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Sourdough Zucchini Bread

Sourdough zucchini bread with a lightly tangy crumb and moist shredded zucchini, baked into a tender 9×5-inch loaf. Warm cinnamon and vanilla perfume the batter, with a clean-toothpick bake (55–65 minutes) for easy slicing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sourdough zucchini bread
  • 1 cup sourdough discard unfed
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 cup shredded zucchini moisture squeezed out
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar optional

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Look for the preheat indicator to confirm the oven is fully warmed.
  2. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Ensure the parchment covers the bottom and up the sides so the loaf lifts out cleanly.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed with no visible clumps.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. In another bowl, whisk melted and cooled unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and sourdough discard until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks glossy and cohesive.
  2. Fold in the shredded zucchini until evenly distributed. You should see green zucchini shreds throughout the batter.
  3. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour pockets remain to keep the loaf tender.
  4. Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts if using. Mix just enough so the nuts are scattered, not overworked.
Bake the loaf
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Spread into an even layer so the loaf bakes uniformly.
  2. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should look set and lightly browned, with a springy feel in the middle.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Let it firm up so slices hold together when cut.
  2. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Use a gentle sawing motion for clean, moist slices.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the shredded zucchini well before mixing so the loaf stays tender instead of gummy. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze slices up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature. For a dairy-light option, use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a similar tang and moisture.