Savory Zucchini Bread

Need I say it? I will anyway. There’s so much zucchini! I keep stuffing it into as much as I can. The baked goods are my favorite uses, at least partially because they can be squirreled away in the freezer for later. I was getting a bit tired of the sweet zucchini breads and muffins and cookies, however, so I tried out this savory version of zucchini quick bread.

I like the way the slightly vegetal flavor of the zucchini is enhanced by the Parmesan, fresh chives, and the dashes of garlic and onion powders. This might not be able to stand in for dessert the way a chocolate zucchini bread could. It’s a good accompaniment for a meal, though, and the leftovers are good toasted and spread with butter. I also liked it with some cherry-jalapeno jam for a sweet-savory snack.

 

The batter for this bread is thick, almost like biscuit dough. You don’t want to over mix it, so if the batter seems too stiff to stir, add a little more buttermilk. The zucchini will release its liquid as the bread bakes, so even if the dough seems dry, the bread will still be moist.

While I do really like to the flavors as they are, I think there is still room for further enhancement. Other fresh herbs would be good, and I think that chopped olives or sundried or oven roasted tomatoes would be good additions. You could also use a different cheese, like Asiago or cheddar, or take the flavors in a completely different direction with chili powder and cumin or smoked paprika.

 

It’s great to have another place to stuff all that zucchini that seems to be materializing out of nowhere in my backyard. Something less sweet is a welcome addition to my baking book, too, since there are apple and pumpkin desserts on the horizon! That will be sweet enough.

Savory Parmesan Zucchini Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup shredded zucchini

¼ cup minced fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch bread pan or spray it well with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, garlic powder and onion powder. Whisk together to combine well. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and olive oil. Whisk together until smooth.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Add the zucchini and chives and stir together just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be thick. If there doesn’t seem to be enough moisture to moisten all of the flour, add a splash or two more of buttermilk.

5. Transfer the batter into the prepared bread pan and smooth out evenly. Bake at 350 F about 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with just moist crumbs attached and no wet batter.

6. Remove the baked loaf from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 1 9-inch loaf.

Other recipes like this one: Zucchini Skillet Cornbread, Zucchini Wheat Bread

One year ago: Saturday Night: September Transitions