Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread

Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread offers a moist and savory way to enjoy the summer's bounty of fresh zucchini and spicy jalapenos.

Savory Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is abundant in my garden and at the farmers' market each summer. I swear my neighbors get tired of my Facebook messages letting them know I dropped some zucchini off on their doorstep. They probably hide when they see me coming with my bike basket full.

The abundance means I must have an array of recipes to use the zucchini up.

This quick, moist, cheesy, savory zucchini bread is sure to be one of your favorite ways to use any size zucchini--even those giant ones that grew huge overnight.

Be sure to make extra to share this fresh bread with your friends and neighbors or freeze for the sad days when zucchini season is over.

After you try this savory zucchini bread, whip up a sweet one. Easy Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is perfect to eat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

Ingredients for Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread

• Zucchini, shredded on the coarse side of a box grater or use the food processor - do NOT squeeze out extra liquid
• Green Onions or fresh chives - optional, brings flavor and color
• Jalapeño, minced - optional, but brings flavor to the bread. Remove the seeds and white membranes for a milder pepper flavor.
• Large Eggs - serve as the binder in the bread
• Sour Cream - brings moisture and tenderness
• Butter, melted - fat adds richness and texture to the bread
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded - adds richness, texture and flavor
• All-purpose Flour - provides the body of the bread
• Baking Powder - leavening agent, helps the bread to be fluffy
• Baking Soda - leavening agent
• Salt - enhances flavors
• Sugar - rounds out the flavors
• Buttermilk, as needed - Or use regular milk with a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice to acidify the milk as a replacement for buttermilk
• Olive Oil, to grease the pan

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Jalapeno Zucchini Cheddar Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 10-inch iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, mix the shredded zucchini, green onions, jalapenos, eggs, sour cream, and melted butter. Mix well.
3. Add the cheese to the zucchini mixture.
4. In a small bowl, mix the flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir JUST until combined. Do NOT over stir.
6. If the batter is too thick to pour out of the bowl, add buttermilk 1-2 Tablespoons at a time. Avoid overstirring.
7. Pour batter into the greased pan.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of loaves comes out clean.
9. Cool on a wire rack if desired or serve warm with butter and honey.

Hint: Moisture content of the Zucchini varies. This will require that you sometimes add a splash or 2 of buttermilk (or regular milk) to get a pourable batter. See the picture for reference.

Substitutions & Variations

• Yellow Squash - instead of zucchini, you can use yellow squash
• Cheese - use any shredded cheese you like in this bread
• Buttermilk - Use any milk that fits your needs
• Cheddar Zucchini Bread - Leave out green onions and jalapeno to suit your taste

Pan Selection

The size of the pan impacts the baking time in recipes. I prefer using a 10-inch iron skillet for this recipe, but a 9x9 glass baking dish will work well, too.

If you really want a "loaf" of bread, bake this recipe in a loaf pan and increase the baking time. Because this bread is quite moist, your loaves may not turn out as pretty as you prefer. When using a loaf pan, I only grease the bottom of the pan and about a third of the way up the sides of the loaf pan.

Dutch Oven Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread

Who says you can't have homemade bread when camping? This recipe is perfect for camp cooking and baking in a Dutch oven.

I like about 15 coals on the top of the lid and 9 on the bottom of the Dutch oven to bake around 350 degrees.

Turn the oven a quarter of a turn about every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. Cooking times will vary. Bake until golden brown.

Storing Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread

Because of the high moisture level of this savory zucchini bread, I prefer to store it wrapped with foil or plastic wrap in the fridge. This will keep it fresh for 3 to 5 days.

Jalapeno Cheddar Zucchini Bread FAQ

Related

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe:

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Food Safety

We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.