Healthy Citrus Zucchini Bread

If you have fresh zucchini this summer, this healthy citrus zucchini bread recipe is the perfect way to use it. Moist, flavorful, & spiced with a hint of bright citrus!

Wishing for garden of zucchini abundance

We made a mistake in our garden this year. Everything from tomatoes to peppers to squash to okra was planted…. yet, we forgot zucchini. Sad.

Zucchini is such a versatile veggie to add to your garden, and we will definitely be planting it next year. We also love roasting it until caramelized on a roasting tray, or adding it to pasta dishes.

Thankfully, my sister brought us a bag of zucchini when her family came to stay with us! I was craving zucchini bread, so, I modified regular zucchini bread recipes to make it healthier.

(P.S. – If you need more ideas for using zucchini, check out this post on 15+ ways to preserve it!)

Try next: Crispy Cornmeal Roasted Okra

What makes this zucchini bread recipe so healthy?

This zucchini bread recipe is different from a lot of others out there, as it’s not overly sweet (many recipes call for a cup or more of white sugar). Instead, we are using just a half cup of natural sweetener like honey or sucanat.

This bread is made even healthier by the addition of Greek yogurt, which supplies an extra protein and calcium boost! It’s also full of healthy fats in the coconut oil (or butter) and eggs.

Juice and zest from citrus (either orange or lemon) adds an unbeatable flavor and also added nutrients.

By doing the optional soaking step, you also pre-digest the grains before baking which makes this bread even better for digestion and nutrient assimilation. All you have to do is mix the flour and yogurt together and let it sit on the counter overnight before adding the other ingredients.

Why add citrus fruit to zucchini bread?

Adding citrus gives an incredible flavor element and complements the zucchini flavor nicely.

I saw a couple of recipes that use orange juice and zest. But, oranges aren’t in season in the summer here, so I decided to experiment with lemons instead. It was delicious!

You can use any type of citrus fruit you choose for this recipe. It’s better to use organic, since you will be adding zest from the peel into this recipe as well.

Should I peel the zucchini?

No, there’s no need to peel the zucchini for this recipe. I actually like the little specks of green peeking through the bread when it is cut. But, if you prefer to peel it, you may. (This is actually a good idea if you are using zucchini that is not organic).

Do I need to squeeze out the extra water from the zucchini first?

No, because this actually helps keep the bread moist and delicious. This recipe was made for grating the zucchini and using it as-is!

How to Make Citrus Zucchini Bread

First, source the zucchini. July & August are the perfect time to find home grown zucchini at a farmer’s market near you, if you don’t grow it yourself. If you decide to grow zucchini, its a fairly easy crop to grow for beginner gardeners. (Here’s a guide on how to grow zucchini.) Ideally, purchase organic zucchini so you don’t have to peel it.

For optimal digestion/nutrition, soak the flour the night before you plan to make bread. I love using freshly ground whole grain flour for extra vitamins & minerals.

Mix flour (I also added chia seeds) and yogurt together thoroughly to form a dough ball. Cover and allow to sit out overnight, 8-24 hours. This step works best if you have a stand mixer, since the dough is harder to mix after soaking.

When you’re ready to bake bread, prep the zucchini. Wash thoroughly and grate zucchini with a box grater. You will need 2 cups of zucchini for this recipe. This is equal two around 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini.

Add the eggs, honey (or other sweetener), yogurt, vanilla, zucchini, orange or lemon juice/zest to the stand mixer along with the soaked flour mixture. Make sure mixer is in the locked position and turn it on the lowest setting.

You may have to “pulse” the machine by turning it on & off when you first start the mixer. It takes a minute to incorporate everything since the soaked batter is a bit tough to mix at first.

Slowly pour in the melted coconut oil or butter and mix. Last, sprinkle in the baking power & soda, salt, and ground cinnamon and mix until thoroughly combined.

If you decide to skip the soaking step, whisk mix the wet ingredients together first before adding the dry ingredients, which can be mixed in gradually.

Pour batter into prepared bread pan (I use this coconut oil spray) and bake for 40-50 minutes. Baking time varies, so keep checking the bread. When a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, it’s done.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing bread from the pan and slicing. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you’re not going to eat it all, this bread also freezes well.

Substitution Ideas:

There are a few ways you can modify this recipe in whatever way you choose! Here are some ideas:

• Swap orange juice/zest for lemon, or vice versa
• Sub oat flour or other gluten free flour to make this gluten free
• Use whatever sweetener you have on hand, or prefer for health reasons. You can use sugar, honey, maple syrup, sucanat, agave, etc.
• Omit the cinnamon if you prefer
• Add a mashed overripe banana
• Adding a little shredded carrot is a nice addition
• Chocolate chips or nuts are also a fun add-in!
• You can make these into muffins instead. Just add to muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Similar baked goods to try:

Easy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

{Save to Pinterest}