Banana Zucchini Walnut Bread
Two favorite quick bread recipes combine into this moist and flavorful banana zucchini walnut bread!
Do you have more zucchini than you know what you do with? If so, then I’ve got the recipe for you!
Every year our garden produces more zucchini than we can keep up with. And every year I try a new zucchini bread recipe. This time I happened to have a lot of overripe bananas laying around too, and some walnuts. So I threw them all together into this delicious quick bread recipe!
Is it banana bread? Is it zucchini bread? It’s both!
About this Banana Zucchini Walnut Bread
This banana zucchini walnut quick bread recipe uses both mashed bananas and shredded zucchini for moisture and flavor. The bread is soft and tender, with a satisfying crunch thanks to the addition of chopped walnuts (you can also use pecans).
Use bananas that are fully ripe (not at all green) for the best flavor, and this is a great recipe to use up overripe brown bananas too. Other ingredients in this recipe include all-purpose flour, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
Enjoy a loaf now and a loaf later!
This banana zucchini walnut bread recipe is a two-for-one! It makes two 9×5-inch loaves, which is perfect because you can eat one right away and save the other for another day or give it away to a friend.
To freeze quick bread, double wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 2 months or more. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply let it thaw at room temperature in the plastic wrap for several hours.
Tips for Making Quick Bread
- Do not over mix the batter or your loaf will become tough and dense. Stir only until no streaks of dry ingredients are visible, but some lumps are okay.
- Line the pan with parchment paper before baking which will act as a sling to easily remove the baked bread from the pan.
- Quick breads are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs. You cannot judge doneness just by it’s appearance.
- Depending on the exact dimensions of your loaf pan, your cooking time may vary slightly from what’s listed below. Start checking about 10 minutes early. Once bread is golden brown and the top appears dry, then start testing with the toothpick.
- For the cleanest slices, wait till the loaf has cooled completely (if you can resist!) and use a serrated knife.
- Quick bread will keep for several days. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
More quick bread recipes to love
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Recipe originally published September 2010.
Banana Zucchini Walnut Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cup shredded zucchini (1-2 zucchini, depending on size)
- 1 cup mashed banana (2-3 bananas, depending on size)
- ¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two 9x5-inch loaf pans with a strip of parchment paper and grease with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the zucchini, banana, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in walnuts. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs.
- Let loaves cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store loaves at room temperature for several days. Or double wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months or more.
Delicious! Love the banana/zucchini/walnut combo…sounds like the perfect snack!
You know, every time I make banana bread, I want to sneak a little zucchini in there to see what it would taste like, but my husband is repulsed by the idea, so I don't (Otherwise, I'd be eating the whole thing myself, I think!). Next time, I'm definitely going to give this a try – Your bread looks absolutely delicious!
MMMMMMMMM, sounds yummy, printed the recipe. Will try, the days are getting cooler, and I want to start baking!!! Thanks for sharing.
Antique Rose
Hello there! I absolutely love your photography. I have been attempting to capture my cooking/baking adventures in my kitchen as well and just cannot get the lighting down with my Rebel camera. Do you have any ideas? Do you use a spotlight? Any insight would be so great, thanks dear!
I have some bananas, I am so making this tonight!
Looks amazing! I am excited to try this soon!
First time made just as written was yummy! Second time I had 2 cups of zucchini to use up so used all of the zucchini and swapped 2 cups of white flour for King Arthur white whole wheat flour. My husband liked it even better!
Dry and too stiff of a batter
Hi Annalise, your banana , zucchini bread is delicious, l’m so glad it makes 2 loafs. My daughter loves them with any nut. Every time I make them it has to have nuts in them. Her boyfriend has an allergy of nuts , he loves the bread, but can’t have nuts. So I have to make one loaf with nuts and the other one without nuts. She was disappointed. There’s no way to solve this problem. Do you have any suggestions.? Gail
Hi Gail, sounds like you’ve got a great compromise! I think this recipe is great with and without nuts.