Active Time

　　15 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 hour 15 minutes

　　When James Beard published this zucchini bread recipe in his 1973 book, Beard on Bread, he wrote that the “loaf has a very pleasant flavor, a little on the sweet side, and a distinctive texture. The built-in moisture provided by the zucchini makes it a keeper.” Almost 50 years later, those observations, and this recipe, hold up.

　　Making zucchini bread is the perfect solution if you’ve grown a bumper crop of the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit, botanically speaking) or spotted a sale at the market. Peeling the zucchini gives the bread a softer texture, allowing the shredded zucchini to almost disappear into the crumb, but if you’d prefer to skip the extra step, feel free. Either way, shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater or the grating disc of your food processor.

　　If you don’t care for walnuts, they can be left out or replaced with pecans, chopped dried fruit (cranberries are especially nice), or chocolate chips. For a heartier loaf, Beard writes that you can replace up to 1 cup of the white flour with whole wheat flour. Serve the loaves warm, fresh from the oven with butter and good honey; toast a slice of leftovers the next day and slather it with cream cheese; or wrap a loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before tucking it into the freezer.

　　This recipe for zucchini bread was adapted from ‘Beard on Bread’ by James Beard. Buy the complete book on Amazon.

　　All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

　　

What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Cuisinart Boxed Grater

　　$13 At Amazon

　　Non-Skid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 3

　　$60 At Sur La Table

　　Oxo Better Balloon Whisk

　　$10 At Amazon

　　USA Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan

　　$13 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2 loaves

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tsp. kosher salt

　　1 tsp. baking soda

　　¼ tsp. baking powder

　　1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

　　3 large eggs, room temperature

　　2 cups sugar

　　1 cup vegetable oil

　　2 cups grated, peeled raw zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)

　　1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

　　1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

　　

Step 1

Lightly grease two 8½x4½" loaf pans with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Whisk 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, ¼ tsp. baking powder, and 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine.

　　

Step 3

With an electric mixer or whisk, beat 3 large eggs in a large bowl until light and foamy, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups grated zucchini, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract and mix lightly but well.

　　

Step 4

Add dry ingredients to the egg-zucchini mixture. Stir until well blended, add 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts, and divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick or other tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. 

　　Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in August 2015 as ‘James Beard’s Zucchini Bread.’ Head this way for banana bread, pumpkin bread, and more of our favorite quick bread recipes →

　　Adapted from Beard On Bread, by James Beard. Published by Knopf; Reprint edition (February 7, 1995). Buy the full book from Amazon, Penguin Random House, or Bookshop.