Paleo Zucchini Bread (gluten-free, dairy-free)

This easy Paleo Zucchini Bread is a healthy, wholesome treat! Zucchini, almond flour, honey and other simple ingredients create a light, fluffy and moist loaf that’s great as a snack or with breakfast. And it’s a helpful way to use up all that summer zucchini.

Plus it’s gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free.

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Why this recipe works

Zucchini bread is a classic American baked good that’s especially popular during the summer when zucchini are in season. But the traditional version uses flour, butter and other ingredients some of us can’t tolerate or try to avoid.

So I created this Paleo Zucchini Bread so that almost anyone can enjoy it. It’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free and refined sugar free yet it’s just as good as the regular version.

Instead of regular flour, I like to use superfine blanched almond flour. This means the almonds are peeled, then ground into a fine powder with a texture similar to all-purpose flour. Because it retains all the protein, fiber and healthy fats of the almonds, it makes this zucchini bread a little healthier and more filling.

And because the almonds add more moisture to the recipe than regular flour, we don’t need any butter or dairy-free butter alternative. The eggs, honey, vanilla extract and lemon juice add enough moisture.

The thing with zucchini bread is no one really seems to know what it should taste like. Zucchini itself doesn’t have a lot of flavor so you barely taste it. Should the bread be spicy? Not too much. You don’t want it to taste like pumpkin bread.

So I choose the best of both worlds. I add a bit of cinnamon for warm, earthy flavor plus lemon zest for some summery brightness. It might sound like a strange combination but trust me. Neither flavor is too strong. They balance each other perfectly.

And that is how you make almond flour zucchini bread gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free!

What you need

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini – Look for unblemished zucchini that are firm and somewhat heavy for their size.
• 2 cups superfine blanched almond flour – I use the “scoop and level” method to measure almond flour. Do not use almond meal.
• ¼ cup arrowroot flour/starch – This is similar to cornstarch and prevents the almond flour from making the bread too oily.
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon – This is just enough to add a bit of warm, earthy flavor without making it taste like pumpkin bread.
• ½ teaspoon baking soda – This will react with the lemon juice to help the bread rise.
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt – This will help bring out all the flavors.
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup honey – This is just enough to sweeten the bread without making it too sweet.
• zest of one lemon – Be sure to zest the lemon before cutting it in half for the juice.
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice – This will react with the baking soda to help the bread rise.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional add-ins: a ½ cup of chopped walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips
• cooking spray, such as olive oil spray or avocado oil spray

Equipment:

• a 9×5″ loaf pan
• a large mixing bowl
• a medium mixing bowl
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• a measuring glass
• a box grater (or a food processor with the shredding disc)
• cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel
• a cutting board
• a chef’s knife or paring knife
• a whisk
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a microplane grater for zesting the lemon
• parchment paper

How to make Paleo Zucchini Bread

Step 1: Heat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2: Line the long sides of the loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Spray inside the short sides of the pan with the cooking spray.

Step 3: Trim the ends off the zucchini. Lay cheesecloth (or a thin towel) down on a cutting board, then place the box grater on the cheesecloth. Grate the zucchini using the large holds of the box grater or with the shredding disc in the food processor. If using a food processor, add the grated zucchini to the middle of the cheesecloth.

Step 4: Gather up the cheesecloth to create a bundle holding the grated zucchini. Hold it over the sink and squeeze and twist the bundle as tightly as possible to extract as much water as you can. When you think you’re done, give it a few more good twists to make sure. Measure out 1½ cups and set the zucchini aside.

Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, arrowroot, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Step 6: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.

Step 7: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula until no more almond flour is visible. The batter will be thick. Add the grated zucchini (and any optional add-ins) and stir until it’s evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 8: Pour or scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without any raw batter attached (some crumbs are fine). Let cool completely, then slice and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Other recipes you might like:

1. Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (Paleo, gluten-free)
2. Paleo Zucchini Banana Bread (gluten-free)
3. Paleo Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread (gluten-free)
4. Paleo Zucchini Fritters (gluten-free)
5. Sheet Pan Chicken and Zucchini (Paleo, gluten-free)

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