This is my favorite recipe for zucchini bread (best ever!) using leftover sourdough starter discard. My secret is a specific mixing order which creates the most amazing, melt-in-your-mouth texture every time!
Many of you have requested more sourdough discard recipes, especially muffins, quick breads and easy sweet treats. It’s such a great way to use up leftover starter without the waste! In fact, diving deeper into this topic was my favorite research while writing Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. I could go on and on about it…
For this recipe, I’ve adapted my ultimate sourdough banana bread (with a few tips from the comment section) to create the best sourdough zucchini bread. It’s got that same velvety texture, notes of rich caramel, and for a simple twist, the batter is lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Butter, for coating the pan
- Grated zucchini (appx. 1 medium zucchini)
- Banana
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Sourdough discard OR bubbly, active sourdough starter
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Mild oil (olive oil, sunflower etc.)
- Milk or unsweetened almond milk
How To Make Sourdough Zucchini Bread
For the Batter
Just like my sourdough banana bread, the secret to this recipe is the specific mixing order.
Cream only a portion of the wet ingredients first, followed by the dry ingredients, ending with the remaining wet ingredients (oil and milk). Follow the instructions exactly and you’ll get the best melt-in-your-mouth texture every time.
How To Grate Zucchini
After the batter is mixed, the final step is to fold in the zucchini.
I use a box grater to grate the zucchini because it’s quick, easy to clean and you don’t have to dig out an additional appliance like the food processor.
Additionally, there’s no need to squeeze out the excess water from the zucchini; it’s used to hydrate the batter.
TIP: The texture of the batter should be thick and pourable but not runny. This will all depend on the brand of flour you’re using and the thickness of your sourdough starter. Add more flour as needed to get it right.
Bake The Zucchini Bread
Pour the batter into loaf pans, either mini 7x3x2-inch pans (pictured above) or a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake until perfectly golden. Cool in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack. Be patient!
When ready to eat, try a slice (warm) with a pat of salted butter, or simply plain with a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s the best sourdough zucchini bread you’ll ever try!
To Freeze: Wrap the zucchini bread in a few layers of plastic wrap (or a reusable wrap of your choice), then foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature. You can reheat to serve, which is optional. You can also freeze this bread in individually wrapped slices.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
- Best Sourdough Pancakes
- Easy, No-Roll Sourdough Scones
- Crinkle-Top Sourdough Brownies
- Homemade Sourdough Blueberry Muffins {Overnight!}
- Sourdough Blueberry Crumb Cake
More Zucchini Recipes!
- {family fave!}
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 35 reviews
- Author: Emilie Raffa
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This is my recipe for the best zucchini bread (ever!) using leftover sourdough starter discard. My secret is a specific mixing order which creates the most amazing, melt-in-your-mouth texture every time!
Notes & Substitutions
- Non-Sourdough Version: Just leave it out. No additional adjustments needed.
- Dairy Free: Use unsweetened almond milk or another plant milk of your choice. Use oil or plant butter to coat the pans.
- Gluten Free: Use King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour & a GF sourdough starter
- Pan Sizes: (2 or 3) mini 7 x 3 x 2- inch OR (1) standard 9 x 5-inch
Ingredients
- Butter, for coating the pan
- 2 cups (220 g) grated zucchini, from appx. 1 medium zucchini
- 125 g banana weighed with the skin on (about 1 small banana)
- 225 g (1 1/4 cups lightly packed) light or dark brown sugar
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g (appx. 1/2 cup) sourdough discard OR bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 125 ml (½ cup) neutral flavored oil like sunflower (mild olive oil works, too)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk or unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
How to Prepare your Sourdough Starter: if using leftover sourdough discard, make sure it’s in good condition (no brown liquid, no vinegary smell, not straight from the fridge). I use recently fed or just collapsed starter. Alternatively, if using active starter, you’ll need to feed it prior to making the recipe and wait for it to become bubbly and double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 360 F. Lightly coat (2 or 3) 7 x 3 x 2 mini loaf pans or (1) 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter. Note: Using 2 mini loaf pans instead of 3 will you get you slightly taller loaves.
- Using a box grater, grate the zucchini on an angle on the side with largest holes. No need to drain out the excess water. Set aside.
- Add the banana, sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Cream with a hand held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (some small lumps of banana are okay).
- Add the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the sourdough starter.
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Working in batches, add this to the banana mixture.
- Add the oil and milk and mix until just combined. Do not over do it; the banana bread will be tough. The texture should be thick and pourable, but not runny. Add more flour if needed. Fold in the grated zucchini.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). For 2 mini loaf pans, fill about 3/4’s full. For 3 mini loaf pans, fill about 2/3’s full (these loaves will not be as high). Place onto a baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes for the 2 mini loaf pans (about 30-35 minutes if using 3 mini pans) or 60-65 minutes or more for the standard 9 x 5-inch pan. Cover with foil if the loaf browns too quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- To Store: wrap the loaves (plastic or reusable wrap) and keep at room temperature. Because of the moisture in the zucchini, the texture will get softer and softer each day.
- To Freeze: Once completely cool, wrap the loaves, label and date; they will keep for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
- To Double: simply double the ingredients as listed. I recommend using a stand mixer.
