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Moist Banana Zucchini Bread with Toasted Walnuts

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A tender, moist quick bread made with ripe bananas and shredded zucchini, topped with toasted walnuts. Perfect for using up overripe bananas and zucchini, this naturally sweetened loaf is great for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini (packed, about 1 medium zucchini)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (50g), packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (120ml)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup walnuts (120g), roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides.
  2. Spread chopped walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a dry skillet. Toast over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
  3. Wash zucchini and trim ends. Shred using a box grater or food processor. Place shreds in a clean kitchen towel, gather corners, and twist firmly over sink to squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps (about 1 ½ cups).
  5. Add eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  6. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until no lumps remain.
  7. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold until just combined (do not overmix).
  8. Fold in squeezed zucchini and most of the toasted walnuts (reserve about 2 tablespoons for topping). Fold until evenly distributed.
  9. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle reserved walnuts on top, pressing lightly.
  10. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too fast after 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
  11. Let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Use parchment sling to lift out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip squeezing the zucchini—it prevents a gummy texture. Use very ripe, spotty bananas for best sweetness. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with ¼ tsp xanthan gum if needed. For vegan, replace eggs with 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water) and use melted coconut oil. Bread keeps at room temperature for up to 4 days or freezes for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana zucchini bread, moist banana bread, zucchini bread with walnuts, easy quick bread, healthy banana bread

Find it online: https://elaraeats.com/moist-banana-zucchini-bread-with-toasted-walnuts/