Name: Zucchini Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas); 1 cup zucchini, shredded; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil; 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or all-purpose); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

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Zucchini banana bread is the answer for absolutely everyone who’s ever stared sadly at a couple of browning bananas and a garden explosion of zucchinis, thinking, “Ugh, what the heck do I do with these things?” Seriously, it happens to me every August. And if you’re like me and want a healthy-ish snack in just ONE bowl (wait, did I just say one bowl? Yes, I did and my sink is eternally grateful), then just hang tight. Let me show you how this friendly loaf solves your problems and fills your kitchen with an actual five-star bakery smell.

What makes it great

This loaf is not your grandma’s thick, gummy banana bread. Nope. Zucchini banana bread comes out super moist and a little fluffy, and you can’t taste the zucchini at all, pinky swear. What really makes it sing is how it balances the sweetness (the bananas do a lot of work) with a sneaky hit of veggies.

You know how some healthier baked goods taste, well, “too healthy?” Yeah, none of that here. My kids legit ask for seconds and that’s not normal. You don’t need any fancy gear to make it, just dump, stir, and bake. That’s literally it.

A close friend once texted after trying a slice, saying, “I would sell my soul for another piece.” Relatable, honestly.

“This is officially my go-to for snack attacks. Works for breakfast, dessert… or honestly, dinner if you’re desperate,” – Jen from St. Louis

Ingredients

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas, spotted is good)
1 cup zucchini, shredded (squeeze most of the liquid out)
2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine if that’s what you have)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

See? Totally normal stuff. If you’re missing something, usually a workable swap hides in your pantry.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s 175°C if you’re fancy). Grab a loaf pan and grease it lightly.

Get a big bowl. Add bananas and mash them. Toss in eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Mix until combined (don’t stress about lumps). Dump in zucchini, give it one more mix. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Just stir until you don’t see any flour – honestly, stop right there or it gets tough. Fold in any add-ins like nuts or chocolate if you want.

Pour it right into the loaf pan. Bake around 50-55 minutes. Toothpick test: poke the center, it should come out mostly clean.

Let it cool a few minutes. I know it’s hard, but it’ll slice way better if you wait.

Add-ins

So you wanna jazz up your zucchini banana bread? I get it. Here are some tiny tweaks folks absolutely lose their minds over:

Toss in a handful of chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans
Chocolate chips (obviously) make it a dessert bomb
Try a sprinkle of shredded coconut for a tropical kick
Sunflower seeds give a subtle crunch, weird but wonderful

Seriously, just raid your pantry and try anything. Okay, maybe not pickles.

Storage & reheating

I’ll be real, I’ve left zucchini banana bread sitting on the counter and it was fine for two days (if it even lasts that long). If you want it to hang around:

Store it in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days. Fridge makes it last a week, but be ready for it to get a little denser. Not a big deal – some folks like it even better that way. For freezing, just slice and stick parchment between slices, chuck it in a zip bag and freeze.

To reheat? Zap a slice in the microwave for 15 seconds. Or, my personal fave: butter it and sizzle in a skillet until the edges get crunchy. Chef’s kiss.

Common Questions

Q: Can I skip the zucchini?
A: I mean, technically, but then you just have banana bread.

Q: How do I grate the zucchini?
A: A normal box shredder works. Don’t overthink it.

Q: What if I have only unripe bananas?
A: Toss ‘em in a low oven for 15 minutes until the peels go brown. Cool, then use.

Q: Is it sweet enough for dessert?
A: Honestly, yes. Especially with the add-ins.

Q: My loaf is too dense. Help?
A: Next time, don’t overmix when you add the flour. That’s usually the culprit.

The Best One-Bowl Bread You’ll Make

It seriously does not get easier than this zucchini banana bread. Your counter will look almost clean, your fridge mysterious scraps will disappear, and honestly, you get a healthy-ish treat that you can call breakfast and nobody will judge you. If you want to get extra ideas or read more, check this Banana Zucchini Bread – i am baker recipe for fun. Try baking it this week and—who knows—maybe you’ll inspire someone else to actually eat their veggies, too.