Wonderfully moist and fragrant, this keto zucchini bread is the perfect breakfast. It’s delicious, gluten-free, and very filling!
When I can’t stop after one slice, I know I made something good. And when I made this bread for the first time, I had three slices. 😳
That was last year, and I have made it many times since. I finally decided it was time to add it to the blog – and since it’s now late August as I write this, this is pretty much our last chance this year to get nutritious, gorgeous, firm-fleshed, flavorful in-season zucchinis.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make keto zucchini bread. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Fresh zucchini: You can leave them unpeeled.
Eggs: I use large eggs in almost all my recipes.
Sweetener: I use stevia. You can probably use a granulated sweetener if you wish.
Vanilla extract: Try to use pure vanilla extract, not the artificial stuff.
Almond flour: An excellent flour substitute. I use blanched and finely ground flour in this recipe.
Cinnamon: Make sure it’s fresh. A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Kosher salt: If using fine salt, reduce the amount you use.
Baking soda: If you’d like to try using baking powder (though I haven’t tested it in this recipe), remember that 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
How to make keto zucchini bread
It’s a truly easy recipe. You simply mix everything in one bowl. Even grating the zucchini isn’t so bad. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Grate the zucchini, place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard to get rid of excess liquids.
Whisk together the eggs, sweetener, and vanilla. Then mix in the remaining ingredients with a rubber spatula. If the mixture is very dry and difficult to mix, add a bit of water – one or two tablespoons.
Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined and greased small loaf pan and bake until browned and cooked through, about 40 minutes at 350°F.
Remove from the pan, place on a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper (as shown in the video). Cool on the rack at least 1 hour before slicing. Or speed things up by placing the bread, still on the cooling rack, in the fridge for 30 minutes.
The pan you use makes a difference
It’s important to use a small loaf pan (8.5 X 4.5 inches) to make this recipe. If you use a standard loaf pan (9 X 5 inches), the bread will be wide and flat.
There’s no oil or butter in this bread?
True. I don’t think they are needed. This keto zucchini bread is wonderfully moist. Don’t forget that almond flour contains a lot of fat. The eggs add fat too.
However, if you wish, you can add 2 tablespoons of a neutral oil (such as avocado oil) or melted and cooled unsalted butter when you whisk the eggs. If you do, you likely won’t need to add any water to the batter later on.
Don’t forget to drain the zucchini
See the video below – when you squeeze the water out of the zucchini, a lot of liquid comes out! If you left it in the bread, the bread would have probably disintegrated.
How to grate the zucchini
I like to grate it very finely, by hand, using a box grater. Some people like to grate it coarser. And you can also use the grating blade of your food processor.
Should I peel the zucchini?
No. There’s no need to peel the zucchini. The dark peel adds a pretty color to the slices and it’s delicate enough that it doesn’t interfere with the bread’s texture.
Can I use a sweetener other than stevia?
Yes. You can use 1/2 cup of any granulated sweetener.
How to eat keto zucchini bread?
It’s wonderful all by itself. I also like it with sweet butter. My daughter enjoys it with almond butter. The leftovers are really good lightly toasted and spread with sweet butter.
How to keep leftovers
Once the keto zucchini bread has cooled, I slice it, then spread the leftover slices on the cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
I then store the slices in the fridge, in an airtight container, on paper towels to absorb extra moisture.
You can keep them 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.
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Keto Zucchini Bread
INGREDIENTS
- Avocado oil spray for the pan
- 3 medium zucchinis (about 21 oz total weight)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerine (equals about 1/2 cup sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched finely ground almond flour (8 oz)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (or a pinch of fine salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a small loaf pan (8.5 X 4.5 inches) with parchment so that there’s an overhang, as shown in the video below. Lightly spray the lined pan with oil.
- Grate the unpeeled zucchinis (I grate them by hand). You should have about 2 cups of grated zucchini.
- Place the grated zucchinis in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as you can. You’ll get quite a lot of water out, as you can see in the video!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, stevia, and vanilla extract.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix in the almond flour, cinnamon, kosher salt, and baking soda. Then add the grated zucchini.
- Depending on how thorough you were when squeezing the water out of the zucchinis, at this point you might need to add a little water to the mixture. Add one tablespoon at a time until the batter is thick but easy to mix. I typically add 2 tablespoons.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top out with a spatula.
- Bake the bread until browned and set, and a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- 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, as shown in the video, to allow air to circulate.
- Cool the bread on the cooling rack about 1 hour before slicing. Or 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.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
More Recipes to Try:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.