread should be covered and will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days. It will keep for up to a week when stored in the refrigerator.
I use a 5-inch baking dish which has an area of 25 square inches, or a 4x6-inch dish, or a dish that measures 6.6x5-inches. All of these dishes can be found on our Bakeware page.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Absolutely, yes! Double the ingredients in this bread recipe, use a larger baking dish, and bake for the same amount of time as indicated in the recipe.
If you've tried this zucchini bread or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we'd love to see!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup grated zucchini (do not drain or squeeze out excess moisture)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (or use ¼ cup of pumpkin purée or 4 tablespoons butter, melted)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350° F (177° C). Lightly grease a 5-inch baking dish (or use a dish of similar size) with cooking spray or butter.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the grated zucchini, sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until no flour remains, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy or store wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
- You can easily grate the zucchini with a hand grater, also known as a box grater, a mini food processor, or a Vitamix blender.
- Don't squeeze the zucchini. The moisture is required to keep the loaf moist.
- Measure the flour as instructed above, using the spoon and level method.
- Stir the ingredients just until they are combined. Overmixing can cause breads to become dry and chewy.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Am loving the banana muffins how can I make this in muffin tin. Is the cooking time still the same
Fill the muffin tins 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350 degrees F. Check the muffins to see if they are cooked through after 20 minutes. You might need to bake them for an additional 5 minutes or so depending on your oven.
Hi Joanie,
I just made this recipe and loved it! So easy and delicious!
I bought your book and look forward to trying so many more recipes for one. Thank you for such a great recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the zucchini bread, Janice. Thank you so much for your feedback and I hope you find many recipes you love from our book – thank you!
Can you make sweet potatoes puree and use that instead of pumpkin puree?
I’ve never tried using pureed sweet potatoes. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
Can we add cocoa powder and make it chocolate. If so how much
Liz, I haven’t added cocoa powder but a reader in our Cooking For One Facebook Group did and said it was delicious. If you try it, be sure to reduce the amount of flour called for in the recipe by the amount of cocoa powder you use.
Easy to make and Super Delicious and Moist. Followed the recipe and used applesauce, made 2 mini loaf pans PERFECTLY! Only 1 mini loaf went home with my sister, we had to try the other in between the Strawberry and Blackberry Jams. Can’t wait to try it with Pumpkin! Awesome Recipe, gave my sis a copy to make for her and brother-in-law. Empty Nesters like me!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Very innovative 💯
Joanie,
I have your cookbook and love it. I love cooking beNs, pinto’s, white beans, a number of other beans from dried, do you know how I can measure them out. I hate to have so many cooked for just me.
Hi Freida, I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes. In our bean recipes, we list the amount needed in cups or grams. Use either a measuring cup or a scale to measure them out.