Luscious vegan gluten free zucchini bread that is also free of eggs and dairy too!! With a lovely, soft crumb, this tender zucchini bread will satisfy that classic taste!
A zucchini bread free of gluten, dairy, eggs, and refined sugars!
With so many zucchinis spurting forth from my garden, I needed to create zucchini bread recipe, I am long overdo!
Sometimes you get lucky the very first go around, and this time, I did!
Ultra moist and fragrant with a tender crumb, this bread was everything I had hoped it would be! What better way to use up some of those last zucchinis of summer and get a veggie serving at the same time?!
Any goodie that gets some extra veg into my kids a HUGE plus for me!
Can I use a HUGE zucchini from my garden?
I know I am not the only one who neglects my zucchini plant for a few days and returns to find a ‘zukezilla‘!
If you find yourself in possession of one such gigantic zucchini, it is important to note that zucchinis at this size are rarely good for anything BUT shredding and grating.
Before using, slice in half, and use a spoon to scoop out the soft and mushy center and large seeds….this pulp contains too much water and is not good for eating or grating and will make your end bread too wet!
Vegan gluten free zucchini bread shortcut:
Since originally making this, I have taken to a super quick and one bowl method: my food processor!! It makes clean up and prep a snap!
Simply place all liquid ingredients into the food processor bowl (WITH zucchini chunks), and puree until smooth. Sprinkle in the dry and pulse a few times to mix well, and done! Ready for your greased loaf pan!
Can I use different flours in this gluten free zucchini bread?
I love to experiment with different gluten free flours when I bake! I created this handy information sheet covering some of my favorite gluten free flours. It will help you sub what you have on hand.
Do you have a gluten free all purpose on hand? If it contains gum, omit the additional gum in the recipe. Not all flour and mixes have the same taste or end texture…so no guarantees!
If you would like MORE gluten free zucchini recipes?
- Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread w/ Hemp
- Gluten Free Zucchini Rice Casserole
- Gluten Free Zucchini Pancakes
- Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Shrimp Arrabbiata w/ Zucchini Spaghetti
Vegan Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Recipe:
If you try this gluten free zucchini bread, be sure to come back and leave a comment!
Vegan Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini grated
- 1 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar or other granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup avocado oil melted coconut oil, or any light tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice this reacts with the soda for rise
- 1/8 teaspoon liquid stevia optional, mimics 1/4 cup sweetener, depends on your sweet tooth
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour
- 3/4 cup gluten free oat flour for oat free, use part millet, part sorghum
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon could add more if you like
- 1 teaspoon guar gum or 1 tablespoon gelatin
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional, but everything is better with chocolate!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, applesauce, sugar, oil, vanilla and stevia, mix well.
- Sprinkle in the dry ingredients in order over the top,
- Carefully whisk the dry ingredients together before incorporating the wet ingredients.
- Stir in chocolate chips, and the lemon juice/ACV.
- Pour batter into prepared mini loaves or regular loaf pan. (I used 4 mini loaves).
- Bake for 30 minutes (for mini loaves), and 50 minutes for a regular loaf. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean, and you may need to bake longer to achieve this (moisture content of zucchini will vary).
- Cool for 10 minutes and invert on a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
Nutrition
Hi,
I think I want to use King Arthur’s GF baking mix. Make cupcake and use the air fryer. That way I can test a small batch.
Thank you. The recipe looks good.
Just made it tonight, nothing left!! great recipe!
Thanks!
Thanks Nissa…..maybe time for another batch!! Zucchinis are everywhere now!!
Glad you liked it Christoper!
Made these and took them to work to share. Everyone loved them vegan/gf and carnivores alike! Love it. Amazing!
we don’t use rice as my son is allergic , what can I use instead?
I would probably first grab sorghum…but almost any whole grain flour should work for you Sandi!
Im allergic to apples and nuts
What can I use instead of the applesauce?
Pear sauce would work, maybe half could be replaced with another egg replacer (I prefer gelatin eggs). You could also replace half with 2 eggs.
FYI, in the ingredients you mention ACV or lemon juice, but nowhere in the instructions do you indicate when to add it in.
Thanks Stephanie..will all fixed!
Loved this recipe! Using my stoneware loaf pan, it only needed 35 minutes to cook, and just 15 in my individual brownie pan with the leftover batter. So moist, so delicious! I was wondering if anyone has tried it with bananas instead of zucchini? I loved the zucchini, but I have a few bananas that would be best as bread. 🙂
Thanks Trish! I would imagine that bananas would function similarly in this recipe. I would however, probably reduce the sweetener. I do have a banana bread recipe in case you’re interested! https://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2011/04/classic-banana-bread.html
Yumm – thank you! I subbed dried cranberries for the chocolate chips and it turned out really well!
Mmmm, yummy!! I heart zucchini bread & I love that the ingredients are all normal things I already have! Pinning this:)
OK, the center can come out gooey. What am I doing wrong? Also, I seem to need to cook it well past 50 minutes. Why is that? My oven is accurate. Otherwise, I really like the recipe. I’m tinkering with it to create a savory version of it. 🙂
Hi Terri! Gooey center = too much moisture. Zucchinis have all sorts of variable water content, so i would suggest backing off on the moisture somewhere (less applesauce first choice). It is easy enough to add some liquid back in at the end as needed, so start with 1/3 cup applesauce and add more in as you are able. Also be sure that if you are using a big zucchini, scoop out all the super soft spongy middle which will have more water before you grate! Hope that helps.
Thank you for the advice – trying it now! A couple more questions – can I sub Bob’s Red Mill GF flour for your mix? Also, when you say combine the dry ingredients “over the top,” do you mean literally on top of the wet ingredients? Or do you mean in another bowl and then add them?
Sure Terri..but the flavor will be different. I don;t care for Bobs All Purpose because of the bean flour, but if you have used it and know you like it, go for it!
Yes, I mean, sprinkle right over the top of the wet!
This bread is delicious! Thank you for sharing! I was wondering if this freezes well?
Yes, it freezes great Jackie, glad you love it!
I have tried so many different recipes to accommodate all my husband’s food allergies and he usually tells me not to waste my time on that one again. This one was a huge hit! Not only did he love it, but my grandchildren came over and devoured the entire loaf! It is moist and yummy! So happy to find this recipe!
Great Ursula, so glad everyone loved it!
Any idea if this can be made into muffins instead of bread? I have to bake them for my son’s class tomorrow, and your recipes are always tried and true 🙂
Oh sure Anne-Michelle, I usually make muffins too…more portable and grab and go when you have kids! Bake 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean!
I’ve made this recipe several times now following your flour recipe and substituting 2 cups Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free AP Flour and both worked great! Added raisins & walnuts, also baked in mini loaf pans. Kids loved it! Thinking next about making chocolate zuc muffins to freeze for winter 🙂
yes, I have been meaning to make a chocolate version of this Daniele, so glad to hear you are enjoying it!
This bread is delicious! I am eating a piece fresh out of the oven and I couldn’t ask for a more perfect Sunday afternoon snack 🙂 I subbed all-purpose GF flour (2cups) for your combo and used only 1/2c. brown sugar for the sweetener – it came out great!
LOVE the applesauce & vanilla – delish!!!
What all-purpose did you use Melaina? Good info for others who would like to try your way too! Thanks for your feedback!
Mmmm, we loved this recipe! I changed things up a bit based on what I had. Here are my substitutions, in case it is helpful to anyone!
I used arrowroot in place of the tapioca flour, sorghum flour in the place of oat flour, and sprouted brown rice flour in place of the brown rice flour.
I also used zantham gum instead of guar gum, same amount.
I doubled the recipe and cooked it in two normal sized loaf pans for 65 or 70 minutes.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
I followed the recipe exactly, but the bread was more like pudding it was so gooey. Only the outer crust was anything like bread – the rest was pretty icky.
I don’t know if it was all the applesauce or what. I did squeeze the zucchini and I suppose I could have left it to drain as well, but I doubt it would make much difference and I’m not going to waste ingredients trying this again – plus the recipe didn’t mention draining the zucchini at all. Baker be ware.
Bummer Laura! I am so sorry the bread failed for you. One of the most maddening things sharing recipes with people is figuring out why a recipe I have made successfully over and over, (and many others have too in this case) should fail for someone else. My hunch is the zucchini and its water content, as it is the most obvious variable ingredient. I have never drained or squeezed the zucchini for this bread either……
I find that this recipe is so, SO good when it comes out! BUT, I have made it 5 times now and have only succeeded twice. The “gooey” outcome has happened twice. I think it may be caused from: 1. using muffin pans instead of a short, glass pan, and 2. Trying Xanthum gum instead of Guar gum or 3. accidentally mixing the dry ingredients one by one on top of the wet ingredients – total fail. Dry ingredients MUST be well mixed, and the wet can’t be too wet. Follow the recipe exactly – don’t add the lemon with the wet ingredients on accident. Also, I think the millet/sorgum GF replacement is better than the oat flour. The pan needs to be wide, not deep, or the heat won’t get into the middle. But if you pay attention, are kind and mindful with the ingredients and mix things on the spot, not early or in some way trying to make the process go by quickly, you will aim for a win.
sorry – I just recounted – I have succeeded 50% of the time, two amazing, delicious times, and then 2 “chewy gooey” times. I suppose I need to keep aiming for success and learn from all mistakes.
My instinct is the zucchini still….it is the major variable factor in the moisture of this recipe. Kristel, thanks so much for your detailed comment, hopefully it helps someone else….and I will still keep trying for a foolproof way to navigate the zucchini variability!
Hi Tessa,
Thanks for sharing at Healthy2Day Wednesdays. Your post was featured and will be shared on FB, Twitter, and Pinterest!
Just made this today for the family and it is almost gone!! It was so moist, didn’t need a smidgen of butter!!
Yes, it IS super moist Deborah, glad you guys are enjoying it!
WOW! Gearing up for garden zucchinis!! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
Hope your week is great!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Lovely! What a nice, healthy treat. 🙂
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I was wondering why baking soda and not baking powder? 🙂
More rise with the soda acid reaction!
Great job on your website! I do 1 cup grated zucchinis and 1 cup carrots. I take most of the juice out by pressing paper towels on the grated veggies so the bread bake normally ( instead of being all gooey in the middle) and is nicely moist like a regular bread. My son has many food intolerances so it’s not easy to cook/ bake yummy and healthy food. This is one of my kids favorite . I also make them in the mini muffin pan, it’s perfect for the kids lunchbox and snacks on the go. Thank you for sharing you recipes ! 🙂
love the idea of half carrots Nathalie!!
I used Buckwheat flour instead of oat flour as I’m gluten free and don’t eat oats….but it wouldn’t cook all the way! Do you think that is because of the Buckwheat flour? I used all of the rest of the same ingredients and I used a large loaf pan. I’m thinking there is something to that 4 mini loaf pans thing that you do because the middle can cook quicker….what do you think?
Hi Lexi! I use gf oats….but if you still can’t do them, buckwheat should be a fine replacement. My hunch is the water content of th zucchini. Did you use fresh or frozen? Did the batter seem thin to you? Mini loaves DO cook easier, for sure
My sister n law is gf, and she said she would miss my Zuch bread, so I’ll have to make this for her. Thank you ! Many things I haven’t seen in the store (but really haven’t been looking for them either) …like guar gum and coconut sugar. Hopefully I’ll locate them, surely they’re online if not in my store!
Hi April! GF flours are often in a separate section or in the baking aisle with the rest of the flours. Natural foods markets usually have a better selection of them. Guar gum and xanthum gum are interchangeable, again, in the baking aisle usually, but ask, as it usually seperate the flours. Online will work for all thing of course too. As for the coconut palm sugar, it can be replaced with brown sugar if you like. I prefer coconut sugar as it has a lower glycemic index and has been less refined” a much healthier sugar! It still contains all its minerals! I am happy to help you find anything, let me know!
Bobs red mill makes some guar gum. Places like save on foods and Sobey’s are now starting to carry coconut sugar. Although if you have blood sugar issues Coconut Secrets’ coconut palm sugar is the best one to use. It has a 1:1 ratio of sugar to fiber!!
i see you used 3 different kinds of flour. Could i stick to just one?
Hi Amy! GF baking almost always requires a mix of several flours to achieve the best texture and flavor. Yes, you can use just one flour, but no guarantee on the end product. At the very minimum, I would use some starch (tapioca, arrowroot, etc) and a wholegrain like oat.
A total winner, couldn’t keep my kids hands off it (or mine).
that is always a good sign Jackson, thank for taking the time to let me know!!
I had a few extra zucchini in my fridge and tried your recipe today. Made some very minor tweaks (used 1/2 c instead of 3/4 c sugar, used baking powder instead of baking soda, replaced 1/4 c of the oil with 1/4 agave nectar, added some carob chips and chopped walnuts) and the bread came out divine.
My wife came home from work and she inhaled the first slice and then came back for seconds right away. Highly recommend this great recipe.
Thanks Tessa.
Thank you so much for sharing your tweaks and letting me know! The only way we bloggers know our recipes are working for people is if readers like you take the time to let us know! Thank you Francis!
I love your site and your ideas. I am new to gluten-free, and I’m trying to start a GF community on my website. I have started a weekly Gluten-Free Monday Share Page on OneCreativeMommy.com. It’s brand new, but I hope it will become a great resource as it grows. I would love it if you visited and shared some of your great ideas each week. I hope to see you there.
You had me at zucchini! YUM! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! We had some fabulous entries this week! Our gluten free blogger directory is growing too! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 See you next Friday! Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
Hi Tessa, Zucchini bread was one of my favorites growing up! Your version sounds divine and I will have to make it soon. Keep creating all these fantastic GF baked goods!
I’ll keep trying Shelley! Hope you enjoy it!
This recipe sounds great! We will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
What a lovely seasonal recipe, and I love the idea of adding the chocolate chips!
love me some zucchini bread! this looks delicious!
Zucchini the size of baseball bats were common when I was growing up. We ate a lot of zucchini bread and zucchini cake!
I make my zucchini bread with similar subsitutions and it tastes very good. I have to agree with the choc chips. I like dark chocolate in mine.
Amazing. No other words. 🙂
Thank you Gabby!!
Another beauty from my baking guru! I can tell this bread is fabulous, Tessa. LOVE. I’ve pinned to try soon. Funny…I’m working on a zucchini bread recipe (well, it has bananas too). So, look for that in like…4 months (wink). I have to say, I love coconut sugar in gf breads. I wish we lived closer so we could bake together. 🙂
Hugs,
–Amber
LOL, give yourself some credit Amber!! I am sure yours will be fabulous too, and I would love to bake and experiment together, sigh…we can dream!
I love the word zukezilla! 🙂 This looks so good, I would definitely add the chocolate!
It is a very apt name, don;t you think Jane?! Anyone who has grown zucchinis would know EXACTLY what I am talking about!
That looks yummy!! Wish I had some zucchini growing. I’d like to make that right now!
Zucchinis are cheap in the store too Kristy!! This was my very last zucchini…..
Yummy! Add hemp seed and cocoa for an extra healthy crunch!!