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This sourdough discard zucchini bread recipe is moist, tender, and slightly chewy, laced with warm spices, sweetened with brown sugar, and balanced with tangy sourdough. If you have extra zucchini, keep sourdough on hand, and are looking for an upgraded version of the classic quick bread, you found it!
If you had to choose between zucchini bread or banana bread, which would it be? For me, it’s zucchini bread all the way. I like that because of zucchini’s milder flavor, the flavors of the sweet, warm spices shine through. Also, zucchini bread is a bit less dense, and a little lighter and more tender. Now don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn down a fresh slice of banana bread, but given the option I’d pick zucchini. Adding sourdough discard into the mix makes it even better!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper
- No waste. If you keep sourdough starter on hand and want to try something new with discard, it works beautifully in zucchini bread.
- Zucchini season is upon us. If you’re up to your ears in zucchini because you grow it, know someone who does, or can find it reasonably priced at your local farmers’ market, this is a great way to use it.
- It’s as easy to make as any other quick bread. We aren’t using sourdough as the leavener in this recipe, so there’s no waiting time or rise time. The batter whips up in just 10 minutes and is ready to bake!
- Full of classic flavor, but better. This has all the hallmarks of regular zucchini bread, including sweet cinnamon, brown sugar flavor and a moist, tender crumb, but is enhanced with tangy sourdough. The resulting loaf is more complex and balanced in flavor with a slightly chewier texture.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Butter and flour – For the loaf pan (or you can line all 4 sides with parchment paper).
- Flour – Use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a classic warm spice in zucchini bread.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Like other quick bread recipes, we use both of these chemical leavening agents in this recipe. Even though we’re also adding sourdough discard, we only add it for chewy texture and tangy flavor (and because most of us are always looking for ways to use up discard!), not as a leavener.
- Salt – Don’t skimp on the salt or your bread will be bland.
- Nutmeg – Nutmeg is a classic pairing with cinnamon in quick breads like this one. It adds a subtly citrusy, earthy, slightly nutty flavor.
- Cloves – You can omit the cloves if you like, but this is the secret ingredient that adds depth! Remember, cloves are potent so a little bit goes a long way.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds moisture and its acidity acts as a tenderizer, helping create a moist, tender crumb.
- Avocado oil – Or another light or neutral-flavored oil, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.
- Sourdough discard – Adds tanginess to help create a balanced flavor profile. Sourdough discard also gives this zucchini bread a chewiness that regular zucchini quick bread with a cake-like crumb doesn’t have.
- Light brown sugar – Here we use brown sugar instead of white sugar. The molasses in it lends depth of flavor and hints of caramel.
- Eggs – Add moisture and helps with lift to create the perfect texture.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.
- Shredded zucchini – We need 225 grams, which is about 1 1/2 cups shredded or 1 medium-large zucchini. Wash the zucchini and shred it, but don’t peel it or wring out the liquid.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, or line all 4 sides with parchment paper.
- Make the batter. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk, oil, sourdough discard, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to a separate medium-large bowl. Whisk until well-combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine, then fold in the shredded zucchini, being careful not to over-mix. (TIP: A few streaks of flour are okay and better than over-mixing.)
- Bake and cool. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without crumbs or with just a few moist crumbs, about 60 to 75 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Storage
Let the bread cool to room temperature. After that, wrap it well or pop it into an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. (TIP: If freezing, slice the bread first so you can thaw as many servings at a time as you want. Also after freezing, I like to lightly toast the bread to refresh it before eating.)
Variations
Make sourdough zucchini bread with chocolate! The easiest way to do this is to add up to 3/4 cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate into the batter. You can also scatter a few chocolate chips on top of the loaf as soon as it’s out of the oven (like I do with my double chocolate banana bread). Or you can reduce the flour to 1 2/3 cups, add 1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, and increase the brown sugar to 2 cups.
Nuts are another great addition to zucchini bread. Add up to 1 cup of any kind of chopped nuts you like. I’m partial to walnuts here, but pecans and almonds are also delicious. (TIP: To develop their flavor, lightly toast the nuts and let them cool before stirring them into the batter.)
Tips For the Best Sourdough Discard Quick Bread
- Use a 100% hydration sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. If you use active starter, reduce the brown sugar to 1 1/2 cups (because active starter is less sour than discard).
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute. To do so, in a small bowl, add 4 tablespoons skim milk and 3 tablespoons heavy cream, and drizzle in 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle and thicken before stirring.
- For this recipe, don’t peel the zucchini before shredding, and don’t wring out the liquid after.
- Let the bread cool to room temperature before slicing. Just like regular sourdough, it’s still baking until it cools and if you slice it while it’s warm, you run the risk of gummy bread – a tragedy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To do so, line a muffin tray with paper liners, add the batter, and bake at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry or with just a couple moist crumbs.
Yes. For this recipe, leave the skin on the zucchini. It adds pretty green flecks and bumps up the nutrition. (TIP: Unless your zucchini has large seeds, there’s no need to remove them before shredding the zucchini.)
No. For this recipe, don’t squeeze out the liquid. The zucchini’s moisture helps us achieve the perfect moist bread.
In this recipe we use three secret ingredients for perfectly moist, tender bread. The first is to use oil instead of butter. Secondly, we add buttermilk. And last but not least, we don’t wring out the moisture from the shredded zucchini.
More Favorite Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Waffles
- 30-Minute Sourdough Discard Protein Bagels With Greek Yogurt
- No-Roll Sourdough Crackers
- Cinnamon Roll Sourdough Discard Scones
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Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- Butter and flour (for the loaf pan)
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (reduce to 1/8 teaspoon if you're sensitive to cloves)
- 1/2 cup full-fat buttermilk (see Notes for substitute)
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil or canola oil)
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (see Notes)
- 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 225 grams shredded zucchini (about 1 1/2 cups/1 medium-large zucchini; wash the zucchini and shred it; don’t peel it or wring out the liquid)
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, or line all 4 sides with parchment paper.
- Make the batter. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.Add the buttermilk, oil, sourdough discard, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to a separate medium-large bowl. Whisk until well-combined.Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine, then fold in the shredded zucchini, being careful not to over-mix. (TIP: A few streaks of flour are okay and better than over-mixing.)
- Bake and cool. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without crumbs or with just a few moist crumbs, about 60 to 75 minutes.Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Buttermilk Substitute: In a small bowl, add 4 tablespoons skim milk and 3 tablespoons heavy cream, and drizzle in 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle and thicken before stirring.
- Sourdough Discard: Use a 100% hydration sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. If you use active starter, reduce the brown sugar to 1 1/2 cups (because active starter is less sour than discard).
- Storage: Let the bread cool to room temperature. After that, wrap it well or pop it into an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. (TIP: If freezing, slice the bread first so you can thaw as many servings at a time as you want. Also after freezing, I like to lightly toast the bread to refresh it before eating.)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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