Vegan Zucchini Bread with Sourdough Starter

Looking for an easy recipe to make with fresh summer zucchini? Then give this sourdough zucchini bread a try. This delicious quick bread is made with sourdough discard, whole wheat flour and fresh grated zucchini.

A perfect vegan bread to bake on a summer afternoon. Flavored with both cinnamon, and cardamom, this is great to enjoy for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with tea. Slather with jam and/ or butter or eat just as is.

About the recipe

I have had my sourdough starter since 2011. It survived 2 moves across the country and is still very active. I am always looking for ways to use my sourdough starter and have some amazing recipes on the blog already.

My favorite sourdough discard recipes are these sourdough popovers or this amazing sourdough carrot cake. Having a few recipes to use up that discard in one's repertoire is very important.

This vegan zucchini bread is a great recipe to use up both your sourdough discard as well as some of your summer zucchini bounty. I love that the recipe is so easy that even my 8 year old can make it with little supervision.

Since it is vegan, there is no need to whisk eggs or soften the butter. All you need is a bowl to mix the ingredients and then it is time to bake!! Enjoy the moist and slightly sweet bread with some jam or butter.

What I like about the recipe

• Easy recipe to make
• 100% vegan - no eggs to beat or butter to soften
• Made entirely with whole wheat flour
• Has a soft and perfect texture
• Beautifully spiced with cinnamon and cardamom
• Perfect to bake with kids
• You can also make sourdough zucchini muffins with the same recipe.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here are the ingredients you need to make this zucchini sourdough bread:

• Zucchini aka green squash- you will need a medium size squash to get 1 cup grated.
• Sourdough discard - this is the starter that is usually cast aside before feeding it. So basically you need 'unfed' starter straight out of the fridge or from your kitchen counter. My starter is 50% whole wheat flour and at 100% hydration.
• Whole wheat flour - you can substitute with all purpose flour.
• Sugar - I either use organic or unrefined cane sugar to keep the recipe vegan. But feel free to use what you have on hand.

• Oil - I use canola oil, but you can use any light flavored oil.
• Milk - any non-dairy or dairy milk will work. Since I want to keep it vegan, I use almond or oat milk.
• Egg Replacer - I use store bought egg replacer powder. But you can also use ground flax seeds or 1 large egg.
• Leaveners - baking soda, baking powder
• Flavorings - I use both cinnamon and cardamom because I love them. But you can just use either one or substitute with vanilla extract.
• Other Ingredients - I love adding raisins or cranberries to add some sweet bite. You can also add chopped nuts or chocolate chips.

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here's how to make this eggless zucchini bread with sourdough starter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans (5¾"x3¼"x2¼") with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk in oil, sugar, milk, egg replacer and sourdough discard. Mix well until sugar is dissolved.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom.

Stir in grated zucchini into the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and raisins into the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 40~45 minutes for the loaf and 28~35 minutes for the mini loaves or until the tester comes out clean.

Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully turn it onto the cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Expert Tips

• Substitute all or part of whole wheat flour with all purpose flour.
• If not vegan, use 1 large egg instead of the egg replacer.
• My starter is made with 50% whole wheat flour. And it is 100% hydration. Which means it is made with equal parts water and flour.
• Depending on the hydration of your sourdough starter, you might have to adjust the amount of milk added to the recipe.
• Wrap the leftover bread tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for 2 days or in the freezer for 1 month.
• Add your favorite add-ins like raisins, dried cranberries or chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds). Chocolate chips are also great.
• To bake this bread at high altitude, I made the following changes:
  • Increased oven temperature to 375°F.
  • Reduced baking soda and baking powder to ¼ teaspoon each.

Frequently Asked Questions

You might also like

Here are few more quick bread recipes that you might like:

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.