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Cheesy Zucchini Bread made with fresh and healthy zucchini, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives is a delicious and easy savory quick bread loved by the whole family. No fancy mixers or kneading required.
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I’ve always been a big fan of quick breads. They’re easy to make, require no kneading or rise time, and can be either sweet or savory. They’re also quick – obviously – meaning, I get to eat my food sooner and with less effort. What’s not to love?
This cheesy zucchini bread is one of my favorite savory versions. It’s packed with shredded zucchini, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh chives, with a tender, moist crumb and plenty of cheesy flavor.
Love quick breads as much as I do? Try my Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread or Banana Bread Recipe next.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This savory zucchini bread starts with all-purpose flour, a little sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and an egg. A few of the remaining ingredients are worth a closer look:
- Zucchini: Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Unlike my chocolate zucchini muffins and zucchini bread muffins, this recipe requires squeezing out the excess moisture from the shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. This helps prevent the savory bread from becoming overly wet or gummy. Measure the zucchini first, then squeeze it well using a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or paper towels.
- Cheddar cheese: I recommend sharp or EXTRA-sharp cheddar for the most flavor. Shred it from a block for the best texture and melting.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a subtle tang.
- Butter: Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly before mixing it with the buttermilk and egg. You don’t want it piping hot as it will start to cook the egg.
- Chives: Fresh chives add a mild onion flavor that works especially well with the cheddar and zucchini. Finely chopped green onions can also be used.
How to Make Your Own Buttermilk
No buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then add enough dairy milk to reach 1 cup. Stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
Alternatively, use 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar per 1 cup of milk. To prevent clumping, whisk the cream of tartar into the dry ingredients rather than directly into the milk.
How to Make Cheesy Zucchini Bread
First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Next, in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg. Whisk well to combine, then add the butter to the buttermilk mixture.
With the wet and dry ingredients prepared, add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix! Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, shredded zucchini, and chopped chives.
Finally, transfer the mixture to your prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack to remove it from the loaf pan.
Reader Comment
“Love this recipe. I’ve been making it once a week… This is a nice change from my sweet zucchini bread recipe.” – Deb
Tips and Tricks
This savory quick bread is about as easy as it gets. In fact, it’s pretty hard to mess this one up. However, I have a few simple suggestions for how to make this delicious cheesy zucchini bread even better.
- Get all the water out of that zucchini. I mean it, my friends. Just trust me here. The best way to do this is to transfer your shredded zucchini to a flour sack towel, wrap it up, and squeeze out the water. You won’t believe how much water comes out.
- Use stinky, extra EXTRA-sharp cheddar cheese. Just because you may not want to eat the stuff on its own, doesn’t mean it won’t taste delicious in this bread. This savory quick bread is begging for stinky cheese; don’t let it down!
- Make an extra loaf and freeze it! Okay, so this isn’t going to make your cheesy zucchini bread taste any better, but you will be so happy on a cold, rainy soup day to have a loaf of this delicious, cheesy goodness just waiting to be eaten.
- For an extra-cheesy surprise, sprinkle the top of your zucchini loaf with extra shredded cheddar and chives, then place it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
What to Serve with Cheesy Zucchini Bread
This is not a light bread. I’m so (not) sorry about that. Some things in life are better left packed full of delicious cheese and regular all-purpose flour. It pairs especially well with soups and fresh salads. Try it with my butternut squash soup, hearty vegetable beef soup, or this reader-favorite chicken soup recipe. It’s also great with a light house salad or fresh Caesar salad.
Storage and Reheating
Allow the zucchini bread to cool completely before storing. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds or in a toaster oven until heated through.
More Easy Zucchini Recipes
Cheesy Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1½ cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (get the aged, stinky stuff)
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1½ cups shredded zucchini, measured after squeezing out the excess moisture
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Once mixed, add the butter to the buttermilk mixture. Whisk until fully combined.1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, ¼ cup butter
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Mix in the shredded cheese, shredded zucchini, and chopped chives.1½ cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 3 tablespoons fresh chives, 1½ cups shredded zucchini
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before inverting over a cooling rack to remove from the loaf pan. Allow bread to cool for an additional 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, see the homemade buttermilk substitution in the post above.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made it this morning and it is delicious! I baked the bread in mini loaf pans (for about 45 minutes, checking after 30) and love the crusty edges. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I plan on making lots of loaves this summer for eating and freezing 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the cheesy zucchini bread and love the idea of using mini loaf pans for those extra crusty edges. It makes me happy to hear you’ll be making more loaves to enjoy and freeze this summer!
Have not tried this but would like to. Is the sugar absolutely necessary? I’d love to leave it out. Thank you.
Great question! The sugar isn’t strictly necessary—it just adds a hint of sweetness and helps with browning, but you can definitely leave it out if you prefer. The bread will still turn out cheesy and delicious! Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Do you know if buckwheat flour would work?
For your Cheesy Zucchini Bread, buckwheat flour could work as a substitute, though it will give the bread a slightly different texture and a deeper, earthy flavor. Buckwheat flour is denser than all-purpose flour, so the bread may come out a bit heavier. I’d suggest trying a 50/50 mix of buckwheat and all-purpose or another light flour (like rice or almond flour) to maintain a good texture. If you’re aiming for gluten-free, buckwheat should pair well with a bit of a starchier flour (like tapioca or potato starch) to help with binding.
The flavor is wonderful but the bread is so dense in the middle. What would you suggest, more oven time, maybe more flour, less cheese or ring the zucchini out more. Regardless, I’m still enjoying it. Thank you!!
It sounds like you’re on the right track with troubleshooting your Cheesy Zucchini Bread! Since it’s dense in the middle, a few adjustments could help. First, definitely try wringing out the zucchini more thoroughly to remove excess moisture, as this is often a culprit for density. Additionally, ensuring that your oven is properly calibrated and possibly extending the baking time slightly could help the bread cook more evenly without getting too dry. Adjusting the amount of flour might also help, but start with these tips first. I’m glad to hear you’re still enjoying it!
I want to make this for a reception, preferring savory bread to crackers and cheese. Will it be OK frozen then thawed and served without heating? Room temp? I also was thinking about adding some olives?
Yes, you can freeze the cheesy zucchini quick bread loaf and then thaw it to serve at room temperature without heating. This should work well for a reception, especially if you prefer savory bread over crackers and cheese. Just make sure to wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag to maintain its freshness. When you’re ready to serve it, thaw it at room temperature for a few hours.
Adding olives to the bread sounds like a great idea! They will complement the savory flavors well. Make sure to drain and chop the olives before adding them to the batter to prevent excess moisture. Enjoy your reception!
In the oven as we speak!! For future reference, how long would this bread need to thaw/heat up in the oven if I decide to freeze?
Thank you!
If you decide to freeze your cheesy zucchini quick bread and want to reheat it later, the thawing and heating process is quite straightforward. First, allow the bread to thaw at room temperature for several hours or overnight, which helps it to heat evenly in the oven. Once thawed, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and heat the bread for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s thoroughly warm and the cheese is nicely melted. This method ensures that your bread retains its moisture and flavor, just like when it was freshly baked.
Easy and oh so tasty! The perfect combination in my opinion! This bread turned out great with a lightly crispy crust. I did substitute 1/2 whole wheat flour and added a smidge of cayenne pepper… one large zucchini was the perfect amount. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Delicious bread! My husband has been asking for zucchini breads and this didn’t disappoint. I have a milk allergy and swapped the milk for milkademia and lemon juice. I had some flour sacks on hand and squeezed and squeezed. It was worth it!
I plan to make this over and over!
Thanks for the delicious feedback, Lisa 😀
Great recipe. We had a huge zucchini grow in our backyard so saw this recipe and used some of the zucchini for it. Was delish!! My 3 and 6 yr old devoured their pieces. Will def make again.
I love hearing when kids devour recipes, thanks for the great feedback and rating, Kat 😀
I do know that with no yeast breads, if you over mix it that it wl fall in the middle! It was happening to me and then my grandma told me to JUST mix everything, and it did the trick! I hope this helps!