Healthy Oat Flour Zucchini Bread (No Sugar Added)
This Healthy Oat Flour Zucchini Bread is a nourishing twist on a classic—made with high-fibre oat flour, olive oil, and no added sugar. Moist, naturally sweetened, and packed with protein and plant-based goodness, it's a vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, and gluten-free recipe perfect for breakfast, snacking, or meal prep.
- Suitable for diets:
- High-Fiber
- High-Protein
- Vegetarian
Servings: slices
Why Diabetes Friendly?
- Low Glycemic Load: Made with oat flour and stevia instead of white flour and sugar, helping to stabilize blood glucose levels.
- High Fibre: Oat flour, flaxseed, zucchini, and walnuts contribute to fiber content, slowing carbohydrate absorption.
- No Added Sugar: Sweetened with pure stevia and applesauce (unsweetened), avoiding blood sugar spikes.
- Healthy Fats: Olive oil and walnuts provide monounsaturated fats beneficial for heart and blood sugar health.
- Protein-Rich: Eggs, Greek yogurt, and flaxseed help keep blood sugar balanced by slowing digestion.
- Portion Control Friendly: Can be pre-sliced into 10 manageable servings — helpful for carb-counting and insulin dosing.
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Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- mixing bowls (one large (wet ingredients) and one medium (dry ingredients))
- Box grater (or food processor – to grate the zucchini)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- oat flour 1 ½ cups
- ground flaxseed 2 tbsp
- baking powder 1 tsp
- baking soda ½ tsp
- salt ½ tsp
- cinnamon 1 ½ tsp
Wet ingredients
- eggs 2 large
- Greek yogurt (plain) ⅓ cup
- olive oil ¼ cup
- applesauce (unsweetened) ¼ cup
- vanilla extract 1 tsp
- pure stevia powder ⅛ tsp
- zucchini (grated, lightly squeezed in a paper towel to remove excess water) 1 cup
Add-ins
- walnuts (chopped ) ¼ cup
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Cooking Tips
- Let Batter Rest: Allow the batter to sit for 5–10 minutes before baking. This hydrates the oat flour and helps with structure.
- Avoid Overmixing: Oat flour can become gummy if overmixed — gently fold ingredients together.
- Squeeze Zucchini Lightly: Don’t over-squeeze, as a bit of moisture is needed for soft texture.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick deep into the center — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Customize Add-ins: Swap walnuts with pumpkin seeds for nut-free, or add dark chocolate chips for a sweeter version.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Use plant-based Greek-style yogurt like coconut or almond yogurt.
- Storage: Keeps 3–4 days at room temp or up to a week in the fridge; freeze slices individually for longer storage.
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment or grease lightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.1 ½ cups oat flour, 2 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and stevia until smooth.2 large eggs, ⅓ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup applesauce, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ⅛ tsp pure stevia powder
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir gently until just combined — don’t overmix.
- Fold in grated zucchini and walnuts. Let the batter sit 5–10 minutes before baking so it hydrates — this gives it more lift and less gumminess.Batter should be thick but scoopable.1 cup zucchini, ¼ cup walnuts
- Spread into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before slicing.
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FAQ
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, as long as the oat flour is certified gluten-free, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. - Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes. Substitute Greek yogurt with a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt alternative. - What can I use instead of eggs?
You can try flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water per egg) but note the texture may be slightly more dense. - Is this suitable for people with diabetes?
Yes, in moderation. It contains no refined sugars and uses oat flour, which is higher in fibre. Portion control is key. - Can I leave out the walnuts?
Yes, they're optional. You can also replace them with seeds or omit entirely for a nut-free version. - How do I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness. It also freezes well.
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Nutrition
Per serving
Calories: 172.2kcal
Carbohydrates: 14.5g
Fiber: 2.1g
Sugar: 1.4g
Fat: 10.6g
Saturated Fat: 1.6g
Trans Fat: 0.004g
Protein: 5.5g
Nutrition Facts
Healthy Oat Flour Zucchini Bread (No Sugar Added)
Serving Size
1 slice
Amount per Serving
Calories
172.2
% Daily Value*
Fat
10.6
g
16
%
Saturated Fat
1.6
g
10
%
Trans Fat
0.004
g
Cholesterol
37.5
mg
13
%
Sodium
235.2
mg
10
%
Potassium
153.2
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
14.5
g
5
%
Fiber
2.1
g
9
%
Sugar
1.4
g
2
%
Protein
5.5
g
11
%
Vitamin C
2.3
mg
3
%
Vitamin D
0.2
µg
1
%
Calcium
58.2
mg
6
%
Iron
1.2
mg
7
%
Magnesium
40.7
mg
10
%
Zinc
0.9
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Although tasty and moist, I found this didn’t rise very much. My loaf was 1.5” in height.
I blended rolled oats flakes into flour. Would this be the reason?
Hi Sheri, thank you for the feedback!
Yes that is very likely the reason. Homemade oat flour can be slightly coarser than store-bought, which can impact rise and structure. Blending very finely (and even sifting) can help.
I’ll give sifting a try, thx!