This Healthy Zucchini Bread is seriously the best. It has less than 100 calories a slice, only 1g of fat, it’s packed with protein and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied for hours, and made with just a few simple, staple ingredients. Keep reading for more reasons to love!

Move over, banana bread. It’s time to let someone else enjoy the spotlight!
This Healthy Zucchini Bread is seriously the best. It checks off so many boxes! Not only is it low in calories and made with healthy, whole ingredients, but it has a good amount of fiber, is protein packed, and tastes so good that you’d never guess it’s healthy. (Or contains a vegetable!) It’s thick, moist, and perfectly spiced to be a great treat to enjoy as fall comes around! And, it’s only 100 calories per slice. So enjoy to your heart’s content! 🥰️
I think this zucchini bread tastes even better the next day after chilling in the fridge overnight. The flavors come out even more and it’s just to die for.
This is for sure a recipe to have in your recipe box when you have some extra zucchini lying around. There are so many ways to switch it up depending on what you’re in the mood for. Add chocolate chips, nuts, enjoy with nut butter or cream cheese…I give more suggestions below! Check them out!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAD
- It’s healthy and delish! A win-win, amiright?
- Has the most perfect texture. Moist, bouncy, and dense. (But not mushy!)
- The perfect balance between sweet and spice.
- Less than 100 calories per slice!
- Low fat and protein packed. Just 1g of fat per slice with 6g of protein!
- High in fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
- Really short list of ingredients with things you likely already have on hand.
- Awesome for meal prep! Prep in advance and eat for breakfast or snack all week.
- So versatile! Switch up the toppings and add-ins for a different bread each time!

HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAD INGREDIENTS
- Zucchini – Tastes sooooo delicious! Nothing at all like a vegetable.
- Whole wheat flour – I used whole wheat flour for this recipe. I haven’t tried it with other flours yet, so I can’t vouch for how they will turn out. But I would expect normal all-purpose, 1:1 gluten-free flour, or oat flour to all work well. If you try another flour, please let me know how it works in the comments!
- Protein powder – I used PEScience Snickerdoodle. A vanilla or peanut butter flavor would also work here. If you want to use another brand, just make sure it is also a whey + casein blend that bakes well. Not all protein powders respond the same. For all PEScience products, you can use my affiliate code Laurenfitfoodie to save 10% off your purchase.
- Unsweetened applesauce – You can use mashed banana or pumpkin as substitutes.
- Sugar-free pancake syrup – Any sticky syrup like agave, honey, maple syrup will also work.
- Egg
- Baking essentials – Cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, pure vanilla extract, and salt.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAD
Pre-baking set up: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add egg, applesauce, pancake syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined. Then, add the zucchini, flour, and protein powder. Mix gently with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and place the pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Mixing the batter too much or too vigorously can result in dense, flat bread.
- Use fresh baking powder and baking soda. It’s best to use containers that you’ve opened in the last 3 months. Using older baking powder and soda can prevent the bread from rising and result in dense, flat bread as well.
- Don’t over-bake! Watch carefully around the 40 minute mark and test by inserting a toothpick in the center of the bread. Since there is protein powder in this recipe, over-baking can lead to a drier bread.
- Follow the instructions. I know, I know. But baking is a science y’all, and even changing the tiniest thing can result in failure. Read the full instructions before starting so you know what’s coming and don’t miss a step.
OPTIONAL ADD-INS AND VARIATIONS
- Chocolate chips – ALWAYS a good idea! You could also add whit chocolate, toffee, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips to switch it up!
- Shredded coconut – I love how fresh it tastes!
- Nuts – Chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc! Whatever you enjoy.
- Dried or fresh fruit – Blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries would taste scrumptious!

HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE YOUR ZUCCHINI BREAD
Store: Quick bread dries out fast if you leave it in the open. I like to place zucchini bread in a resealable Ziploc bag and store in the fridge for up to a week or at room temperature, somewhere away from direct sunlight, for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Bake the zucchini bread and let cool completely. I recommend you do not slice bread before freezing. It retains its moisture better this way. Place in a gallon-size Ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible, and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost on a counter. Takes about 3-4 hours. Zucchini bread will taste just like freshly baked. Pop it in a toaster for a minute for that freshly baked bread warmth and aromas.

LOOKING FOR MORE? CHECK OUT THESE QUICKBREADS
- SKINNY CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD
- SKINNY CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA MARBLE BREAD
- GINGERBREAD ZUCCHINI BREAD
WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?
If you try this healthy zucchini bread and love it, please rate this recipe!
You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!
The Best Healthy Zucchini Bread

This Healthy Zucchini Bread is seriously the best. It has less than 100 calories a slice, only 1g of fat, it's packed with protein and fiber to keep you feeling satisfied for hours, and made with just a few simple, staple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated zucchini (230g)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (120g)
- 1/2 cup sugar-free pancake syrup (120g) - or pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups whole wheat flour (180g)- Use gluten-free if needed.
- 1 scoop protein powder (31g) - I used PEScience Snickerdoodle
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper and/or spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the egg, applesauce, pancake syrup, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix until ingredients are well combined and there are no clumps.
- Add the flour and the protein powder and fold with a spatula just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix! Mixing the batter too much or too vigorously can result in dense, flat bread.
- Add zucchini and stir just until combined.
- Pour batter in prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and place the pan on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
MFP entry: LFF Healthy Zucchini Bread
See post above for storage and freezer tips.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1/10 of bread (74g)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gCarbohydrates: 15.3gFiber: 3.2gSugar: 2.2gProtein: 5.7g

If I wanted to leave out the protein powder do I need to add something else to keep the batter thick?
Can these be made with gluten free flour?
[…] toast with this style of bread but aren’t a fan of banana, you could use something like protein zucchini bread or protein pumpkin bread […]
So I just made these but I made 5 large muffins out of them. They were freaking amazing!
Oh jumbo zucchini muffins! I love that idea!! Thank you for your comment Meg!
So excited to try this! How long would you bake these if you wanted to make regular size muffins?
Hi Lori! I haven’t tried them in muffin form but I would probably set the timer for 20 minutes and see where you’re at there. Would love to hear how long it takes you in case someone else wants to make into muffins!
Made with regular all purpose flour and it turned out great.
I made this last night to with no changes. I used my stone loaf pan and only cooked it about 35-37 min. I had a piece this morning (made it too late to eat it last night) and it was dry. So, I am not sure if it cooked too long (due to using the stone)or if it just needed extra liquid.
I will continue to eat it, bc I know it is healthy.
I followed the recipe pretty closely. Used whole wheat flour, and added one scoop of pea protean powder and @ 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts. I’ve had two pieces, violating the prohibition to not eat late in the evening, and can’t wait till breakfast. Best zucchini bread ever, and righteously healthy!