Greek yogurt zucchini bread is a lighter alternative to classic zucchini bread, thanks to a handful of wholesome ingredients that pack a flavorful punch. Made with agave (or honey), coconut oil, Greek yogurt, and fresh zucchini, this will be your new favorite summertime snack. To make this bread into muffins, see my note below the recipe.
Today’s Greek yogurt zucchini bread is a variation of my classic zucchini bread and zucchini muffins recipes. We’ll make a couple ingredient swaps and substitutions, but it’s just as moist (if not more so!) and flavorful as the original. This anytime bread is welcome on the breakfast table or as a totally delicious snack. Topped with peanut butter or Nutella and it certainly counts as dessert. That’s why I love zucchini bread so much in the first place—it’s acceptable all day long.
Let’s get started!
This Is Lightened-Up Zucchini Bread
Made with wholesome ingredients, Greek yogurt zucchini bread is a lightened-up quick bread recipe with the same delicious flavor you expect from traditional zucchini bread.
To sweeten the bread, we use agave instead of granulated sugar, though honey or maple syrup also work. Instead of butter, we’ll use melted coconut oil. For added fat, we’ll incorporate protein-packed Greek yogurt—which also makes the crumb super moist. Moisture is usually sacrificed when fat (the oil) is reduced, but not when using Greek yogurt. Plain and simple, this lighter zucchini bread is wonderful to have around when you want something a little sweet that’s not dripping with oil or overloaded with sugar. And there’s vegetables sneakily hiding inside!
Overview: How to Make Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread
Like all quick bread recipes, today’s zucchini bread comes together easily. You only need a couple mixing bowls—no mixer required.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together. This includes the oil, agave (or honey), egg, yogurt, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Fold in the zucchini, orange zest, and walnuts.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan.
- Bake. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.
To Sum Up Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread
This bread is:
- Super soft and moist
- Simple and straightforward
- Flavored with orange, cinnamon, and vanilla
- Packed with wholesome ingredients
- A healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert
- Ready in an hour
- Freezer-friendly
If you have any leftover Greek yogurt after making this bread, be sure to try my peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting next. It’s excellent on top of wholesome chocolate banana muffins or even chocolate cupcakes!
And if you have more zucchini to use up, add this zucchini cake to your must-bake list and these zucchini fritters to your dinner list! For more inspiration, browse my 20+ favorite zucchini recipes—both sweet and savory!
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Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy, healthy, and wholesome Greek yogurt zucchini bread will be your new favorite recipe for this classic quick bread!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80ml) canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) honey or organic blue agave
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (121g) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (130g) shredded zucchini (see note)*
- optional: 2 teaspoons orange zest (so good!)
- optional: 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts, (115g) raisins, or (135g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Whisk the oil, agave, egg, yogurt, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Avoid overmixing. Fold in the zucchini, orange zest, and walnuts.
- Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the bread from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Bread freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-Inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Muffins: Prepare batter as instructed. Grease a 12-count muffin pan or use liners. Fill with batter all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) then, keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue to bake for an additional 13-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 10-12 muffins.
- Yogurt: I use plain nonfat Greek yogurt. You can use low fat or full fat instead. Vanilla or honey flavors would work wonderfully here!
- Zucchini: If your zucchini is extra wet, give it a few blots before adding to the batter.
- Adapted from zucchini bread.
Devoured immediately. Delish!
Hi Sally,
I would like to know if I can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.
Hi Sandra, You can substitute the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The bread will taste a bit heavier with the heavier flour, though.
This was the first recipe that popped up when I googled greek yogurt and zucchini baked goods and I’m SO glad it did! I substituted gluten free flour, used coconut oil, added chopped walnuts and about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and made 12 muffins instead of the loaf. I did squeeze out a little water from my zucchini before adding it. They were fantastic! A keeper!
Love this recipe! Tastes delicious and the orange makes it so perfect! Do you know the nutrition facts?
Amazing recipe! Baked it yesterday and it came out dense & moist and fabulous.
Thank you for sharing!
Could I use flax egg/mashed banana instead of egg?
I haven’t tested any egg alternatives, so I’m unsure of the exact result. Let me know if you do!
Hello! How about substitute olive oil? Coconut oil is really not heart healthy for my hubby. Thanks, trying this recipe today!
Hi Cherylsue, Olive oil has a very distinct flavor. I recommend vegetable or canola oil in place of coconut.
How is the total time for this recipe 4 hours?
It includes fully cooling.
Hi Sally – I just made this and my wife and I LOVE it. Super moist with just the right amount of sweetness and of course nuts. Thank you for another fantastic recipe.
This is a great recipe! Good advice on the muffins. I used half of the measurement for sweetener (only have honey atm) and added some sweetened coconut flakes.
Hi! I made this exactly as the recipe said, 350 for 50 minutes and the knife came out clean and then after 45 minutes of cooling, the whole bread fell in and when I cut it open it was sticky and dense and almost raw. Any ideas what went wrong? Thank you!
Hi Katherine! I don’t think you necessarily did anything wrong, I think the bread just needed longer in the oven. Completely normal with thick and moist quick breads like this. If you decide to try the recipe again, bake for at least 10-15 more minutes and tent the loaf with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning on the exterior.
Hi
Can I use maple syrup instead of agave ?
Thank you
Sure can!
Ever since we first made it months ago, our family has not gone a single week without it!
It’s that good!
Hi! I know this is an older recipe, but I just have a question. I’ve made these several times and we love them! We just found out my one year old is low on iron, and I’m trying to add things in to help with that. I’m wondering if I were to add flax seed/chia seeds, how much would I add?
Thank you!!
Hi Natalie! I haven’t tested this, but you can add about 1/4 – 1/3 cup ground flax. That addition shouldn’t be an issue.
I absolutely love this recipe!! I made these into muffins, and followed the recipe closely, using coconut oil. I didn’t have an orange so I used a clementine and it worked great! I also addendums chopped pecans. The are soft, fluffy, and so delicious! I will definitely be making these regularly!
These are a huge hit in my house! Made as muffins last week with the orange zest and mini chocolate chips and left them out on the counter to cool. I thought we’d have breakfast for a couple of mornings. Wrong – somehow over the course of the day my 6 year old son ate 7 of them!! At least there was zucchini in them! Definitely a keeper. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe
This is soooo delicious and perfectly moist! I am addicted 🙂
I doubled the recipe and probably had a little extra zucchini in there. Turned out great! I used sugar since I didn’t have the agave, added nutmeg and a tablespoon of maple syrup. I had a lemon so used that for the zest, and added walnuts. Super yummy!
Hi Sally, I want to make make mini muffins instead of loaf. Should I bake for 5 min at 425F and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for an additional 7 min or so?
Hi Laura! Bake at 350°F for the entire time- about 11-14 minutes 🙂
Could I use unsweetened applesauce in place of oil?
You can, yes, but the flavor and texture will change without that fat.
This is great! I made it this morning and just had a slice with coffee for a snack. I am at a higher altitude here in Colorado, so sometimes I have to guess at tweaks for baking and hope everything turns out as it should. With coconut oil, egg, and greek yogurt, as well as zucchini, I really didn’t have to worry about this coming out too dry and add an extra egg. I only tweaked the oven temperature!
Thanks for a great recipe. I really like this! I added a couple of handfuls of craisins and had pecans instead of walnuts. Oh and about half teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. Sure satisfied a sweet craving but I didn’t feel it was unhealthy with only 1/2 cup of sugar.
I made muffins and they were delicious!! So moist and hearty! Perfect way to use zucchinis for healthy baking!Â
If we can’t get a hold of agave, what substitutions could we use? Maple syrup? Honey? Regular sugar? Looking forward to making this!
Honey would be great!
This bread was so moist and delicious! Â Thanks for the recipe. Â
Hi Sally! I’ve made this recipe a few times now, but I always have the same problem: the bread cooks along the edges in about 45 minutes, but the middle doesn’t cook. My oven is at 350 as the recipe says… do you have an idea of what ‘ doing wrong?
Molly, I don’t think you are necessarily doing anything “wrong” — pick up an oven thermometer. It will be the handiest tool in your kitchen. Did you know a majority of ovens’ temperature readings are inaccurate? Also lower the oven temperature to 325. (Assuming you’re baking in a conventional oven.) Tent the bread with aluminum foil halfway through so the top doesn’t over-brown and the center can bake. Hope this helps!
Just made this in a double-batch. Â Followed the recipie exactly except I used lemon zest instead of orange. Â It was absolutely perfect – moist and delicious! Â I’m headed back to the grocery store to buy more Greek yogurt and plan to make several loafs to freeze and give to friends using the zuchinni from our garden. Â This recipie will be replacing my old one. Â Outstanding recipie!Â
Wow! I have just retired my 40 year old zucchini bread recipe and I always thought that made the best zucchini bread possible – but the bread I just ate from your recipe is sublime!! My husband has already had two slices and has requested that I make it again tomorrow. I did use honey from our local beekeeper and the zucchini we had just bought at our farmer’s market (in fact, most of the ingredients come from there). Thank you for a delicious recipe and I look forward to trying some of your other creations.
I made this today. Â It exceeded all expectations I had and then some. Â The combination of the cinnamon and the orange zest made it THE BEST zucchini bread I’ve ever eaten and ever made. Â Next time I’ll be doubling the batch!!!Â