Vegan Courgette Bread 💚 (Easy!)
What is Courgette Bread?
Courgette bread is a delicious treat. 🍞 It is a type of "quick bread." This is the same family as banana bread. 🍌 It is a sweet, dense, and moist loaf. It is usually spiced with cinnamon. It is a very popular home-baking recipe. It is perfect with coffee or tea. ☕ Its name comes from the main ingredient. The "secret" ingredient. That ingredient is the courgette. (Also known as zucchini in America). (
The Courgette (Zucchini) Secret 🤫
Why would you put a vegetable in a sweet cake? This is the secret to this amazing bread. The courgette is magic for baking. It does two amazing things. 1. It Adds Incredible Moisture. 💧 Courgettes are over 90% water. When you bake the bread, this water turns to steam. It creates a "super-moist" crumb. It is the #1 secret to a moist loaf. Your bread will never be dry. 2. It is a "Hidden Vegetable." 💚 This is the best part. You cannot taste the courgette! At all. I promise. The vegetable shreds are very mild. They melt into the bread. They have no flavor. The bread just tastes like a sweet, cinnamon spice cake. This makes it a perfect way to use up extra courgettes. (From your garden). ( It is also a great way to sneak veggies... ...into your family's diet. They will just think it is a delicious cake.
The "Vegan" Problem 🚫
So, you want to make this bread vegan. You find a "classic" recipe online. It looks great. But it is a trap! A traditional recipe is NOT vegan. It is loaded with hidden animal products. You must be a detective. You must find the three traps.
Trap 1: The Eggs 🥚
This is the #1 problem. All quick breads (like banana bread) use eggs. They often use 2 or 3 of them. Why? Eggs are the "glue." They are the binder. They hold the bread together. They also add "lift" and richness. Obviously, eggs are not vegan. We must replace them.
Trap 2: The Dairy Fat (Butter) 🧈
This is the second trap. Most recipes use butter for fat. (Or a "butter-flavored" shortening). ( Butter adds a rich, salty, creamy flavor. It makes the bread delicious. But butter is dairy. It comes from a cow. It is 100% not vegan. 🚫 We must replace this fat.
Trap 3: The Dairy Liquid (Milk) 🥛
This is the final, easy-to-miss trap. The recipe needs a liquid. This liquid "wets" the flour. It makes the batter. Most recipes call for "milk." This means cow's milk. Again, cow's milk is not vegan. We must swap this, too.
The 3 Easy Vegan Swaps (The "Fix") ✨
This is the good news. All three traps are very easy to fix. The vegan swaps are simple. They are cheap. And they work perfectly. In fact, they make the bread better.
Swap 1: The "Flax Egg" (The Binder) 🔑
This is the #1 secret weapon in vegan baking. This is how you replace eggs. It is called a "flax egg." What is it? It is just ground-up flax seeds. And water. That is it. How to make a flax egg (for 1 egg): 1. Get 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. (It must be ground. Whole seeds will not work!). ( 2. Mix it in a small bowl... ...with 2.5 to 3 tablespoons of water. 3. Stir it. Wait. You must let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. What happens? A miracle. The flax forms a thick, gooey, sticky gel. This gel has the exact binding power of an egg. It is the perfect "glue" for your bread. It also adds amazing, healthy Omega-3 fats. And fiber! It is an upgrade. Our recipe will use 2 flax eggs. So, you will use 2 tbsp flax + 6 tbsp water.
Swap 2: The Vegan Fat (The Flavor)
We must replace the butter. This is an easy swap. You have two great choices. Choice 1: Vegan Butter Use a "vegan butter" stick. (Like Earth Balance, Melt, or Miyoko's). ( This is the best choice. It gives you that buttery flavor. It has the salt. It is a 1-to-1 swap. Melt it just like real butter. Choice 2: A Neutral Oil This is the "classic" swap. It is what most recipes use. It makes the bread very moist. Use a neutral-tasting oil. Good choices are:
- Melted Coconut Oil 🥥
- Vegetable Oil
- Canola Oil
- Avocado Oil (healthy, but expensive)
Swap 3: The Plant Milk (The Moisture)
This is the easiest swap of all. We just swap the milk. You can use any plant-based milk you have. They all work. Just make sure it is UNSWEETENED. And PLAIN. You do not want "Vanilla Almond Milk." (Unless you want a strong vanilla flavor). ( Good Choices:
- Unsweetened Almond Milk (a great, neutral choice)
- Unsweetened Soy Milk (adds extra protein!)
- Unsweetened Oat Milk (very creamy and nice)
The #1 MOST Important Hack (The "Squeeze") 💧
This is the other big secret to this bread. You cannot skip this step. If you skip this, your bread will fail. It will be a disaster. You MUST squeeze the water out of your courgette. Why? As we said, a courgette is 90-95% water. If you grate it... ...and you just dump that wet, soggy mess... ...into your batter... ...you have just added \frac{1{2 cup of extra liquid. Your recipe is now broken. The ratios are wrong. You have too much water. The result? A "gummy" bread. A "soggy" bread. A "raw-in-the-middle" bread. It will be a dense, wet, sad loaf. It is a disaster.
How to Squeeze Your Courgette (The Hack) ✅
This is easy. It just takes a minute. Do not be afraid to be strong. Step 1: Grate the Courgette. Use a standard "box grater." Use the large holes. Grate about 2 medium courgettes. (You need about 2 cups, before squeezing). ( Step 2: Get a Towel. Get a clean kitchen towel. (A thin, "tea towel" is perfect). ( Or, you can use cheesecloth. Or, you can use a big stack (5-6) of paper towels. A towel works best. Step 3: SQUEEZE. Place the pile of grated courgette in the center of the towel. Gather the towel up into a ball. Hold it over the sink. Or a bowl. Now, SQUEEZE it. Twist the towel. Squeeze it with all your strength. A shocking amount of green water will pour out. It is amazing. Keep squeezing. Keep twisting. You want to get every last drop out. Your goal is a dry, sad, little lump of green pulp. This "dry" lump is your secret weapon. It is all fiber. It is all moisture. It has no "sog." This dry lump is 100% safe. It is now ready for your batter.
The Ultimate Vegan Courgette Bread Recipe 🧑🍳
This is your step-by-step master plan. It is foolproof. It will give you a perfect, moist loaf.
Ingredients: The "Dry Mix" 🌾
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Sugar (White or Brown. (Use "Organic" to be 100% vegan). (
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- \frac{1{2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- \frac{1{2 tsp Ground Nutmeg (The "secret" flavor!)
Ingredients: The "Wet Mix" 💧
- 2 "Flax Eggs" (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water)
- \frac{1{2 cup Vegan Butter, melted (Or \frac{1{2 cup neutral oil)
- \frac{1{4 cup Unsweetened Plant Milk (Almond, Soy)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Ingredients: The "Stars" 💚
- 1.5 to 2 cups Shredded Courgette (This is the "after-squeezing" amount. It is squeezed dry!)
- 1 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped (Optional, but amazing!) 🌰
- 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips (Optional, but delicious!) 🍫
Step-by-Step Instructions (The 10-Step Plan)
Step 1: Preheat & Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Or, line it with parchment paper. (This is the easy way). ( Step 2: Make your "Flax Eggs." (Do this first!) In a small bowl, mix your 2 tbsp ground flax... ...with 6 tbsp of water. Stir it. Set it aside. Let it sit for 10 minutes. It must get thick and "goopy." This is your "egg." Step 3: Grate & Squeeze your Courgette. This is the most important step. Grate your courgettes. Use a towel. Squeeze them 100% dry. Set the dry pulp aside. Step 4: Mix the "Dry Mix." Get a large bowl. Add all the "Dry Mix" ingredients. (Flour, sugar, spices, salt, baking soda/powder). ( Whisk them together well. This is important. It makes sure the leaveners are spread out. Step 5: Mix the "Wet Mix." Get a separate, medium-sized bowl. Add your (now thick and goopy) flax eggs. Add your melted vegan butter (or oil). Add your plant milk. Add your vanilla. Whisk it all together until smooth. Step 6: Combine. Pour the "Wet Mix" into the "Dry Mix" bowl. Step 7: The "Don't Overmix" Rule. 🚫 This is a key hack for all quick bread. Do not use an electric mixer! Use a wooden spoon. Or a spatula. Stir gently. Stop stirring when you see the last streak of flour. The batter should be lumpy! Lumps are your friend! If you overmix, you over-develop the gluten. This makes the bread tough, dense, and rubbery. A gentle hand = a fluffy, tender bread. Step 8: Fold in the "Stars." Now, add your dry, squeezed courgette. Add your walnuts or chocolate chips. Gently FOLD the batter. (About 3-4 strokes). (Just until they are combined. Do not beat the batter. Step 9: Pour and Bake. The batter will be very thick. This is good. Spoon it into your greased loaf pan. Smooth the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Step 10: The "Toothpick Test." toothpick How do you know it's done? Do not guess. The top will be brown. Stick a long wooden skewer... ...or a toothpick... ...into the center of the loaf. Pull it out. It should come out clean. (A few dry crumbs are okay). ( If it comes out wet with raw batter... ...it is NOT done. Put it back in the oven. Check again in 5-10 minutes.
The Cooling Rule (CRITICAL!) ⏳
You did it! It is baked. It smells amazing. You want to eat it. DO NOT CUT IT. 🚫 This is the final, vital secret. You must let a quick bread cool. It is still "setting" inside. The starches are still gelling. If you cut it hot... ...it will be a gummy, steamy, wet mess. It will fall apart. You will be so sad. You must have patience. This is the hardest part. The Rule: Let it cool in the pan. For 20 minutes. Then, gently turn it out. Place it on a wire cooling rack. This is important. It lets the air circulate. The bottom will not get soggy. Let it cool on the rack... ...for at least 1 full hour. Two hours is even better. After it is cool, you can slice it. The slice will be perfect. The crumb will be set. It will be moist, not gummy. You have won.
Storage & Troubleshooting
Storage: Store this bread on the counter. It is very moist. Do not put it in a plastic bag! It will get "sweaty" and sticky. Wrap it in a paper towel. Then in foil. Or keep it in a "bread box." It will last for 3-4 days. It also freezes perfectly. Slice it first. Wrap the slices. Freeze them. You can have one slice at a time! Troubleshooting: "Why is my bread gummy and wet?" Answer: You did not squeeze the courgette. 100%. Or, you under-baked it. (Failed the toothpick test). (Or, you cut it while it was hot. (You were impatient!). ( "Why is my bread dry?" Answer: This is very rare for this recipe! But you may have used too much flour. (You must "spoon" your flour into the cup. Do not "pack" it). (Or, you just over-baked it by 20 minutes. "Why is my bread dense and rubbery?" Answer: You over-mixed the batter. You were too aggressive. You used an electric mixer. Be gentle! Lumps are your friend. "Why did it sink in the middle?" Answer: You under-baked it. Or your baking soda/powder was old. It was "dead." It had no "lift." Buy fresh baking soda!
Conclusion: Your New Favorite Bread!
Vegan courgette bread is a miracle. It is a healthy, hidden-vegetable bread. It is a delicious, sweet, cinnamon spice cake. It is both! It is the perfect way to bake. It is simple. It is moist. And it is 100% vegan. A
Remember the 3 secrets. They are the key to success. 1. Use "Flax Eggs" as your binder. Let them get "goopy." 2. SQUEEZE your courgette! Squeeze it 100% dry. No soggy bread! 3. Do NOT over-mix. And COOL it completely before you slice. Follow these rules. You will be a vegan baking champion. Enjoy! 🌟