The easiest loaf of bread, perfect for the summertime with the vast amount of zucchini – grated up with delicious savory flavors of bright lemon and fresh summer herbs for a perfectly moist loaf great by itself or served so many different ways!
I love to bake, I wish I could every day! But why does it always have to be sweet? I realized recently that I didn’t have a classic summer recipe everyone knows and loves on my site – THE Zucchini Bread. I set out to change that but I wanted to be different (shocker, I’m sure) and steer away from the Chocolate Chip Zucchini version of bread that fills the internet already. I was outside on my computer on a hot humid day conjuring up all the different versions of this bread I could make when I looked down at the pot of herbs begging to be used. So I picked a handful of each, added all the lemon my heart desired, and some freshly grated zucchini for the BEST quick bread invented. The rich fruity flavor of olive oil compliments the lemon and abundant fresh herbs so perfectly. It’s fantastic by itself but toasted with some cream cheese, butter, or other creative toppings makes it an essential recipe for the summer months, trust me!
THE FRESH HERBS
Chives – for an onion flavor with a slight garlicky note
Basil – the king of all herbs!
Thyme – a floral, citrusy taste that is ever so woody as well
Oregano – slightly bitter yet sweet and is a part of the mint family
Mint – refreshing, no better way to explain the power packs in the flavor
Even though all of these herbs are distinctly different, choose your favorites and quantities. But use A LOT, because the flavor in fresh herbs is not nearly as dried herbs with more concentrated flavor.
THE ZUCCHINI
Go for smaller. Nowhere in my life have I seen such GIANT zucchini as I have in the states. In Italy, I’m used to tiny flavor-packed zucchini that have seeds that are barely noticeable. Another important part of the zucchini in this recipe is squeezing the water after it’s been shredded so that the bread doesn’t become soaked with moisture once it bakes
VARIATIONS AND SUBSITUES
But that doesn’t mean there is ANY lack of moisture in this bread because I promise it delivers the most tender and self-piece of bread. I had a dairy-free goal when creating this recipe but that’s to say you can’t substitute plain coconut yogurt for greek yogurt, it would work perfectly. If you want to go the opposite direction and make this bread vegan then 2 flax eggs would totally do the trick. You could also use a replacement for olive oil with a more neutral oil like avocado oil but to be honest I have no idea why you won’t want to miss out on the fruity oily goodness that it delivers in the taste.
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Lemon Herb Savory Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, zested
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1–1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs minced (chives, basil, thyme, or oregano)
- 2 cups grated zucchini, water squeezed and drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan then line it with parchment paper
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yogurt, olive oil, and lemon zest
- Then stir in the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt until they are fully incorporated and a batter forms
- Lastly fold in the fresh herbs and zucchini then pour into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted into the very center it comes out clean without crumbs
- Let it cool before slicing and enjoy!
