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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!
About This Recipe
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 with 6g of protein per slice!
- 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.
- 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 (code Laurenfitfoodie to save!) 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.
- Unsweetened applesauce – You can use mashed banana or pumpkin as substitutes.
- Pancake syrup – Sugar-free or regular maple syrup. Any sticky syrup like agave or honey will also work.
- Egg
- Baking essentials – Cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, pure vanilla extract, and salt.
To make gluten-free: use gluten-free flour
Ways To Switch It Up:
- 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!
Equipment Needed
How To Make
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
To 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.
To 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.
To 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.
Helpful Tips
- 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.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
The Best Healthy Zucchini Bread
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
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
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.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
