Vegan Zucchini Bread Recipe
Moist vegan zucchini bread, naturally sweetened with dates and packed with fiber from flax. Oil-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 115kcal
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan or muffin tin
Ingredients
- 8 Medjool dates (about ⅔ cup)
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cup chickpea flour or oat flour (see note)
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 small; lightly packed, unpeeled, see notes)
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional:
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment.
- Soak dates in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain the dates, preserving the soaking water. Add more water to make 1 ¼ cups of water. Pit the dates and blend them with the water until smooth.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, flaxseed meal, psyllium husk, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Stir in wet ingredients: date paste, zucchini, applesauce, vanilla, and zucchini. Batter should be thick but spoonable. Add a splash of water or non-dairy milk if it is too dry.
- Optional: Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- For muffins: Divide batter into 12 cups and bake 22–26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Set aside to cool.
- For loaf: Transfer the batter to an 8x4-inch loaf pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes, moving to a lower rack at 35 minutes if browning too quickly. Cool completely (at least 1 hour) before slicing.
Notes
Psyllium husk: This is a worthwhile ingredient to keep on hand. I eat 1 tablespoon daily to help keep cholesterol in check! It keeps this loaf springy.
Zucchini: Grate the zucchini using the largest holes on the box grater. Do not squeeze it dry.
Flour: Chickpea flour works best for the tested gluten-free version. Oat flour may work as a 1:1 substitute, but the loaf may be softer and baking time can vary.
Batter Consistency: The batter should be thick but easy to transfer and spread in the baking pan. If it is too dry, add water or nondairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not thin the batter too much, as the zucchini will release additional moisture as it bakes.
Note: This recipe makes a moist, slightly dense, but sliceable zucchini bread or fluffy muffins.
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
