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This Gluten Free Zucchini Bread (Courgette Bread if you are UK based) is a beautifully classic sweet loaf recipe with a deliciously moist, and tender crumb. Warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, this quick bread recipe has a mild subtle vegetable flavour. This recipe is also happily dairy-free and gluten-free with no xanthan gum needed.
Jump to:
- ⭐️Why you’ll love this recipe
- What does Courgette (Zucchini) Bread taste like?
- Do you have to peel the courgette?
- How to prepare the courgettes
- 📝Ingredients needed
- 👩🍳How to make it (step-by-step instructions)
- 🎓Expert Tips
- ❓FAQs
- Variations on the recipe
- More gluten-free courgette (zucchini) recipes
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread (Courgette Bread)
⭐️Why you’ll love this recipe
- Gluten-free and dairy-free. Made with a combination of 3 gluten-free flours instead of an all purpose flour so you don't have to rely on a particular brand.
- No xanthan gum. This recipe doesn’t need it and you still achieve a bread that doesn’t crumble and has good structure and texture. READ MORE >>> Gluten-Free Baking Without Xanthan Gum.
- Courgette flavour. Every bite has a delightful hint of courgette flavour.
- Moist. This courgette bread is perfectly moist with a soft tender crumb.
- Balance of flavours. The sweetness of the sugar is well balanced with the natural flavour of the courgette.
- Perfectly spiced. Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger add warmth and depth to the bread.
- Easy recipe. This gluten-free bread can be made in one large mixing bowl and is quick to pull together.
- Courgette (Zucchini) Season. This is a great recipe for when you have a abundance of zucchini. You can make a few loaves of this bread as it freezes very well.
What does Courgette (Zucchini) Bread taste like?
Courgette bread has a delicious, moist, and slightly sweet flavour. The courgette adds moisture to the bread, making it incredibly tender. It’s a sweet recipe, akin to banana bread, which uses brown sugar which balances beautifully with the natural flavour of courgette.
The spices used, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, give warmth and depth to the overall taste. Yes it does have a subtle vegetable flavour, but the courgette taste is mild and not overpowering.
Do you have to peel the courgette?
No it’s not necessary to peel the courgette when making this recipe. The peel is edible and contains good nutrients which we don’t want to get rid of if we don’t have to. Plus, leaving the peel intact adds a lovely touch of colour to the bread.
How to prepare the courgettes
- Wash them thoroughly. Rinse the courgettes under cool water to remove any dirt and lightly scrub if you need to.
- Trim the ends. Remove both ends of the courgette using a sharp knife.
- Grate the courgette. Use a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment to grate the zucchini. Hold the zucchini firmly and grate it using the side with the smaller holes to achieve finer shreds.
- Remove the excess moisture. This is a very important step. Courgettes contain a lot of water and if you don’t squeeze it out then your bread will be too wet. To get as much water out as possible, place the grated courgette in a clean kitchen towel or muslin cloth. Squeeze gently over the kitchen sink to extract as much moisture as possible.
📝Ingredients needed
- Courgette (Zucchini). Choose fresh (and organic if possible) courgettes. You want them to be firm and have a vibrant colour for the best flavour and texture. Avoid using older ones that have been hanging around in your veg box for two long or that are soft and mushy.
- Sorghum flour. You can swap for oat flour or millet flour.
- Brown rice flour. You can swap for oat flour or millet flour.
- Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour). You can swap for cassava flour or almond flour.
- Olive oil. This is my preferred oil in cakes rather than vegetable oil or coconut oil. But to avoid a strong flavour use a flavourless mild and light olive oil.
- Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell).
- Spices. This recipe uses cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for a deep warm flavour.
- Brown sugar. Gives lovely gentle molasses flavour and moisture. You can substitute with coconut sugar.
- Bicarbonate of soda. Also known as baking soda, this is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking.
- Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.
- Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
👩🍳How to make it (step-by-step instructions)
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin (9x5 inch).
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F, gas mark 4).
- Grate the zucchini, squeeze out excess water, and weigh about 225g.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, spices, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and add sugar, olive oil, and grated zucchini. Mix well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the large bowl, stirring until just combined.
- Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the tin and spread evenly.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
🎓Expert Tips
- Fresh courgettes. Make sure the courgettes you choose are firm, fresh and bright green to get the best results. Organic is even better.
- Grate the courgette properly. Either use the fine side of a box grater or a food processor fitted with the grating attachment for an even and uniform shred.
- Adjusting the sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter bread you can add up to 50g more sugar. If you prefer things a little less sweet then you can reduce by up to 50g.
- Rest the batter. This gluten-free flours in this recipe benefit from a short amount of resting time before you pour your bread mixture into the cake tin. This helps the flours absorb the liquid in the recipe so avoids grittiness.
- Test for doneness. This is a deliciously moist courgette (zucchini) bread so it does take its time in the oven. Test for doneness by using a toothpick. Insert into the centre of the bread and it should come out clean of any crumbs if it’s ready.
- Allow to cool before slicing. Let the zucchini bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help it set and retain its moisture.
❓FAQs
No I don’t recommend it as the water content changes during the freezing and the courgette will be too mushy for the bread.
I don’t recommend using a branded all-purpose gluten-free flour in this recipe but a great option is my Homemade All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend instead.
Yes, you can use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
The flours used in this recipe are perfectly balanced so the recipe will turn out moist and light without being too dense.
Grating the courgette allows it to blend well into the bread batter, contributing to the moistness and texture of the final product. The shredded zucchini also helps distribute its flavor throughout the bread.
Allow the bread to cool completely before storing to prevent condensation and moisture buildup. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Ensure all air is removed to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored for up to 3 months.
Variations on the recipe
Add mix-ins. This recipe is delicious as it is but if you wanted to up the game then including your favourite add-ins will change the flavour and texture. Why not try:
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work really well)
More gluten-free courgette (zucchini) recipes
- Gluten-Free Courgette (Zucchini) Cake Traybake
- Courgette Relish
- Chocolate Courgette Muffins
- Courgette Cornbread
- Roasted Aubergine and Courgette with Sumac
Have you tried this Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread recipe (Courgette Bread)? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your recipe turned out and your feedback also helps other readers.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread (Courgette Bread)
Ingredients
- 400 g courgette - zucchini (2 large)
- 100 g sorghum flour
- 75 g brown rice flour
- 75 g sweet rice flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs - medium, see notes
- 225 g soft light brown sugar
- 160 g light olive oil
Instructions
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin (9x5 inch).
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, 350°F, gas mark 4.
- Grate the courgette (zucchini) and place in the centre of a large clean muslin or cloth. Gather the zucchini up in the muslin and squeeze out all the excess water. It should weigh about 225g.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, olive oil, and grated courgette (zucchini). Mix well until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Allow the batter to rest for about 20 minutes to let the flours settle.
- Stir briefly then pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Flour substitutions
- You can swap the sorghum flour or the brown rice flour for oat flour or millet flour.
- You can swap the sweet rice flour for cassava flour or almond flour.
- Alternatively you can swap the whole amount of flour needed in this recipe (250g) for my Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend which also works really well.
How to store
Allow the bread to cool completely before storing to prevent condensation and moisture buildup. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.How to freeze
Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Ensure all air is removed to prevent freezer burn. It can be stored for up to 3 months.Ingredient measurements
- Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.
Ms C Donad says
Hello,
When I made your courgette bread I received a mixed bag of feedback. Some people liked it and said it was nice and moist and others where not to keen on it once I told them what was in it. I liked it.
Its strange how people will eat carrot cakes or muffins but when it comes to courgette the thought of eating it in a baking recipe it is either no don't like courgette and will not try it
Georgina Hartley says
People can be strange. You can taste the courgette - it definitely has an earthy vegetal taste and isn't as sweet as carrot cake but I love that kind of flavour in desserts. I'm happy you liked it too!