Easy Sourdough Zucchini Bread Made with Discard
This easy sourdough zucchini bread is moist, flavorful, and a great way to use up sourdough discard. This sweet bread is made with fresh zucchini, warm spices, and pantry staples—perfect for breakfast, snacks, or gifting!
Each year we plant 1-2 zucchini plants and if we’re diligent about keeping the chickens away, we pick more zucchini than we can eat! This recipe is the perfect way to use extra zucchini and sneak some extra nutrients into a sweet treat.
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If you’re anything like us, zucchini season rolls in fast—and suddenly you have a ton of zucchini, more than you know what to do with. Enter: sourdough zucchini bread. This easy recipe is moist, flavorful, and a brilliant way to use up my ever-growing jar of sourdough discard. With warm cinnamon spice, a tender crumb, and just the right amount of sweetness, this zucchini sourdough recipe makes the best treat when you want to use your leftover starter! I do love that it is made with simple ingredients and our fresh garden zucchini. This is the best sourdough zucchini bread, and you’ll want to keep baking it on repeat, I promise!
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- It’s a great way to use sourdough discard – You know I appreciate no waste and a good sourdough discard recipe!
- Ultra-moist and tender–Thanks to the grated zucchini and discard, this sourdough zucchini bread recipe is so moist!
- Customizable – I love to add nuts, chocolate chips, or even a mashed banana for a little change up!
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for make-ahead mornings, which we all need on hand every now and then!
- Kid-friendly and a great way to sneak in some veggies, am I right?!
Variations
Looking to mix things up? Try one of these easy tweaks that put a little twist on your traditional zucchini bread.
- Muffins: Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes for sourdough zucchini muffins.
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in ¾ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a dessert-worthy treat.
- Mashed Banana: Sub one mashed banana for part of the zucchini for extra natural sweetness and a twist on classic banana bread.
Key Ingredients
Here’s a peek at what makes this loaf so delicious:
- Sourdough Discard – Use discard straight from the fridge. No need to bring it to room temperature. I love this.
- Zucchini – Grated and drained (to rid of excess moisture) for just the right moisture.
- Warm Spices – Cinnamon adds that cozy, comforting flavor.
- Coconut or Avocado Oil – Keeps the crumb tender and rich without overpowering.
You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Prep the zucchini: Grate using a box grater, squeeze out excess liquid, and set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, combine sugars, eggs, leftover sourdough starter discard, vanilla, and oil.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Combine everything: Add flour mixture to the wet, stir until just combined, then fold in the shredded zucchini.
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Pour and bake: Pour into a greased 9×5 loaf pan (or use a piece of parchment paper) sprinkle with walnuts and sugar, and bake in your preheated oven at 350°F for 55–60 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Cool the bread: Leave in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Baking Tips
- Pre-grate and freeze zucchini during harvest season so you can make this anytime.
- Drain the zucchini well to avoid a soggy loaf. A gentle squeeze is perfect.
- Tent with foil if the top starts browning too fast using a little aluminum foil on top helps—though I personally love a slightly crunchy top!
How to Serve Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Serve it warm with a pat of butter, toasted with nut butter, or just on its own with a hot cup of coffee. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunchboxes, or afternoon tea.
Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze individual slices with parchment paper between them in a zip-top freezer bag.
Recipe FAQ
Nope! The skin is soft and bakes beautifully. Just give it a good wash before grating.
This is often due to underbaking, over mixing, or expired leavening agents. Be sure your baking powder/soda is fresh, and mix just until combined.
Try subbing half the oil with applesauce, using whole wheat flour, or cutting back slightly on sugar. Just know these tweaks can slightly change the texture.
Final Thoughts
This sourdough zucchini bread is one of my favorite ways to use my sourdough discard all up while sneaking in some veggies and creating something our whole family loves! If you’re like me with the sourdough love, you’ll always have discard available to use! Happy baking, friends!
More Sourdough Discard Recipes You May Like
Want even more ways to use up that discard? Don’t miss my free recipe guide with 9 beginner-friendly sourdough discard recipes!
You might also love my other quick bread recipes:
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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating on the recipe card below! And don’t forget to tag me @autumn.chasingoursimple on Instagram—I’d love to see what you’re baking!
Easy Sourdough Zucchini Bread Made with Discard
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sourdough starter discard
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1 ¾ cup grated zucchini
Topping
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Place it in a colander, gently squeeze out the excess liquid, and let it sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set this aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, eggs, sourdough discard, vanilla, and oil. Stir until smooth and well blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until everything is combined—be careful not to over mix. Then fold in the grated zucchini.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle on the walnuts and sugar for the topping. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
