use up all that summer zucchini with this delicious high protein zucchini bread! fully vegan and 14g protein per slice.

the inspiration

In summer there is always an abundance of zucchini. While I do truly love traditional zucchini bread, I do also have protein goals I like to hit. So, I wanted to make a high protein zucchini bread with better macros.

Now, we can enjoy a huge slice of this high protein zucchini bread that has 175 calories per slice and 14.4g plant protein! I really love making protein desserts/baked good. It is so fun to create recipes that are delicious but can also help us hit certain goals.

So, this is now the perfect zucchini bread for an afternoon snack, on-the-go breakfast, or dessert. It comes together quickly and you will love it.

ingredients for high protein zucchini bread

the ingredients

Zucchini: of course to make high protein zucchini bread, we need zucchini! You will need about ½ large zucchini or 1 medium zucchini. If you have a local farm nearby definitely stop in and check it out. I got a huge zucchini for only a dollar!
All Purpose Flour: we will need some all purpose flour for making the batter. You can also use whole wheat flour if you like.
Vital Wheat Gluten: the vital wheat gluten adds some protein and when using it in baked goods it helps to enhance the structure of it. Don’t worry this doesn’t turn it into seitan, the zucchini bread just has more elasticity.
Vegan Protein Powder: you can use any protein powder you like. I typically like to use a pea protein powder. You can use vanilla or chocolate, if you use chocolate, like me then it will make the color a bit darker.
Agave: to help add sweetness to the high protein zucchini bread. You can also use maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener.
Non-Dairy Milk: you can use any non-dairy milk, I prefer Ripple. I would suggest not using a coconut milk to not add in any extra flavor. However, if you don’t mind the flavor it will be fine.
Cinnamon: the cinnamon will add flavor and spice.
Nutmeg: the nutmeg will add flavor and spice.
Vanilla Extract: the vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor.
Baking Powder: to help give us rise! I prefer to use an aluminum free baking powder.

what is zucchini bread?

Zucchini bread is a moist, sweet quick bread made with grated zucchini, which adds moisture without a strong vegetable flavor. It’s typically flavored with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Despite the use of zucchini, it tastes more like a traditional spice cake than a vegetable dish. It’s a popular way to use up extra garden zucchini during the summer months and actually similar to banana bread.

grated zucchini for high protein zucchini bread

grating the zucchini

The first thing you will want to do is grate your zucchini. I like to just use a plain old box grater for this. You can also use a food processor with a shredder attachment if you like.

So, just grate the zucchini into little thin shreds. I like to place down a double sheet of paper towel. Then, I grate on top of it so I can then wrap the zucchini up and squeeze the liquid out. Zucchini has a lot of water so we do want to squeeze out some of the excess water.

After grating and squeezing out the zucchini you want to have about 200g which is equal to 7 ounces of zucchini.

KITCHEN TIP

Use a kitchen scale when baking and measure out ingredients in grams! It ensures you will get accurate measurements.

wet batter for high protein zucchini bread

making the high protein zucchini bread

Into a large bowl you will add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, vital wheat gluten, protein powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisk to get everything well incorporated.
Then, mix in the wet ingredients: non-dairy milk, agave, and vanilla extract. Mix together until it forms what will look like a thick dough.
Finally, fold in the zucchini and mix until it turns into a wet thick batter/dough. The moisture of the zucchini helps to add moisture to the batter. Also, if you would like to add in vegan chocolate chips or nuts this is the time.
Next, pour into a lined baking loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Once it comes out clean with a toothpick you are done!

what else can I add to the high protein zucchini bread?

You can have so much fun with this recipe and add a variety of things, here are a few ideas:

Chopped walnuts
Chopped pecans
Sweetened dried coconut
Vegan chocolate chips
Chopped dried fruit, like dates or apricots

recipe storage

For this recipe you either want to store it in the fridge or the freezer. Unfortunately, after 3 days on my counter the recipe did develop mold. This is because there aren’t any preservatives and during the summer the house is warm.

So, be sure to keep it store in the fridge or freezer. You can either let it come to room temperature or toast if out of the fridge. You can let it thaw if out of the freezer and then enjoy how you like.

why you’ll love this recipe

There are so many reasons to love this high protein zucchini bread. It is the perfect summer recipe. There is no better time than now to be making lots of delicious zucchini bread.

In my opinion, the macros are pretty great! It is a nice big piece of the high protein zucchini bread and it is great as an additional to a meal or as a snack. The flavor isn’t overly sweet.

The texture is a bit more dense compared to traditional zucchini bread but it is so moist and I really enjoy it. We do not need any egg, greek yogurt, or honey to make a delicious and nutritious high protein zucchini bread.

more zucchini recipes

Creamy Zucchini Sauce

Shaved Zucchini Vegan Caesar Salad

Balsamic Tofu & Zucchini

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

high protein zucchini faq

Is this recipe gluten free? No, it uses vital wheat gluten and all purpose flour.
Is this recipe soy free? Yes, as long as your protein powder is soy free.
Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
How long does this recipe last? Up to 5 days in the fridge or a month in the freezer. For more info refer to the recipe storage section above.
Do I eat this high protein zucchini bread warm or cold? I like to eat mine room temperature. You can of course toast it or eat it cold out of the fridge. It is totally up to you.
How is this recipe high protein? We are getting protein from the vital wheat gluten and the protein powder!
Can I turn these into muffins? Yes, it should work fine. I would check the bake time at around 20 to 25 minutes.

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