Easy Sourdough Zucchini Bread Recipe (Made With Discard)
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You won’t believe how moist and flavorful this Sourdough Zucchini Bread turns out. Brown sugar keeps it soft for days, and you can’t thank this same sugar enough for the rich caramel flavor.
Cinnamon adds cozy warmth, and it’s easy to mix up with simple ingredients you likely have lying around. Bake it right away or chill the batter overnight for long fermentation.
This recipe will give you the best zucchini bread your tastebuds have ever experienced. And it’s a great way to use up leftover sourdough starter discard and extra garden zucchini, just like my Sourdough Zucchini Fritters recipe!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Perfect for using up extra zucchini and sourdough starter:
This, and my sourdough zucchini fritters recipe, is one of the best ways to avoid waste if you have a ton of zucchini from your garden, along with leftover sourdough starter discard. Sourdough bread offers great gut-health benefits, and this zucchini sourdough recipe is no exception. If you’re looking to sneak in more vegetables in your baking, try out my Sourdough Carrot Cake Quick Bread recipe!
A wealth of sourdough benefits:
The extended fermentation time adds depth to the bread’s flavor, improves mineral absorption, and reduces gluten and certain carbohydrates for better digestibility. It also extends shelf life due to the diverse microbial activity of lactic acid bacteria and wild yeasts. For me, these are strong enough reasons to bake sourdough goods whenever I can, which is almost always.
It doesn’t take a lot to turn the basic ingredients listed below, and these two, into a moist, delicious loaf. And don’t forget to get creative with any nutritious vegetables you have on hand.
If you’re into baking with what’s in season, don’t stop at zucchini. Try this sourdough carrot cake or this sourdough rhubarb quick bread. Then there is this sourdough rhubarb cake and sourdough pumpkin muffins. All these sourdough discard recipes are great ways to turn fresh produce into something sweet.
Moist, flavorful, and perfectly sweet:
Thanks to the brown sugar and cinnamon combo, fresh zucchini bread is incredibly moist and stays that way for days. You have the brown sugar to thank for the caramel-like richness, while the cinnamon gives each bite the warmth that keeps you coming back for more.
Make it real quick or long ferment:
It’s your recipe, so it’s up to you. You can bake the bread as fast or slow as you like. If you’re in a rush or just hate waiting, you can have it ready in under an hour, or you can let the batter long ferment overnight. The long fermentation process allows the batter to develop a deeper flavor. And if you’re a die-hard sourdough fan, the extra flavor is always worth the wait.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Leaveners: Double check that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired; otherwise, this beautiful loaf won’t rise properly.
- Sugars: Using a combination of brown sugar and white sugar gives this Sourdough Zucchini bread a deep, caramel-like flavor.
- Oil: I used avocado oil, which makes this loaf incredibly moist for days, but you could substitute it with vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter.
- Eggs: It’s best to use all room temperature ingredients! To warm up eggs quickly, place your eggs in a bowl of hot water and let them soak for 5 minutes.
- Sourdough discard: I recommend using fresh sourdough discard, no older than 1-2 days. You can substitute discard with active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon complements this Sourdough Zucchini bread perfectly. You could add a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg for even more warmth.
How to Make Sourdough Zucchini Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then grease and line two 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Next, shred the zucchini with a box grater or a food processor and place it in a clean tea towel. Squeeze the zucchini tightly to release the excess liquid.
Baker’s Note
Zucchinis vary in size and water content, so to provide consistent results, squeeze out the excess liquid once you have shredded the zucchini.
After the first squeeze, I like to open up the tea towel and fluff up that shredded zucchini (grated zucchini is OK too), then squeeze it tightly once more. This ensures all of the extra liquids have been removed.
I know it is an extra step, but this allows the Sourdough Zucchini Bread to bake up perfectly every single time.
- You should be left with 210 grams (about 1 ¾ cups) of zucchini. Place it in a bowl and set that aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set that aside as well
- In another large mixing bowl, add the oil, eggs, sugars, sourdough discard, vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Then fold in the shredded zucchini.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is just incorporated.
- Fold in some inclusions, if desired. I love adding chopped walnuts and chocolate chips together. Sweet and crunchy!
Long Fermentation Tip
To long ferment, cover the batter and place it into the fridge for up to 16 hours. Continue the recipe as normal the following day.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans, and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Leave to cool for at least an hour before slicing it and enjoy!
How to Store:
Once your sourdough zucchini bread has cooled for about an hour, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh and moist at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you haven’t finished it by day three, pop it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen slices at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or microwave them for about 20 seconds. Either way, a warmed-up slice will taste just as good as it did the day you baked it.
FAQs
My recipe calls for sourdough discard, but there’s no reason not to use an active starter if that’s what you prefer. This is a simple swap. Just make sure to use the same amount in grams, not by volume.
Yes, you can use whole wheat flour or bread flour in sourdough zucchini bread, and many bakers have had success doing so. Whole wheat flour will make the loaf a bit denser and add a nuttier flavor, and you can expect a chewier texture with bread flour.
I haven’t tried this recipe with either flour type yet. If you decide to give it a shot, keep an eye on the moisture level and maybe start with a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat. Keep testing until it turns out just right for you.
You can swap avocado oil for vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter. If you don’t have sourdough discard or want a deeper flavor, use the same amount of active starter by weight. I used all-purpose flour, but you can try bread flour or a mix of whole wheat and bread flour or all-purpose. And if you’re after extra sweetness and crunch, throw in some chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
Sourdough Zucchini Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- 277 grams zucchini, shredded 2 cups
- 320 grams all-purpose flour 2 1/4 cups
- 6 grams baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 6 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams ground cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 220 grams avocado oil 1 cup
- 210 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 100 grams sugar 1/2 cup
- 170 grams eggs, room temperature about 3 large eggs
- 12 grams vanilla extract 1 Tablespoon
- 120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 225 grams chocolate chips (optional) 1 1/4 cups
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then grease and line two 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Prepare Zucchini
- Next, shred the zucchini with a box grater or a food processor and place it in a clean cheesecloth or tea towel. This will give you about 277 grams or 2 cups. Now squeeze the zucchini tightly to release the excess liquids.277 grams zucchini, shredded
- After the first squeeze, open up the cheesecloth and fluff up that shredded zucchini, then squeeze it tightly once more. This ensures all of the extra liquids have been removed.Zucchini’s vary in size and water content, so to provide consistent results, it is best to squeeze out the excess liquids once you have shredded the zucchini. I know it is an extra step, but this allows the Sourdough Zucchini Bread to bake up perfectly every single time!
- You should be left with 210 grams (about 1 ¾ cups) of shredded zucchini. Place it in a bowl and set that aside.
Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set that aside as well.320 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams baking powder, 6 grams baking soda, 6 grams salt, 3 grams ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- In another bowl, add the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla, sourdough discard, and whisk until smooth. Then fold in the zucchini.220 grams avocado oil, 210 grams brown sugar, 100 grams sugar, 170 grams eggs, room temperature, 12 grams vanilla extract, 120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature
Mix
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until the flour is just incorporated. Be careful not to over mix, otherwise this will lead to a dense and gummy sourdough zucchini bread.
- Fold in some chopped walnuts, pecans, dried cherries, dried cranberries or chocolate chips, if desired! I love adding chopped walnuts and chocolate chips together. Sweet and crunchy!225 grams chocolate chips (optional)
- Long Ferment: Cover the batter and place it into the fridge for up to 16 hours. Continue the recipe as normal the following day.
Bake
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans (about 675 grams each loaf). Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean – a few moist crumbs are okay – and the top springs back to the touch.
- Leave to cool for at least an hour before slicing in. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
-
- Leaveners: Double check that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired; otherwise, this beautiful loaf won’t rise properly.
-
- Sugars: Using a combination of brown sugar and white sugar gives this Sourdough Zucchini bread a deep, caramel-like flavor.
-
- Oil: I used avocado oil, which makes this loaf incredibly moist for days, but you could substitute it with vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter.
-
- Eggs: It’s best to use all room temperature ingredients! To warm up eggs quickly, place your eggs in a bowl of hot water and let them soak for 5 minutes.
-
- Sourdough discard: I recommend using fresh sourdough discard, no older than 1-2 days. You can substitute discard with active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
-
- Spices: Ground cinnamon complements this Sourdough Zucchini bread perfectly. You could add a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg for even more warmth.
I made zucchini bread for the FIRST TIME EVER. Wow, so delicious. perfect recipes!!
I’m so glad it turned out so delicious for you. Thank you for trusting my recipe and taking the time to share—this made my day!
Love this recipe!
I used 2 zuchnnis and I guess they were larger, because I had to up the recipe to make three loaves! All three were delcious! Thank you!
I also apprciate that the recipe was sized for the smaller 8×4 pan. such a big difference vs 9×5!
What a happy little accident! So glad you enjoyed this recipe so much. Thank you for sharing!
This quick bread stays moist for days! My family couldn’t get enough of this recipe.