Yeah! Zucchini is in season! Zucchini is one of summers produce that I always look forward to; there are so many amazing zucchini recipes and this zucchini cheese bread is one of my favourites! Normally when I think about quick breads, including zucchini bread, I think about sweet rather than savoury but this cheddar cheese bread gives those sweet breads a run for their money! Quick breads are super easy to make, you simply mix the wet ingredients together, mix the dry ingredients together, mix the dry into the wet and bake! This is a pretty basic quick bread recipe with the main ingredients being shredded zucchini and plenty of cheddar cheese! I also like to add an herb to the mix and green onions are a great option with others being: chives, parsley, dill, rosemary, thyme, etc. I like to serve slices of this bread warm and topped with melting butter. Yum!
Zucchini Cheese Bread
A simple zucchini quick bread that’s bursting with cheddar cheese!
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded (do not squeeze)
- 1/4 cup green onion, sliced (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
directions
- Mix the zucchini, green onions, eggs, sour cream, and butter well before mixing in the cheese.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and pour the batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.*
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until a toothpick pushed into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 50-70 minutes.
- Let cool a bit before running a knife around the inside edge of the pan, removing the loaf, slicing and enjoying topped with melted butter.
Option: Replace the sour cream with buttermilk (or milk) and squeeze as much extra liquid out of the zucchini as you can.
Option: Omit the green onions.
Option: Add one or more herbs like chives, parsley, dill, etc.
Option: Add 2 tablespoons parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese) for even more cheese flavour!
Option: Use a different kind of cheese like gruyere!
Option: Sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top of the batter before baking to have a nice cheese covered top!
Tip: I enjoy warming this bread up a little and slathering on butter to melt into it when serving! Yum!
Tip: Use medium sized zucchini with a width/diameter of around 1.5-2 inches or less. (Thicker zucchini have a lot more liquid in them.)
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Avocado and Cheddar Corn Cakes
Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini
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Herbed Zucchini and Feta Quiche with a Brown Rice Crust
Zucchini and Green Chile Egg Breakfast Casserole
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Jalapeno and Cheddar Corn Pancakes with Bacon (aka Jalapeno Popper Pancakes)
Zucchini Brownies
The zucchini bread looks delish! Can’t wait to try it.
I just made this it smells wonderful I see you have given the nutritional value but how much is this for
Cut the loaf in 8 slices. Each slice is a serving.
I know this calls for a loaf pan, 9x5inces…I often use an 8×8 pan, or other size…it bakes a lot quicker, I like the crust, and you just cut it in squares…I did this in the summer w/ banana bread…so the oven does not have to be on for an hour….check it at 25-30 minutes…it depends on the moisture in the zucchini…
What a pleasant change from the usual sweet zucchini breads! Looks delicious!
This looks incredible! Any thoughts on how almond flour would work here?
I have not tried it with almond flour but it should be nice with it! I would probably start by directly replacing the flour with almond flour and adding an extra 1/2 teaspoons baking soda. You may want to cut back a bit on the moisture a bit, but I would test the first time with the rest of the recipe as is and modify the next one based on the results. Please let me know how it turns out with the almond flour if you try it!
I would also be interested in results using almond flour. The recipe looks amazing as is, too! Thanks for sharing!
This is in the oven now. Instead of green onion I added roasted, sliced jalapenos!
Love the jalapeno idea. With almond flour you may have to bake in cupcake pan as it might fall apart more. I am going to test it out too. Maybe combo of almond and coconut flour so it’s not so dense.
This was so easy to make and great flavor.
Planning on topping with scrambled eggs and bacon tonight for dinner!
Topping it with eggs and bacon would be amazing!
I have made several loafs and added either bacon pcs or ham pcs
Adding bacon and/or ham sounds amazing!
Ahhhh….I wish I would have thought of bacon! I kept thinking to myself what else can I add??? Just came out of the oven- fingers crossed that it turned out. It looks like it’s sinking a bit- but hopefully won’t sink anymore. Curious about the zuchinni I used as it was a LARGE one that was given to me. Thinking the moisture content might have been too much? Saw some small zuchinni at the grocery store yesterday so might have to buy some of them and try that to compare. 🙂 This time WITH bacon!
I had trouble both times I made it with it testing done, but it sank and was clearly not done. The second time I baked it at least 15 minutes longer with the same sinking results. It tasted good and we toasted it, but would be embarrassed to serve it to anyone but my husband!
Yum! The flavor of this is awesome! My dough was really thick (nothing resembling pouring) so I added a couple tablespoons of milk. It rose about to the top of my 9×5 pan, but was super dense and settled down after removing it from the pan so it looked only about half as tall as a regular loaf of bread. The toothpick came out clean and we think it was done, but it was pretty moist and didn’t have the consistency of bread like in your photos. It was more the texture of coffee cake (moist and crumbly). It didn’t really matter to us. My husband and I both really like it. I’ll definitely make it again! Thanks for the recipe!
This was absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe but omitted the green onion and used chives instead. The flavour combination is superb. For anyone not sure how to tell if the loaf is fully cooked, there are a few things you can do. First off, your loaf should be a nice golden brown coming out of the oven. To ensure it’s fully baked, use an oven thermometer. If the temperature reaches 200, it’s done. If you don’t have a thermometer, use the tap test. Flip your loaf over. Using your thumb, give the bottom a good thump. If it sounds hollow (like a watermelon), it’s done. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing those extra methods of checking for it being done!
I made this this morning. Absolutely delicious! Melts in your mouth! The only change I did was 1/2 sour cream and 1/2 cream cheese because I didn’t have enough sour cream. I will be making this again and again!
This was soooooo good. Incredibly flavorful and quite easy. My first attempt at any zucchini bread so I was unsure what the consistency of the batter should have been but it turned out amazing!! I’ll be making this all summer long with all of my garden zucchini. Thanks!
Mine looked perfect but after cooking about a half hour longer than suggested and appearing done the outside remained a cooked shell while the inside sunk into a mushy hallow. Not sure why as I followed the recipe closely without green onions. Any thoughts?
I’m sorry to hear it did not work out for you! It sounds like there was a lot of moisture in the zucchini. Try to use small to medium sized zucchini, no more that 1.5-2 inches width/diameter. (Zucchini can be like cucumbers where the outside is firm and the middle is softer and mushier. The smaller zucchini have more of the firm outside than the softer inside.) I have updated the recipe to include a tip about this.
Another great recipe Kevin! It was really good. I’m more of a fan of using zucchini this way, than a sweet bread! Thanks !
Do you cook the zucchini first?
The zucchini is raw. Enjoy!
Made this today and it came out the same as a previous commenter. Really thick batter so I added a bit of milk. It rose quick nicely but then collapsed when it cooled. The flavor was really good but it resembled a quiche in the centre almost. I did spoon and level my flour so was this the issue? Will make again though 😁
Melissa , Katie … so ? How was the almond flour ? Yey? Neh?
I was just wondering, should I peel the zucchini? I’m thinking probably not since it doesn’t say to do it in the recipe and also the photos show dark green in the bread, which I’m thinking would be the skin. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon because I am planning on making this soon.
I do not peel them but you could. If you have a picky eater, the green flecks in the bread are a giveaway that the bread is hiding something healthy! 🙂
LOL’ Thanks!
Can you use frozen shredded zucchini?
You should be able to but I have not tired it. Freezing the zucchini may affect how it releases liquid into the loaf as it bakes.
I did and it’s just fine. Turned out amazing!
I didn’t have green onions so I added 2-3 tbs of dehydrated onion, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1/3 to 1/2c of bacon crumbles – it was AHHHMAAZZZING – thanks for the recipe, it’s been added to our family cookbook for the future!
What can we replace egg with in recipe.
I have not tried making this bread without eggs. You could try replacing the eggs with a commercial egg substitute or you could try replacing each egg with 1/4 cup (1/2 cup total) silken tofu. I would love to hear the results if you try an egg-less version!
Would this bread freeze well? Thinking of making double but would want to freeze the other
This bread does freeze well! Enjoy!
any suggestions for cook tunes for mini loaves? This recipe turned out amazing! I used a smoked cheddar and it was delish. I think I’ll use some garlic in the recipe next time and maybe some jalapenos. Can’t wait to make some mini loaves to give out to friends.
The smoked cheddar would be amazing! I have seen different sizes of mini loaf pans so I am not sure about the bake time for them. I would estimate somewhere around 25-45 minutes; closer to 25 minutes if the mini loafs are about the size of a large muffin, or 45 minutes if the loafs are about 1/3 the size of a full loaf.
Hi Kevin! Was wondering if you could substitute sour cream with yogourt?
Can’t wait to try this yummy recipe!
Tks.
Tried this bread, but it didnt’t turn out…..mushy on the bottom. I used frozen shredded zucchini in mine, but it was from a large one that I had shredded to use in other recipes. I will definately be trying this again, as it has a wonderful taste!!! Thanks for the tips
Just made this….very good! I added Jalapeno to mine 🙂
Jalapeno is amazing in this!
Just made this for neighbor kids today. Gave it to them a few moments ago and they loved it, and so did their parents apparently because they asked for the recipe (I nicely directed them to your website). They tried it with the roasted red pepper sauce (also made today) and liked that combination. Definitely planning to make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Please start using grams and millilitres instead of cups. Cups are a non-standard, outdated measure and differ worldwide. US recipe writers would do well to move on from them. What on earth is a cup and half of shredded zucchini? How do I work out how many to buy?
I followed the recipe to a “T” omitted the green onions, but added 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Used the correct size zucchini too. The batter was very thick and not pour-able, as described in the directions. Even though a toothpick came out clean; the loaf was very dense, soggy and collapsed. I was disappointed, I sounded so good. My husband liked the flavor. Don’t know that I will try it again?
Congratulations on your anniversary! You always post delicious recipes, thank you!
Would using whole wheat flour have the same texture like all purpose flour
Not exactly, but it will also be very good!
This bread is delicious. I agree with others that it’s a nice change from the sweet zucchini bread. I think next time i will add more green onion and some roasted garlic. Will definitely make it again.
Followed this recipe to a “T” and added some chives and dill. The bread was very dense, heavy and not much flavour. It kinda tasted like an egg bread. Not sure if I will make again. Very disappointed…. using all those good ingredients and then not turning out. I was hoping for something more fluffy.
The primary flavour in this bread is the cheddar cheese… did you use a really mild cheddar? This bread should be really fluffy with lots of air pockets, which are provided bey the baking soda/powder, and they can expire and no longer be as effective.
Hello,
This was a good recipe. My batter was a bit dry, so added 1/2 cup milk, next time I would cut down the flour a bit. The size and moisture content of the zucchini can do this. For those of you having dense or heavy loaves, my thoughts are you have BEATEN the wet and dry ingredients together which always makes any quick bread tough. You can beat the wet on their own and mix the dry very well, but once you put them together use a gentle hand. My home ec teacher always said no more than 17 gentle turns with the spoon or spatula. My Mom tended to agree. Also, this should not be like a loaf of yeast bread, as quick breads are very delicious in a different way.
I just made this today, I baked it for 70 minutes, not done, another 12 minutes. It looked beautiful, raised nicely, rounded. Let it cool 10 mins, it had fallen… ran knife around the dish, turned it out, STILL NOT DONE! :'( Top was crusting and amazing, cut it off as it was done, bottom 4″-5″ almost custard like. Put back in pan, baked another 30 mins, let cool 10 mins. turned out again… Only time will tell if it’s done. The cut off top is very good, great taste too… not sure about the bottom 3/4… hmmm? Wonder what happened???
I tried to make this but for some reason the middle would not cook. The outside jus kept get browner. Any thots as to why this happened? I followed the instructions exactly.
This can sometimes happen when there is a lot of liquid in the zucchini. I try to use smaller zucchini, no more than 1.5 inches thick as the thicker ones generally have more moisture.
Looking forward to the bread. Thank you. M
I followed the recipe and it turned put tasting like quiche not bread. Disappointed. Texture was very dense. Not what I wanted. But should have known as it wasn’t a yeast bread. Won’t make again.
This bread should be pretty moist and light, though not the same as a yeast based bread, and definitely not like a quiche…
Its Looking amazing . Will love to try it , preparation time, cooking time is perfect as recipe is also ok .
Thanks for sharing.
I made this last night and it came out absolutely perfect and it is so yummy! I am going to the store tonight to get some more zucchini so I can make another one! Thank you so much for this delicious and easy recipe! I did add 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, and I had to add the 2 tablespoons milk. It seems some people think it comes out more like a sandwich bread, it is not like that. It comes out the same as say, banana bread. That kind of moisture, etc. I just love it!
will surely gonna love this , thanks for sharing recipe with us.
Hi Kevin,
I really want to try this amazing looking bread, but I’d like some clarification first. I see that you have a couple ingredients listed like this:
1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
When I read this, I read that I should measure out 1.5 cups of zucchini THEN shred it. Same with the cheddar. Usually if you shred then measure it would read like this:
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
So I’m wondering if this is just a misunderstanding, or do you want the measuring to happen before the shredding? I would not ask if these ingredients were measured by weight, but 1 1/2 cups of zucchini seems difficult to measure without first shredding or dicing really small. I’m inclined to assume you meant to measure once processed, but I care about doing things as right as possible the first time around because I really hate waste.
I hope to hear back soon! (No pressure or anything, but I was about to bake this now—at midnight). It might also be later where you are, so I won’t count on hearing back right away. 😆
Thanks!
Erin
Hi Erin the 1 1/2 cups should be after shredding. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing this Zucchini Cheese Bread recipe , this one seems so delicious , will love to make this one .
This Zucchini Cheese Bread seems amazing , never tried this before, will love to have this one . Thanks for sharing this with us.
I have made this bread twice now and the second time I followed the method and recipe very precisely… however, both times it’s turned out very wet in the centre more like a quiche. The taste is still incredible but can anybody recommend where I am going wrong?
I have made this zucchini cheese bread 3 times and on the second and third time added bacon and a few spices ! It is amazing with garlic / butter . Thanks! 👍❤️
Could I use shallots instead of green onions
Yes you can!
I decided to try this recipe and after reading the other comments I altered the original recipe. I also doubled the recipe so I could use up the zucchinis I had picked a few days ago from my garden. I did bake the loaves in the suggested size loaf pans.
This is what I changed:
Added 1 finely diced jalapeno
Lowered the cooking temperature from 350 degrees to 325 degrees
Added 1 cup of Buttermilk (I was hoping the reaction with the baking soda would create a lighter bread)
Divided the flour mixture into thirds and mixed each addition until just blended (this helps with over mixing)
After all combined the mixture seemed very heavy so I did add an additional 1/2 cup of milk
I also lined my pans with parchment paper and greased the paper
Cook time was longer by 30 minutes. By lowering the temperature the loaf has a better opportunity to fully cook without burning
Please note that I did double the recipe so the liquids I added was proportioned for that. If you are just making a single recipe cut the additional buttermilk and milk by half.
The end product was fully cooked, browned nicely, and did not fall when cooled.
I followed the recipe, but swapped green onions for chives, added Greenfield crumbled bacon cooked, and 4 year old cheddar. I added 2 tbsp half and half at the end because it was really stiff. I made it into 18 muffins and baked at 375 for 25 minutes. They were perfect! I wish I could post a picture 😂
I baked it & the cheese ended at the bottom. It was very heavy. What went wrong????
Great recipe that is customizable. I used millet flour plus added garlic and onion powder. Steam cooked them (as I do with all my baked goods in order to avoid acrylamide). Turned nice and dense. More like quiche than bread, but sure if that’s from too much liquid or the millet flour.
Thanks for this!
This bread turned out so moist and delicious! I added about a 1/3 cup of sundried tomatoes and 1/2tsp garlic powder to the mix! I also followed the suggestion to add an extra sprinkle of cheddar cheese to the top before baking. So good, I will definitely be making this again!
I tried making this today, twice, and neither loaf would fully cooked. I was so disappointed. As much as I really want to try this, I won’t be making again.
I would like to know if using a metal pan or stoneware is making a difference in whether it collapses when cooled I know it will take longer to cook in stoneware. Also would like to know how it turned out in the smaller pans?
I normally use metal pans but stoneware will also work. Making them in smaller pans will help reduce the chances of collapsing. Note: The bread is expected to reduce in height a little as it cools
Looks delicious 😋. I bet jalapeños would be good to add as well.
Can’t wait to try it
Jalapenos are an amazing addition!
Turned out great, did not fall, it’s a meal with a salad and fruit!
I made this bread and it turned out amazing! First time I have used any of your recipes, but you can be sure I will try try other ones you have! Thanks!
Just made this half hour ago. Used the last fresh picked zucchini. Followed the recipe to ” the letter”. Yes the aroma was good… loaf looked good but it ended there . The ” bread” was bland and dry . A waste of food stuff, time and energy. Don’t bother making this . Terrible !
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it! Usually it is on the moist side rather than the dry side… This is a cheese bread where most of the flavour comes from the cheese; use a cheese that you enjoy; an aged cheddar will bring more cheddar flavour!
I made this today for the second time and it collapsed again and is underbaked in the center. I thought the reason it collapsed the first time was due to my baking powder being past pull date. I used new baking powder and it still collapsed. I will try one more time and use Natolie’s tip of July 20, 2022 and then Amy’s tip of July 28, 2022.
The flavor is good though.
I made this tonight to go with dinner and it’s almost gone. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, it’s simply delicious. Someone commented to try some jalapeno in it and I’m going to try that next time I make this!
Can you freeze this after baking
Yes you can!
I just tried it with half almond flower and half gluten-free all purpose flour; it turned out delicious. I added 1tsp xantan gum, because with gluten free flour, you need that. t is going in my charcuterie board and every one can enjoy it without fear of gluten
The thing that is confusing is the word “pour”. I’ve baked with zucchini so many times and always had wonderful outcomes, so I followed the recipe to a T. but then seeing the word “pour” and looking at my thick batter, it made me think that I had done something wrong. So instead of baking as-is, I followed the suggestion to add milk. But of course that led to 2 hours of baking with a now overcooked top but still raw bottom. Super sad because I made this with my kids, got excited to eat it together, but I can’t serve this to them. The idea of the recipe itself is nice, but I think the reviews would be better if the direction was a bit more straightforward in the recipe, and eliminating the word “pour” so as to not cause anyone to second-guess their batter. it’s definitely frustrating to waste several hours and quite a bit of food that can’t be re-used or fixed.
Hi! I made this bread and while it didn’t bake all the way through it was still delicious!! How should this be stored?
I store it in the fridge and warm it up a bit before enjoying!
I made this bread and it turned out great! I’m a zucchini fanatic, and like cooking zucchini main and side dishes, and often get the impression that many people consider zucchini unpalatable, and the only thing it’s good for is making a sweet quick bread with it. I’ve been looking for a savory quick bread recipe to try and I really like this one!