Zucchini Bread

This low-FODMAP zucchini bread swaps wheat flour for a gluten-free 1:1 blend and folds grated zucchini into the batter for moisture, with an easy dark chocolate chip variant.

Prep 15 min

Cook 55 min

Serves 10

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) gluten-free 1:1 flour blend
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups (about 180g) grated zucchini, lightly packed (no need to peel)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) white or cane sugar
• 1/2 cup (120ml) neutral oil (light olive, sunflower, or rice bran)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 cup (85g) dark chocolate chips, or 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Prep the pan and zucchini

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling.
2. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. If it looks very wet, press it lightly in a clean towel, but leave some moisture behind for a tender crumb.

Mix the batter

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Stir the grated zucchini into the wet mixture.
4. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, folding just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips or nuts, if using.

Bake and cool

1. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
2. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Gluten-free loaves can brown on top before the center sets, so rely on the skewer rather than the color.
3. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift the loaf out and cool it fully on a rack before slicing. Gluten-free breads firm up and hold together better once cooled.

Tips & Substitutions

• Weigh the flour. Gluten-free blends vary in density, so 300g on a scale gives a more reliable crumb than measuring by cup, which can pack in too much and dry the loaf out.
• Check your flour blend. Use a plain rice-and-starch based GF 1:1 blend and skip blends built on chickpea, lentil, soy, or amaranth flour. Watch for added inulin or chicory root. See gluten-free 1:1 flour blend.
• Chocolate chip version. Fold in 1/2 cup (85g) dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate carries less lactose than milk chocolate, and a single slice here stays well under Monash's 30g low FODMAP serving. Choose dairy-free chips to keep the loaf dairy-free.
• Nut option. Walnuts or pecans add crunch. Monash lists both as low FODMAP at 30g (about 10 halves), and 1/2 cup spread across 10 slices keeps each portion small.
• Butter swap. Neutral oil keeps this dairy-free, but you can use melted butter for flavor if lactose is not an issue for you.
• Sweetener notes. White or cane sugar gives the best texture. You can replace up to 2 tablespoons with maple syrup, but avoid honey, agave, and polyol "sugar-free" sweeteners like xylitol and sorbitol.

Why This Works

• Zucchini is low FODMAP. Monash lists zucchini as low FODMAP in servings up to about 65g. Grated across a 10-slice loaf, each slice holds far less, so you get the moisture without a meaningful FODMAP load.
• GF flour replaces wheat fructans. A rice-and-starch 1:1 blend removes the fructans found in wheat flour, and xanthan gum restores the structure that gluten would normally provide.
• Cane sugar over honey. Plain white or cane sugar is sucrose, which is tolerated in normal amounts, unlike honey and agave, which are high in excess fructose.
• Oil instead of dairy. Using oil rather than butter or milk keeps lactose out of the batter, so the loaf works for both gluten-free and dairy-free needs. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes.

Storage

Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, wrap individual slices, freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the toaster. Gluten-free loaves dry out faster than wheat versions, so keep them well wrapped and slice only what you plan to eat.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.