Easy Vegan Zucchini Banana Bread

This vegan zucchini banana bread is undetectably vegan and irresistible! Easy to make, this low fat banana bread is low sugar and can be made gluten free! This will become your new breakfast or dessert staple!

When I first made this vegan zucchini banana bread, everyone in my household came running to the kitchen and snatched a slice before I could even blink!

Yep, it’s that good! I had to make an entire new loaf haha!

No one even realized that this chocolate chip zucchini banana bread is actually vegan, oil free, refined sugar free, and can be made gluten free! Don’t worry, I disclosed that to them later 😉 I needed a fully honest and unbiased opinion!

If they had known it was all of those things going into it, their reaction might have been skewed. This is a science study, people!

This vegan zucchini banana bread just outranked my Paleo banana bread (shhhh! Don’t tell the other banana breads!). It’s dense, moist, fluffy, sweet, and everything a banana bread should be.

Oh, and you can add in some chocolate chips like I do because I just can’t have banana bread without chocolate chips! But do whatever floats your zucchini boat!

Basic Vegan Zucchini Banana Bread Ingredients

To make this healthier twist on zucchini banana bread, you’ll need:

• Organic flour: I always state organic here because when using flour in the U.S., I do find it’s important to use organic if you can. Typically, organic flour runs about $1-2 more than regular flour. My favorite is King Arthur, but you can totally use a local brand. For going gluten free, you can easily swap in a cup-for-cup gluten free flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. I have not tried this with almond flour or coconut flour, but if you’d like a Paleo version, please see my Paleo vegan banana bread!🙂
• Zucchini: well, it’d be pretty silly not to have zucchini in a vegan zucchini banana bread 😉 I used a cheese grater to shred my zucchini, which was fairly easy! And it’s perfect during the summer when zucchini is really in season 🙂
• Bananas: for this recipe, you’ll need 3 verrryyyyy ripe bananas! If your bananas aren’t ripe just yet, I go over a trick in my vegan baking 101 guide: turn on your oven to 300F and bake your bananas on a baking sheet for 15 minutes until they look more spotty and black!
• Maple Syrup or coconut sugar: I love using maple syrup here because you don’t need as much sugar then, it keeps this low fat banana bread moist, and it’s refined sugar free! However, you can absolutely sub in coconut sugar or regular sugar if you’d like! Just add in ½ cup of unsweetened dairy free milk to keep the same liquid to dry ratio.
• Unsweetened Applesauce: my trick to making this vegan zucchini banana bread completely oil free! I actually love baking with applesauce- this was my first time experimenting with it, and it worked so well, I think I might be experimenting with more recipes!

How to make vegan zucchini banana bread

Don’t run the other way just because you hear vegan! This bread is actually quite simple and easy! I think you’d actually be shocked because it’s pretty hard to mess up this beautiful loaf of deliciousness.

Tools you’ll need for this vegan zucchini banana bread:

• Large bowl + a small bowl
• Whisk
• Loaf pan
• Grater

You first need to whisk together the flour- which you can sub in gluten free here as well- baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon. Let that be set aside while you mash all of your bananas together (actually one of my favorite parts!).

Add in your shredded zucchini (I recommend using a cheese grater for this! You should only need about 1 full small zucchini or 1/2 of a large zucchini for this) and mix the banana and zucchini together. Then add in your apple sauce, maple syrup, ground flaxseed (which is combined with water to create the coagulation), and vanilla.

Stir it all together and then fold your wet ingredients into the mixed flour. Add in your chocolates and mix until everything is well combined and there are no dry patches anywhere!

Pour your batter into a greased loaf pan (I used coconut oil, but you can use olive oil or another greasing agent that you have!) and top with bananas if you’d like to make a design 🙂

Bake the vegan zucchini banana bread for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean, and you’re set!

The most beautiful vegan zucchini banana bread that tastes like a dream and that no one would ever guess is vegan!

Why low fat zucchini banana bread?

Truthfully, there’s no real reason at all, other than I wanted to see if I could make a really dense and moist (not apologizing for that word, millennials) zucchini banana bread without oil!

Honestly, I love a good cooking challenge, and this bread was a bit of a challenge for me! I eat regular vegan banana bread, Paleo banana bread, Paleo vegan banana bread, low fat banana bread, and all sorts of banana breads, with oils, nut butters (a fun one), and ones like this one!

Some people need low fat, whereas others may need low carb or whatever your necessities are in order for you to live a vegan life! We’re all so individual, but we do have some commonalities…individual quantities aside, we need protein, we need carbs, we need micronutrients…

And we actually need fats in our diet- they’re extraordinarily important for carrying certain vitamins, and ya know, your brain is 60% fat! Trust me when I say, I’m one of the last people to skimp on fat.

Your girl loves her chocolate, peanut butter, and avocado (except on toast- yikes!).

If you don’t have applesauce in your kitchen, you can absolutely sub in olive oil (which actually tastes so good!), or melted coconut oil. Or if you’re not nut free, you can sub in your favorite nut butter!

Despite this low fat banana bread being completely oil free, it’s actually insanely moist, which is just something that really fascinates me! I think food is cool and interesting, like a science experiment in one’s kitchen!

Zucchini Banana Bread Modifications & Tips

Of course we have to go over some modifications and tricks to making the best vegan vegan zucchini banana bread. 

• To make this gluten free, swap in your favorite gluten free 1:1 baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Make sure it contains some sort of gum in it, or your zucchini banana bread will extraordinarily dry.
• If you don’t have applesauce, you can use melted coconut oil or olive oil! Olive oil definitely makes for a particular taste, but I find olive oil zucchini bread to be absolutely delicious.
• Use either maple syrup or coconut sugar. Just if you’re using coconut sugar, be sure to add in ½ cup unsweetened dairy free milk to even out the liquid to dry ratio. 
• Add in chocolate chips like I did for the ultimate chocolate chip zucchini banana bread.
• Add in nuts too if you’re nut free! Otherwise, this vegan zucchini banana bread is entirely nut free so definitely allergen friendly 🙂 

How to store this bread:

Like all vegan breads, I recommend wrapping this zucchini bread in plastic wrap and storing in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.

You can also slice this bread and store it in an airtight baggy or container for up to a month in the freezer. To reheat, simply place a slice on a piece of tin foil and bake for about 5 minutes at 350F.

I hope that the use of applesauce doesn’t deter you from trying this amazing and vegan zucchini banana bread 🙂 It truly sky rocketed to my favorite banana bread of all time!

Literally, my family and friends consumed it all within a day ha! And I had to give out the recipe before it was up on here soooooo if that tells you anything…

If you make this banana bread, let me know down below in the comments section. As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

I hope you get to making this banana bread soon! Happy baking!

More vegan bread recipes:

The OG Paleo Banana Bread

Double Chocolate Paleo Vegan Banana Bread

Paleo Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Paleo Strawberry Banana Bread

One Bowl Vegan Banana Bread

Gluten Free Vegan Oat Bread

Vegan Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

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