Add fresh blueberries to zucchini bread for a tasty treat! This rich and filling quick blueberry zucchini bread is delicious. Kefir or yogurt in the batter keeps the bread moist and blueberries add color and bursts of flavor.
I love cooking with fresh summer produce! Using fresh, healthy ingredients makes everything taste better. And blueberries are my favorite summer fruit.
I like to use them in desserts like this easy blueberry galette, in salads such as this red, white and blue salad or in a quick bread, like blueberry zucchini muffins or blueberry pumpkin bread.
This delicious blueberry zucchini bread adds blueberries to a classic summer favorite. It also uses kefir to enhance the flavor and make the bread moist and tender.
Why You Will Love Blueberry Zucchini Bread
- It is a great change from ordinary zucchini bread and might even appeal to zucchini hating kids. My kids loved this bread, although they did noticed the tell-tale green flecks of zucchini and accused me of trying to sneak extra vegetables into their food.
- The bread is delicious and keeps well.
- It is very pretty – the flecks of green contrast nicely with the purple blueberries.
- A slice of bread combined with a glass of kefir makes a filling and healthy breakfast, and provides fuel for the day!
Key Ingredients
- Zucchini – Chose a fresh zucchini that is small to medium sized, not a huge overgrown one.
- Blueberries – Fresh or frozen blueberries work in this recipe and I have made it with both.
- Kefir – The kefir is a healthy fermented milk drink you can find at any grocery store. You can also make your own! Homemade kefir is easy to make and delicious. If you don’t have kefir you can substitute yogurt.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla – These spices flavor the bread and make it smell delicious as it bakes.
The remaining ingredients are just the standard baking ingredients you’d find in any quick bread – flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, butter and egg.
How to Make Blueberry Zucchini Bread
1. Prepare
Before you start preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a loaf pan and spray it with cooking spray. I used a standard size loaf pan, which is about 8 inches by 4 inches.
Melt the butter before starting to make the zucchini bread so it has a chance to cool a bit.
Then grate the zucchini using a mandolin slicer or a food processor. You need about 1 cup of shredded zucchini for the recipe.
Blueberries tend to sink to the bottom of baked goods like quick breads. To help prevent this you can toss the blueberries with a Tablespoon of flour to coat them.
But even with this they are still going to sink some, you can’t overcome gravity. I usually coat the blueberries with flour if they are frozen, but don’t bother if they are fresh, since fresh blueberries sink less.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients
Then mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir them all together to mix well.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a measuring cup combine the melted butter with the egg, kefir, vanilla and zucchini and stir well.
4. Mix
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined. Don’t over mix, quick breads don’t need a lot of stirring. The batter will be very thick.
Finally gently stir the blueberries into the batter.
Then put the batter in the prepared loaf pan and bake it at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.
It is done when the top is brown and knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
How to Serve
Keep the bread in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it to a wire rack to cool. For best results let the blueberry zucchini bread cool completely before slicing.
I like to serve this quick bread a grilled dinner, like steak kabobs or grilled salmon.
How to Store
Store any leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
This bread also freezes very well for 2-3 months. Freeze it in an airtight bag and let it thaw overnight on the counter when you are ready to use it.
Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 Tablespoon butter melted
- 1 cup zucchini shredded
- 1 egg
- 1 cup kefir or yogurt *see note if using yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Spray a standard size loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.4 Tablespoon butter
- Grate the zucchini with a food processor or mandolin slicer.1 cup zucchini
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg) in one bowl and mix thoroughly.1 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 2/3 cup sugar
- Combine the melted butter with the zucchini, egg, kefir, and vanilla and mix well.1 egg, 1 cup kefir or yogurt *see note if using yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, but don't over mix. The batter will be very thick.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. *see note below1 cup blueberries
- Put in prepared loaf pan and cook for 50-60 minutes, until the top is browned and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Notes
- You can substitute yogurt for the kefir. If the yogurt is thick, like Greek yogurt, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin it out.
- Blueberries tend to sink to the bottom of baked goods, especially frozen blueberries. You can coat the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour before folding them in to help with the sinking. I usually only do this if I am using frozen blueberries.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
oh this is so unique! I’ve not had this combination before! Blueberry and zucchini!! interesting!
That looks super tasty! We tried the strawberry banana and really like it.
I love Keifer! I never thought about baking with it!
I drink kefir regularly but have never tried cooking with it.
I love that you were able to incorporate the Kefir into such a tasty bread!
Two favorites, especially blueberries. I try and keep gallons of blueberries on hand at all times in my freezer, I haven’t tried this combo but I am now, looks so good. Saw at Monday Funday…following g+ now.
This blueberry zucchini bread looks so yummy. I love Kefir. I could drink a bottle of it in a day.
What a great combo! Both blueberries and zucchini are just about ready to pick in my area. I will be trying this and not telling my son and husband that there is zucchini in it! Pinned!
Thank you for this recipe. It sounds wonderful. I have an abundance of zucchini and blueberries right now so this came at the perfect time!
I’ve got a couple yellow zucchinis to make zucchini bread or cupcakes with. No telltale green chunks with those babies haha
Thanks for sharing!
Wow, that looks amazing! Never thought to use kefir for baking, but it sounds like a brilliant way to make this bread.
This is exactly what I was looking for. I have organic zucchini and freshly picked blueberries in my fridge and I wanted a good recipe for zucchini, blueberry bread. I found it! Pinned! and thank you.
If using yogurt can I use blueberry flavored or does it have to be plain it did not indicate this in the recipe.
Thank you,
P