Healthy Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

This healthy olive oil zucchini bread is made with whole wheat flour and extra virgin olive oil. It’s a rich and delicious way to enjoy summer squash!

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Olive oil in bread? Have I officially lost it? Nope, you’ll see!

Of course, we all know that olive oil AND bread (i.e. for dipping) is a fantastic combo. Give me a freshly baked roll and some olive oil with herbs any day!

But did you know that you can actually make olive oil bread? Yep, pour some extra virgin olive oil straight into the batter, and you’ll get a rich, delicious result. The olive oil provides a slightly fruity taste that works especially well in a sweet bread!

I’ve been wanting to make an olive oil bread for a while, and as soon as zucchini season rolled around, I knew it was time.

I also wanted to boost the nutrition of regular ol’ zucchini bread, so I made this recipe with 100% whole wheat flour and a fairly low amount of added sugar (it doesn’t need it with the olive oil!)

Plus, this Healthy Olive Oil Zucchini Bread is seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla. Basically, it’s the stuff of sipping-coffee-with-a-slice-of-zucchini-bread dreams! Serve it with a little melted butter or a schmear of cream cheese, and you’ll be LIVING.

How to Make Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Making homemade zucchini bread involves mixing dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another, and then combining them. Boom.

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First, mix the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Next, shred the zucchini with a hand or box grater (I used two medium zucchini for this recipe, or the equivalent of 2 heaping cups worth) and add it to a bowl with olive oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla.

Mix with a whisk, and add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Stir until well combined, but don’t overdo it. Pour into a greased medium loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean.

Recommended Ingredients

As I mentioned earlier, this bread features extra virgin olive oil and 100% whole wheat flour. For best results, I recommend using an olive oil that doesn’t have an incredibly strong taste, like California Olive Ranch Everyday Olive Oil.

For the flour, I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour. I love using it in healthier baked goods!

Is this recipe dairy free or nut free?

Yes, it’s free of both dairy and nuts! If you would like to add nuts, I bet it would taste delicious with 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts.

Can you make it vegan or gluten free?

If you would like to make the recipe vegan, you can omit the eggs and use flax or chia eggs instead. To make a chia or flax egg, mix 1 tbsp chia seeds or ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and let it sit for a little bit before adding to the batter.

To make this bread gluten free, I suspect that an all purpose gluten free flour would work well, but I have not tried it personally.

Can you freeze olive oil zucchini bread?

If you plan to eat this bread within a few days, you can store it in a sealed container or plastic bag at room temperature.

But if you would like to save a loaf of this for later, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. You can keep it in the freezer for a few months. Remove the foil before letting it thaw in the fridge or at room temp.

For one of my other favorite ways to use up zucchini, check out the Zucchini Carrot Oat Muffins! Or peep the Carrot Banana Breakfast Bread, Pumpkin Banana Oat Bread, Sweet Potato Blueberry Flax Muffins, and Spinach Banana Muffins for some other veggie-loaded baked goods.

I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

Happy August a.k.a. zucchini overload season! – Lizzie