Delightfully Moist Keto Zucchini Bread Recipe You Have to Try Now!

For those following a ketogenic diet, finding suitable bread substitutes can be a challenge. This keto zucchini bread offers a remarkably simple and delicious solution, providing a moist and flavorful alternative to traditional bread. By cleverly utilizing grated zucchini as a primary component, it contributes natural moisture and a subtle earthiness.

My family requests this loaf all the time for breakfast or as a side dish with dinner. I normally don’t make many bread like desserts, but today was an exception. I happened to have a couple zucchini’s on hand, and I wanted to bake something for a dessert. Then it hit me - I haven’t made a zucchini bread in a long time! Zucchini bread, to me, is more of a seasonal treat. My mom tends to make them more around the holidays. She prefers to make more of a sugary chocolate chip version than this one. But luckily, zucchini bread is just as easy to make keto and sugar-free.

This keto zucchini bread stays low carb and high in protein. The magic often happens with a base of almond flour, which provides the necessary structure. It lends a rich, nutty flavor to this keto zucchini bread while keeping the loaf entirely gluten-free and low in carbohydrates.

Why Zucchini Works in Keto Baking

Zucchini is a keto staple as it can be turned into all sorts of things like pasta noodles, taco shells, etc. Zucchini really is a versatile low carb vegetable. I don’t like it raw very much but roasted or grilled, it becomes flavorful and tender. It’s useful in savory dishes as zucchini noodles, and it can also be turned into keto zucchini boats and stuffed with any number of delicious fillings. And this zucchini casserole is one of my most popular keto side dishes. But one place were zucchini really shines is in keto baking. Finely grated zucchini adds moisture and texture to recipes like keto zucchini muffins, or keto chocolate zucchini cake. And of course to this amazing keto zucchini bread.

Ingredients You'll Need

This Keto Zucchini Bread requires only 7 ingredients and uses only 1 bowl.

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Almond flour
Salt
Baking soda
Cinnamon
Swerve (or other keto-friendly sweetener)
Eggs
Melted butter

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is an easy recipe that you will want to make over and over again.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Prepare the Zucchini: Lets start by shredding our zucchini. Now we need to squeeze out the liquid by placing our shredded zucchini in a clean dish towel and squeezing it. Wrap the grated zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard liquid and set zucchini to the side. There is no need to peel the zucchini before grating or shredding it. It adds extra fiber and also a little extra structure.
Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, cinnamon, swerve, and baking soda.
Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, softened butter, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Mix wet and dry: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Fold through the shredded zucchini.
Add zucchini: Add the grated and drained zucchini to the dry ingredients followed by the eggs and melted butter. Stir batter until combined.
Prepare the pan: Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. Line an 8×4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray a 9x5 loaf pan.
Pour and bake: Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake in the 350F oven for about 45 minutes to an hour. Transfer the batter into the lined loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick comes out mostly clean. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown on top. Bake the bread until browned and set, and a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Cool: Let cool before serving. Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan completely before slicing. Don’t be tempted to get it out of the pan too early or it might break apart on you. I recommend letting it cool 30 minutes or so. Using the parchment paper overhang as handles, carefully remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Carefully remove the parchment to allow air to circulate. Cool the bread on the cooling rack for about an hour before slicing. You can speed things up by placing it in the fridge, on the cooling rack, for 30 minutes. Don't try to slice it when it's warm. After slicing the bread, if the slices are very moist, place them on the cooling rack for 10 more minutes.
Slice and serve: Slice into 12 slices. Enjoy this keto zucchini bread plain as a quick breakfast, lightly toasted with a drizzle of olive oil or spread of butter. I top mine with a sunny side up runny egg!

Tips for the Perfect Keto Zucchini Bread

Squeeze out the moisture: The key to this recipe is to spread out the zucchini shreds on a platter, salt them and mix them. Draining the zucchini is a must. A lot of liquid comes out when you squeeze the water out! If you leave it in the bread, the bread will come out soggy and wet. Remove as much moisture as possible from the zucchini. Removing every bit of moisture is key- skip this step, and you risk a soggy, sunken loaf.
Use the right loaf pan size: Loaf pan size: I always bake my zucchini bread and keto quick breads in a metal loaf pan that is 9x5, which is a little larger than a standard loaf pan. It's important to use a small loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5 inches).
Finely grate the zucchini: It's best to grate the zucchini finely by hand, using a box grater. However, some people like to grate it coarser, and you can also use the grating blade of your food processor.
Don't over-bake: Your bread continues to cook as it cools in the pan.
Tent with foil, if needed: Oven models and types differ, so you may find that your bread takes slightly longer to cook.
Almond flour is key: Almond flour- blanched almond flour must be used, not almond meal. I use Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour. One cup of this flour weighs 4 ounces, so two cups weigh 8 ounces (dry measurements are different than liquid measurements). Please measure the almond flour by weight rather than by volume.
Full-fat Greek yogurt: Adds extra moisture to the bread. You can also use sour cream. Avoid using low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurts, as they have more carbs.

Variations and Add-Ins

Adding walnuts, blueberries, or chocolate chips: If you want to add some extra sweetness, you can add sugar free chocolate chips or blueberries. Sometimes, I add 2 tablespoons of melted and cooled unsalted butter. You can add up to ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or chopped pecans (or walnuts). Then, spoon in the chopped walnuts on top of the zucchini bread. This keto zucchini bread is so tender and moist, with a hint of cinnamon and studded with sugar free chocolate chips.
Savory zucchini bread: For savory zucchini bread, you can omit the sweetener and replace it with equal amounts of Parmesan cheese or keto bread crumbs. This savory zucchini bread is so simple to make with only 5 main ingredients. The flavor and texture of the loaf rivals regular bread.
Muffins: This batter is the perfect amount to make 12 regular sized muffins. Divide the batter evenly in the muffin tin and bake in a 35oF oven until a toothpick comes out clean. To make muffins, use greased foil or parchment liners (the batter will stick to standard paper liners), fill them ¾ full, and bake them for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Divide batter evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin.
Spices: My recipe includes a teaspoon of cinnamon, which gives the bread a warm, homey flavor. Sometimes, I add 2 tablespoons of melted and cooled unsalted butter.

Freezing Instructions

As for freezing, this bread does freeze well. Instead of slicing each piece up and freezing, I like to actually freeze the entire loaf. This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe. The bread can last on the counter for up to 5 days, as long as you don’t live in a very humid environment. It also freezes very well, and I’ve frozen it for 6 months before without any issues. You can freeze the whole loaf for future use, or cut it into slices for individual servings. Either way, make sure you wrap it up tightly so it doesn’t get any freezer burn.

To freeze this zucchini bread whole, let it cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap, followed by foil. Place in the freezer and keep frozen up to 4 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let thaw on the counter.

To freeze this healthy zucchini bread in individual slices, let cool completely and refrigerate overnight. Slice into individual slices and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place wrapped slices in a freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.

Storage Instructions

To store: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. Leftovers: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to one week. It also freezes really well- wrap slices individually for an easy grab-and-go snack.

Once the bread has cooled, slice it, place the leftover slices on the cooling rack, and allow them to cool completely. Store the cooled slices in the fridge, in an airtight container, on paper towels to absorb extra moisture. They can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in freezer bags in a single layer. If you layer them, separate the layers with wax paper.

Common Questions

Do you peel zucchini before shredding it for bread? There is no need to peel the zucchini before grating or shredding it. It adds extra fiber and also a little extra structure.
How do I stop my zucchini bread from sinking in the middle? This usually happens when there’s too much moisture left in the zucchini or the bread is underbaked. Make sure you squeeze the zucchini really well (I use a clean dish towel) and bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
What is the best way to shred the zucchini? It's best to grate the zucchini finely by hand, using a box grater. However, some people like to grate it coarser, and you can also use the grating blade of your food processor.
Can I use this recipe to make muffins? Yes. To make muffins, use greased foil or parchment liners (the batter will stick to standard paper liners), fill them ¾ full, and bake them for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Can I use sugar-free honey? No. If you prefer not to use stevia, you can replace it with ½ cup of a granulated sweetener. A liquid sweetener other than stevia will add too much liquid to the batter.
How much zucchini do I add? This keto zucchini bread uses one large zucchini, which is about 12 ounces or 330 grams. Any more than that and your bread may become mushy.
Can I use coconut flour instead? This is an almond flour zucchini bread so it won’t work with coconut flour. However, my keto zucchini spice muffins are coconut flour based so I recommend making that recipe instead.
Can I use a different sweetener? Yes, any granular sweetener should work here. One caveat is that allulose can make keto baked goods overly brown. They aren’t burnt but they come out very dark in color, which can be a little off-putting.
Can I make this dairy free? Absolutely, I’ve made a dairy free version of keto zucchini bread and it’s delicious. Replace the whey protein with egg white protein powder, and the butter with coconut or avocado oil. Coconut oil can make it a bit greasier so I recommend using only 6 tablespoons.
Can I skip the chocolate chips? You bet. You can skip them altogether or replace them with some chopped nuts. It’s great that way too!
How long can I keep this bread? Once the bread has cooled, slice it, place the leftover slices on the cooling rack, and allow them to cool completely. Store the cooled slices in the fridge, in an airtight container, on paper towels to absorb extra moisture. They can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze them in freezer bags in a single layer. If you layer them, separate the layers with wax paper.

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