Name: Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: Grated zucchini: 1½ cups (about 1 medium zucchini); All-purpose flour: 2 cups (250g); Sourdough discard: ½ cup (120g)—make sure it’s unfed!; Granulated sugar: ¾ cup (150g); Brown sugar: ¼ cup (50g); Eggs: 2 large; Vegetable oil: ½ cup (120ml) (you can sub with melted coconut oil if you’re feeling fancy); Vanilla extract: 1½ teaspoons; Baking soda: 1 teaspoon; Baking powder: ½ teaspoon; Salt: ½ teaspoon; Ground cinnamon: 1½ teaspoons; Ground nutmeg: ½ teaspoon

Sourdough zucchini bread loaf sliced open to reveal moist interior, surrounded by ingredients.

If you’ve ever baked a loaf of zucchini bread, you know why it’s a household favorite—it’s moist, slightly sweet, and feels like breakfast and dessert had the perfect love child. But what if I told you there’s a way to make it even better? Yep, I’m talking about adding sourdough into the mix! Sourdough zucchini bread isn’t just ridiculously tasty (spoiler: it is); it’s also a fun way to use up that starter sitting in your fridge.

Before we dive into this wheat-scented rabbit hole, I need to confess something: I didn’t always adore zucchini bread. As a kid, I thought the idea of veggies in a cake was downright wrong—blasphemous, even. Fast forward to adulthood, and now you’ll catch me hoarding zucchini in the summer just to keep this bread on rotation. Adding sourdough into the equation? Game. Changer.

Why is this mash-up of sourdough tang and zucchini sweetness so special? Let’s slice into that, shall we?

Table of Contents

What’s So Great About Sourdough Zucchini Bread?

For starters (pun intended!), zucchini sourdough bread gives you the best of both worlds. The natural tang of sourdough balances out the sweetness in traditional zucchini bread. Plus, that sourdough discard you’ve been ignoring? This recipe puts it to work in the most satisfying way.

Other reasons include:

Moisture levels: The zucchini keeps the loaf tender and fluffy.
Flavor fusion: The sourdough’s slight tanginess plays nicely with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
No food waste: Sourdough discard recipes are like the ultimate lazy hack—use up your discard, don’t trash it!

Before I bore you with my gushing, let’s get into the nitty-gritty: ingredients, hacks, and everything in between.

Ingredients for Sourdough Zucchini Bread

This sourdough zucchini loaf is made with basic pantry staples. If you’ve got a zucchini, some sourdough starter, and the drive to bake, you’re halfway there.

Here’s what you need:

Grated zucchini: 1½ cups (about 1 medium zucchini)
All-purpose flour: 2 cups (250g)
Sourdough discard: ½ cup (120g)—make sure it’s unfed!
Granulated sugar: ¾ cup (150g)
Brown sugar: ¼ cup (50g)
Eggs: 2 large
Vegetable oil: ½ cup (120ml) (you can sub with melted coconut oil if you’re feeling fancy)
Vanilla extract: 1½ teaspoons
Baking soda: 1 teaspoon
Baking powder: ½ teaspoon
Salt: ½ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon: 1½ teaspoons
Ground nutmeg: ½ teaspoon

(Quick tip: Always double-check baking powder and baking soda—expired ones will ruin your vibe AND your bread.)

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

I firmly believe that half the battle in baking is having the right tools on hand. Here’s a checklist for making zucchini sourdough bread:

Mixing bowls in a couple of sizes
A sturdy whisk or hand mixer
A grater (box graters work like a charm for zucchini)
A loaf pan (9×5 inches is standard)
Parchment paper (optional but trust me—no one likes a stuck loaf)

How to Prep and Bake Your Tangy Masterpiece

Sourdough zucchini bread batter being poured into a parchment-lined loaf pan.

Let’s break it down:

Deal with the zucchini.

Grate your zucchini finely, then place the shreds in a kitchen towel. Squeeze like you mean it—you want to wring out as much liquid as possible. Too much moisture will make your bread soggy.

Mix your dry goods.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This step keeps the spices evenly distributed. (Trust me, no one wants a clump of cinnamon surprise.)

Blend wet ingredients.

In a larger bowl, combine your sourdough discard, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Mix until everything’s smooth, almost creamy.

Marriage of wet and dry.

Slowly fold the dry mixture into the wet until just combined. Over-mixing is a no-no—it can make your loaf dense and sad.

Fold in the zucchini.

Gently stir in the grated zucchini. If you’re feeling adventurous, this is the moment to toss in chocolate chips or chopped nuts. I’m partial to walnuts for their earthy crunch.

Bake the dang thing.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes. You’re looking for a golden-brown top and a toothpick that comes out clean.

Cool it (literally).

Let the bread cool for about 15 minutes before you remove it from the pan. If you’ve got the patience of a saint, wait until it’s fully cool before slicing. (I rarely make it that far without “testing” an edge!)

FAQs About Sourdough Zucchini Bread

Here’s where I clear up some confusion (because the number of times I’ve Googled these questions myself is embarrassing).

What ingredients should not be in sourdough bread?

When making classic sourdough bread, avoid processed sugars, oils, and added fats—they interrupt the organic fermentation process. For sourdough zucchini bread, though, that doesn’t apply! This is more of a quick bread, so sugar and fats are totally fine.

How do you get moisture out of zucchini for bread?

This is non-negotiable, folks! Grate your zucchini, then squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel—or even paper towels if that’s all you have. You can also let it rest in a colander with a pinch of salt to draw out extra liquid.

Sourdough chocolate zucchini bread

Want to kick things up a notch? Substitute some of the flour (about ¼ cup) with cocoa powder, and throw in a generous handful of dark chocolate chips. It’s basically dessert disguised as bread. Winning!

Sourdough zucchini muffins

Take the same batter, but pour it into a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for about 20–25 minutes. Boom. Instant grab-and-go snack! Check-out the full recipe here.

Pro Tips for the Best Results

Because baking is all about those little tweaks:

Don’t skimp on the sourdough discard. Its tangy bite is what makes this bread unique.
Adjust the sugar. If you prefer your bread less sweet, reduce the granulated sugar by ¼ cup.
Storage hacks: Wrap the finished loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and keep at room temp for 2–3 days. Or, freeze slices individually for up to 3 months!

Final Thoughts

Sourdough zucchini bread combines the rustic charm of sourdough with the cozy appeal of zucchini bread. Whether you’re baking it as a snack for lazy autumn afternoons or gifting it during the holiday season, it’s the recipe you’ll keep coming back to.

So, what do you say? Grab that starter, haul out your grater, and let’s get baking! I’ll leave you with this: one loaf is NEVER enough.