Zucchini Nut Bread

It’s zucchini season! We planted our garden a little late this year, and didn’t plant any zucchini. But thankfully, our gracious neighbor, Lori, did and offered a couple of her green beauties over the fence. I love to use zucchini – whether grilled, sautéed with garlic and butter, as a vessel for tasty fillings, in a hearty soup, carb-friendly zoodles, or hidden in baked goods. I think it is definitely an underrated vegetable, err, fruit?

Growing up, my grandma would make several loaves of good, old-fashioned zucchini nut bread this time of year. After baking, it freezes exceptionally well. Alternatively, if you find yourself with a bunch of zucchini and the intention of baking with them later on, you can peel, grate, and store them in freezer bags so it takes up less room in your freezer. If using previously frozen zucchini to make this bread, be sure to squeeze off and remove some of the liquid after thawing.

Zucchini Nut Bread

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Yields 2 Loaves

3 large eggs, beaten

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Cups Zucchini, peeled and grated

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 Cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1-1/2 Cups Raisins (optional)

1/2 Cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Prepare two loaf pans with butter and flour, tap out excess flour.
2. Roughly peel and grate zucchini, leaving core of seed.
3. In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Cream together.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into wet ingredients. Mix well.
5. Add raisins and walnuts and stir to combine.
6. Pour evenly into two prepared loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes before removing. Loosen edges with a knife or offset spatula.

My favorite way to enjoy this bread is simply to spread with a little butter. If you happen to have more zucchini than you know what to do with, share this love this Saturday, August 8 for National Sneak Some Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch Day. 

For more ways to use zucchini and to participate in this week's #tcbcookingclub challenge (zucchini!), join us in The Chopping Block’s private Facebook group.